Jesse Basset provides 5 Golden Rules Of Blogger Outreach | Billington Cartmell

Posted by Jesse on Aug 16, 2011 in social media


Blogger outreach is becoming an increasingly common part of digital strategies as brands look to tap into this often influential group. Getting key bloggers on board for a particular brand or campaign helps you not only communicate with a targeted audience, but adds a credible voice to activity, as bloggers will write about brands as they as they see fit and in their own words.

However, you need to approach blogger outreach in the right way to be able to successfully engage with bloggers and to avoid it being a crass attempt to buy their time. Also with influential bloggers becoming wise to brand involvement, as they approached on an increasingly frequent basis, it’s more important than ever to play by their rules.

Here are the golden rules of blogger engagement that we have put together based on our experience and the latest thinking from the bloggers themselves.

Keep it personal

Be sure to research bloggers in advance of getting in contact, choosing the most relevant bloggers, rather than simply approaching the most influential. Make sure you communicate with bloggers individually, explain why you’ve chosen to contact them, referring to relevant content in their blog.  If what you offer is relevant to them, they will naturally name check the brand, as they will benefit from their involvement. Also once on board, make sure to follow up on posts and tweets building an ongoing relationship.

Make it exclusive

Give bloggers something exclusive to blog about, which gives them a unique perspective, helping them create the best content possible.  Focus on offering exclusive content and experiences, not just giving them free stuff, and only choose a select few, who each have a tailored experience – so they have something personal to talk about.

Make it social

Find ways to bring key bloggers together, physically or digitally.  Orchestra events that bring together bloggers with shared interests, who will help build buzz around your brand and campaign activity.  At events set challenges and tasks they can interpret, that then inspires their own unique posts.

Be considerate

If you are inviting bloggers to events, be considerate of their needs. Listen to their requirements and make sure you treat them well. There’s nothing worse than a blogging strategy that doesn’t deliver what it promised, that backfires and all that gets posted is a string of complaints.

Get their input

Lastly and most importantly create a real partnership with bloggers by helping them shape campaign activity, getting their input and ideas, giving them a real stake in how things are rolled out.  By engaging bloggers in this way, they have a tangible reason for being involved, while insuring you are listening to and responding to their input. After all, this is their space, and they are the people living and shaping it every day.

via innovation.bcl.co.uk