Is Blogger Outreach the Missing Piece of Your PR Plan?

Blogger outreach (or blogger relations) is the most overlooked PR strategy, in my opinion. A well-executed blogger outreach program takes some legwork, common courtesy, a captivating story, and chutzpah…things every PR pro and brand manager needs.

Charlotte PR pro Kathy Rowan and I teamed up recently to do blogger outreach for Charlotte Radiology’s new mobile mammogram center. I was floored by the positive response from bloggers.

Not only did many of the bloggers write about the mobile mammogram center, they also spread the word extensively via Facebook and Twitter. They generated tons of comments. One blogger even found a forum where users were discussing the pink tires (a campaign theme) and joined the conversation. Talk about a great ambassador!

What made the project a success? It started with the basics of good blogger relations:

• Build the right blogger outreach list
• Pitch stories relevant to your target bloggers
• Be courteous, respectful and grateful
• Do something good for the community
• Give bloggers credit for their coverage

Blogger Outreach Is More Than Pitching a Story

Good blogger relations isn’t just about everything leading up to the pitch. What you do after the pitch is just as important. The extra effort is incremental and the impact is huge. Here are a few tips:

• Promote the Bloggers, Not Just Yourself. This isn’t about you; it’s about the bloggers. Drive traffic to their sites and give them the spotlight. It shows you want to help them, too, and they’ll appreciate it.
  • Pretty In the Queen City
  • MommyBKnowsBest
  • A Daily Pinch
  • Mommyality
  • Feminine Wiles
• Play Matchmaker. Introduce bloggers to your experts, other bloggers, media folks…whoever. Most bloggers are trying to grow their readership, attract sponsors, raise their profiles, and find new opportunities. You can earn goodwill by helping them make connections.
• Share Resources. Give bloggers the info they need to write a good post quickly. That might include:
  • Data and statistics
  • Easy-to-read bullet lists of the key points
  • Links to useful resources
  • Images and video (embeddable or downloadable, not attachments)
  • Contact info
  • Access to experts — not just PR staff
• Give Them Something to Give Away. This isn’t always appropriate, but you’d be surprised how effective it can be. Many bloggers use giveaways and contests to attract and engage readers. Product samples, gift cards and the like make perfect prizes.
• Set Up Keyword Alerts. Use keyword alerts to notify you when your blogger outreach efforts pay off. I monitor blogs, Tweets, Facebook posts — anywhere content is created and shared. Don’t use just Google Alerts, though, as you’ll miss a TON of the conversation about your brand.

Want to Learn More About Blogger Outreach?

I’m thinking of hosting a blogger outreach MeetUp to discuss best practices, case studies, etc. Would you come? The MeetUp is ideal for PR account execs, PR managers, brand managers, and social media consultantsLet me know via this form if you’d be interested.