Hey Nick, I've had experience working for an online travel company and reached out to travel bloggers for sponsored/guest posts. It really varies from blogger to blogger. Obviously the ones with a more impressive online authority charged more than someone who was fairly new to the blogosphere. 

Most of them featured rates that were between $150-$400. I came across quite a number that wanted $200-$250 for a sponsored post. Occasionally, I'd find someone who'd be willing to charge $50. Sometimes you can negotiate with them to find a suitable price that'll satisfy both parties.

Most of them allowed 1-2 links per post (including anchor text of your own choosing) and they preferred if you provided the content. However, some were able to create content themselves, which saves a lot of work for the buyer. 

I just wanted to share my experience with you, as well. I recently got offered to do a post and other than products, I got offered around $20 for a post. Just so you have an idea I get about 7,500 hits a month with PR of 0 haha.

I guess that's reasonable for starting out :)

As William mentioned, it can really vary. Usually somewhere between a couple of hundred dollars. It depends a lot on their audience and reach.

Some of them will even do it in exchange for products or services.

As far as getting posts out there for SEO, a more cost effective alternative might be to post your own articles on websites related to your client's industry - like this one, or the many others out there who are looking for contributors! Then they can include their links in the posts/articles and gain some reputation as an expert in their field. 

You might also consider signing up for appropriate forums and discussion boards for the same purposes.

Quality is always the issue. On fiver (a website where you pay $5 for everything) there is a mountain of people who will write a 500 word blog post for just $5 - but the quality of the writing is often very poor and needs to be re-worked.

I have paid up to $100 for an outstanding article and up to $50 for a one panel cartoon - but these are the exception.

As I am promoting my own blog I rarely charge for my articles unless they are articles you have aptly described as 'sponsored'.

Greg Ferrett

Also you can go the cheapo (bad quality) way and get $5 guest posting spots on fivver.com

The rates for sponsored blog posts can vary widely depending on various factors such as the blogger's popularity, niche, blog traffic, engagement metrics, and the scope of the collaboration. 

Micro-Influencers: They typically charge anywhere from $50 to $500 per sponsored post, depending on their niche and engagement rates. Their blogs may have a few thousand to tens of thousands of monthly visitors.

Mid-Level Bloggers: They may charge anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per sponsored post. Their blogs may attract tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors.

Top-Tier Bloggers: They often charge $2,000 or more per sponsored post. Their blogs can have hundreds of thousands to millions of monthly visitors.

When considering bloggers' rates, it's essential to evaluate their blog statistics. Bloggers should be able to provide you with metrics such as monthly visitors, page views, social media followers, and engagement rates (such as likes, comments, and shares). Analyzing these statistics will help you assess the potential reach and impact of your sponsored blog posts.