Want to get better traction with bloggers for your company? Here's how to engage better with bloggers and get the kind of results that other PR companies dream about

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Your PR success strategy

2. * As the managing editor of several blogs I get
contacted daily and asked to promote items on the
blogs. I am not alone in this, any prominent blogger
will tell you they get a lot of PR pitches. You send
us a generic email and what it contains is of no
benefit to the company or the blogger as it’s all Me!
Me! Me! The blogger deletes the email and the
Brand / PR Company get frustrated that they are
not connecting with the influencers in a positive
manner and they are not getting the online
exposure that they want. There has to be a better
way, and there is.
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3. * With these 6 simple tips your brand can engage with a
blogger in a manner that benefits the both of you and get
some awesome results
* When contacting a blogger, it pays to be polite and outline
your offering
* Good bloggers do not publish your press releases verbatim
* You want to increase sales, in your contact explain if you
have an affiliate program
* If you want them to review products, make sure they are
suitable for the intended audience
* Ask if the blog has an editorial calendar
* Offer something of interest to the blog’s audience – simple
yet effective!
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4. * Let's look at the first tip, contacting the blogger, think of
your initial contact as writing a letter. Often you know their
name; it's on their blog. Personalise your email. If you are
expecting a blogger to pay attention to detail, you must do it
too when you start your relationship with them. Keep it
brief. Remember some bloggers don’t blog full time. As Guy
Kawasaki says in Enchantment – 6 lines or less per email.
* Don't send them a press release and expect them to publish
it. A good blogger will not compromise their reputation by
doing this. It will just make their blog meaningless to have
identical content as multiple other blogs.
* Ask them if it can be included or referenced in an upcoming
post. Add links to other articles that they might find useful.
See editorial calendar tip below. It may take a little time to
incorporate it, so give the blogger as much notice as possible
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5. * If you have an affiliate program the blogger can join, make it obvious by
telling them where it is and including a link to it. Let the manager of your
company’s affiliate scheme know that you are inviting bloggers to join. Be
open to the idea of having a conversation with the affiliate company to
making it easy for a blogger to become an affiliate, it benefits everyone
to do this. Sometimes influential bloggers are rejected from an affiliate
scheme and no reason stated. You wouldn’t want this to happen to you, so
smooth the way for bloggers who reply back to you.
* Online reviews like traditional media product reviews can significantly
raise brand awareness and if done well increase sales. Make sure the
product is suited to the blog, it saves you getting a flat out rejection or
worse still a bad review. Think carefully and do a little research, doing so
means your product is reviewed to the right audience and will boost
visibility and sales significantly. Most bloggers will aim for a balanced
review and will include negatives. Their integrity with their audience is
important. It’s one of the reasons you got in touch in the first place.
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6. * Asking if the blog has an editorial calendar means you can work with
the blogger for the right product and have books reviewed at the
right time. Book reviews for Christmas book sales and launches need
to be sent out in early September. Valentines products in January;
seasonal product before the season starts. Ask about the editorial
calendar as they may have things that suit your marketplace such as
Ada Lovelace day, Towel day, Star Wars day... you never know if you
don't ask!
* Recently we were asked to review a medical item that normally
would have no place on our blog but it did tie in with women’s health
month so the item got a lot more attention than it normally would
from us. The PR Company did a little research, it showed in their
communication with us and they are thrilled with the result. They
also helped promote the post on social media channels, which scores
highly with the blogger. It’s hard work to promote a post and the help
is appreciated.
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7. * Offering item of interest to the blogs community or audience
is a great way for the blogger to gain more engagement, and
is a terrific way to draw attention to your product. If you
offer the blogger an item to review, offer them one to
giveaway. The chances are that will result another link back
to the product from the item winner’s blog.
* Great result! Two blog reviews for the price of one. Your
brand gets twice the exposure for a little bit of
consideration. Make sure the blogger knows to declare they
were given the item. For the best results make it so there is
no obligation to review.
* Most times you will get the review anyway but if they don’t
like the product you won’t get a potentially harmful review.
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8. * This really is a case of making a scenario where
everyone wins, and in doing that you will gain a lot
more promotion of your items.
* Remember to give it a try for more
targeted, effective marketing to bloggers
* Sarah Arrow (http://www.saraharrow.co.uk) is a UK
blogger and the managing editor of Birds on the
Blog (http://www.birdsontheblog.uk) a women’s
blog with a cult international following.
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