to speak about how and why to build relationships with bloggers at Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas.
The room was filled with bloggers, entrepreneurs, PR people, corporate executives, and journalists, all looking to engage. I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise as it was one of the last sessions of the entire event.
The agenda for the hour was basic, but the ensuing discussions were deep and immersive.Remember, the point here is that while many of this seems like common sense, but it actually requires a completely different mindset for creating blogger campaigns and measuring their success.
Conversations are taking place right now about your company and your competitors. What are you going to do about it?
Blogger relations and participation are critical to the future of your business.
- Blogger relations is about people, many of whom might be customers and peers. It is not to be underestimated.
- Be knowledgeable, transparent, honest, and trustworthy. Add value or don't bother.
- You are empowered and expected, as a PR person, to know what you're talking about, it's benefits, and why it matters to the markets you're trying to reach. Become an expert.
- Stop thinking about PR in terms of pitches and audience. The pitch is dead. The audience is dead.
- Determine their preferred method of contact - note it might not be email, but rather various social tools.
NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Please help PR help you. Create a page or update your "about" section with tips and recommendations for developing relationships with PR people. 3. Promote and Reach Bloggers Through Social Media
- Link to them.- Leverage personal networks.
4. Utilize Social Tools
- There are alternative contact channels to email and forms ()
- Micromedia such as Twitter, jaiku, Tumblr, Utterz, Pownce.
- The traditional press release has no business in blogger relations. You're going to have to put things together as building blocks in order to help someone tell a story.
- Podcasts, invite them to co-host a podcast or to be a guest on something like BlogTalkradio. Or create pre-recorded interviews or discussions that matter to bloggers. Think about creating custom content for different people. One shoe doesn't fit all just like one message or one tool doesn't matter to everyone.
- Tagging, Tag items within social networks for specific people.
- Google Alerts allow you to be notified if anyone is talking about your company, competition, you, or other important topics.
- Technorati allows you to discover blogs that cover certain key words.
- Read.
- Use an RSS aggregator or feed reader to simplify the process of reading the important blogs and their coverage.
8. The “C”s of Blogger Relations
- Context: why is it relevant to them.
- Credibility: what makes you credible? Become the expert.
- Conversation: you are not invited to the conversation as a marketer. This is about people, so be articulate, responsive, honest, smart, and resourceful.
- Don't get caught up in the A-list.
- Focus on the magic middle, bloggers with 20-1000 blogs that link back to them.
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