Social PR ~ Working effectively with bloggers
Julia Rosien
brand marketer | digital marketing & communications | strategic branding | storytelling & consumer experience
Ten years ago when a manufacturer or store had something newsworthy to share, they got themselves a PR agency who then got the information into the hands of a senior writer or editor. Successful PR agencies understood how to get honest, helpful product or service reviews without crossing the line into advertorial. It was almost always a one-way ticket to media attention, which (hopefully) led to more sales.
Bloggers are the new PR agencies, journalists and editors all rolled into one – and the relationship is a whole lot trickier.
A blogger lives and dies by his/her street cred
Word of mouth – both online and off – is about trust. It takes years for a blogger to build a trusted online reputation and one post to destroy it. Most people who read blogs understand the new social contract of product reviews online. They understand the product may be free to the blogger and that money may have changed hands for the review – but they expect 100% honesty. One false statement from a blogger about a product and their integrity – and traffic – is gone.
Reach and impact of each blogger is different too. While a journalist might be able to reach 300K readers – if each reader were to read every single story in the magazine – a blogger may only reach 1,000. But those 1,000 people are loyal, pre-qualified and react quickly to recommendations with their wallets.
A few years ago, you would never imagine that bloggers could have so much sway. Because of their tightly knit communities – that they’ve worked hard to nurture – they often control the conversation. Let me fill you in…Bloggers can be a brand's best friend or worst enemy.
Social PR is just as time-consuming as traditional PR. And just as risky if your products or service under-deliver on expectations. If you’re going to send a blogger a $1,000 stroller, the story behind what makes it better than the $300 one better be bullet proof.
Bloggers – the good, bad & ugly
Just as there are good journalists and lawyers, there are a few shady ones too – same with bloggers. And it’s not always easy to spot the bad apples.
Explore their websites and/or blogs. Just as you wouldn’t advertise in a magazine without reading a few articles, you need to spend time getting to know the blogger. Read through a few posts to see if you like their writing, if their tone is a good fit for your brand. And be critical when reading.
- How often do they post on their blog? Less than once a week might signify this is a hobby.
- Do they write about what you sell? If they write about DIY projects but you sell only haute couture, it’s not a good fit.
- Are their posts mostly promotional giveaways or content/opinion based? Rule of thumb (like in magazine publishing) is 60/40 – 60% opinion and 40% advertising/promotional work.
- Do people comment on their posts? If no one comments on their posts, is anyone reading them?
Look closely at the social shares. Most blog posts have share counters and you can see how many times each post was tweeted and shared on social networks. After all, that’s what you’ll be paying them for.
These tips will help you find the best bloggers to work with:
- Ask for traffic numbers
- Ask the blogger for his/her media kit
- Read through their social channels for actual conversations
- Ask for story ideas
- Ask how s/he’ll promote the post
- Ask for a follow-up report
And remember, respect is never overrated in this relationship. Reach out to a blogger just as you would reach out to a journalist. Be clear in your goals and in what you’re willing to invest in the relationship.
Blogging is a business and bloggers make their living from their blogs. Once you’ve got all the goals and logistics ironed out with your blogger of choice, it’s time to put everything in writing. I’m always amazed at the amount of smart business owners both from the blogging side and the brand side who play fast and loose with contracts.
Get your agreement in writing, just like you would any media buy. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or create great relationships – but this is a business arrangement.
I'm the resident Brand Engineer for Restonic and I’m thrilled to welcome you to our online world of supporting dreams, one mattress at a time. Do you work with bloggers? I’d love to connect with you and share ideas. Connect with me on Twitter @JuliaRosien and let’s continue the conversation.
Marketing Coordinator
10 年Hah..was just about to write similar article. Instead...I will add to what Paula is saying here in the comments. I don't think your post goes far enough and numbers really are not all that it is about. When reaching out to a blogger either for a review or to promote you or an event, whatever, you need to imagine that person as being an employee of that brand. That blogger is now representing you by association. Analytics and a fancy media kit are not going to show that. Numbers are not everything....you want someone who truly 'sells' the brand. As Lyndon mentions, it is about relationships and chucking product or a prepaid cc card a blogger is not building a relationship. Agencies need to look at bloggers who can represent them in the best way forward. The best way to look at a blogger/agency relationship is as a contract marketer. Research the blogger on social media. Who and how do they communicate online? How big are their social media numbers beyond their blog? I honestly don't think the blogger brand relationship has yet been used to its full potential and that won't happen until more effort is put in on both sides. If it is looked at as a serious and business arrangement (contracts spelling out exactly the expectations and so on) too many bloggers will look at this all as a fun way to get free stuff and brands and agencies will not see the marketing potential of working with someone who should be a key influencer and therefore part of their team.
I think the most important line in the piece is "Be clear in your goals and in what you’re willing to invest in the relationship." PR is about relationships, it's not about publicity [that's the Promotion 'P' of marketing and people don't realize the importance of investing in relationships. It's a great reminder for us all Julia, thank you.
VP @ Dale Carnegie Training | TEDx Speaker | Executive Coach | Author, 5 1/2 MENTORS | Board Member @ Athena Of The Triangle
10 年Great post Julia!
Senior Manager, Influencers. Social Media Strategy, influencer Marketing Expert
10 年Great advice, Julia. Get to know me as a blogger and influencer. I am always extremely impressed when I get an email from a resource or client indicating they read my latest post about RESPS and are choosing to invest now as a result. I am most impressed when they indicate they have learned something and they read often. We have a relationship that is mutually beneficial and I, as a blogger, would also go out of my way to protect and nurture that. I disagree slightly with the statement about reach. Some bloggers are reaching 10 million impressions a week when you factor in all the social activity. (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google plus and IG) As a person who also does influencer outreach programs for many clients through my business, I would choose that type of reach over a newspaper reporter's limited readership any day. Blogger outreach is a very valuable tool and has been now for a few years already. Done well, with the proper authentic influencers engaged and maintained inside a professional relationship, blogger outreach can generate incredible results. Also one final note: the thing about blogger outreach that some PR professionals don;t understand is that you cannot simply google Canadian Mom Blogger and plug any one of those influencers in to help generate buzz for your brand. There is a part of the blogger outreach relationship that demands that you be connected to the world of blogging. As well you really have to do your homework. Too many mistakes are still being made. For instance people ask me to post about dog food all the time. I don't own a dog and never have, so how on earth would that be authentic? This past week I read a post done by a 20ish beauty blogger about children's vitamins. She has no children and couldn't possibly have tested the vitamins out. Authenticity is crucial to this type of engagement.