Blogger Relations & PRDebunking Myths … Discovering Reality

#COPRSA

Heather Whalingheather@gebencommunication.com

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Why Blogger Relations?

• 77% of Internet users read blogs• 89% of journalists conduct research on

blogs• 72% of bloggers blog to share expertise• 61% of bloggers supplement their

income by blogging

89% of journs conduct research on blogs #COPRSA

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The Good,The Bad,The Ugly.

“Blogger outreach has proliferated inthe last year as firms and clients … seethe value of exposing bloggers and theiraudiences to new campaigns andproducts …

As you might have guessed, the bigdogs … are getting solicited by agenciesagain and again and again and againand again and again.” -- Ogilvy PR

“The bottom line is, we’re tired of beingmarketed to; we just want to have a

conversation.”-- Scott Monty

“At every one of my speeches,I say PR people are spammers. That gets

everyone's attention so I have anopportunity to explain what I mean … Iget several hundred unsolicited pressreleases and PR pitches every week.

Well over 99% of them are not targetedto me, instead they are sent to me

because I am on various PR people’slists …”

-- David Meerman Scott

(history repeats itself)

2007

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The Realities of Blogger Outreach

Myth #1:Pre-existing relationships

• Develop personalrelationships withbloggers beforemaking the pitch

• “Cold-pitching” isforbidden

Reality: Be Smarter.

• Relationships help, but aren’t required.• A solid pitch trumps a lukewarm

relationship.• Personalization is the key to effective

blogger outreach.• Help bloggers cut through the clutter

With bloggers, solid pitches trump lukewarm relationships #COPRSA

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Myth #2: Bloggers = Media

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Reality:Blogger Relations = Media Relations

• Most bloggers:– Aren’t breaking news– Answer to communities, not editors– Haven’t graduated from journalism school– Don’t want your press releases

• Blogs aren’t newspapers or magazines,so don’t treat the content creators thesame

Blogs aren’t newspapers. Treat content creators differently #COPRSA

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Myth #3:Pay-to-Play, Swag & Ads

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Reality:Ethics, FTC Say “No Payola”

• FTC requires disclosure from bloggerswho receive cash or in-kind payments

• Fake reviews do a disservice to ablogger’s community

• Understand the difference betweeneditorial, promotion, news, communityaccess/integration

When pitching bloggers, know the difference btwn editorial,promotion, news & cmty access #COPRSA

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“We believe we should be fairlycompensated for promotional work, forproviding material to be sold by a third

party, for sharing our knowledge tocompanies who will profit from that said

knowledge.”-- Independent Fashion Bloggers “Fair Compensation Manifesto”

Myth #4: Content is King

Reality: … Not So Fast

• 5 C’s of Blogger Relations:– Cultivation– Collaboration– Content– Community– Communication (what’s the ask?)

5 Cs of blogger outreach: Cultivation, Collaboration, Content,Community & Communication #CORPSA

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Bad Blogger Relations

Matrix courtesy of The Future Buzz (http://thefuturebuzz.com/2010/08/30/marketing-pr-fluency/)

Good Blogger Relations

Matrix courtesy of The Future Buzz (http://thefuturebuzz.com/2010/08/30/marketing-pr-fluency/)

Heather Whalingwww.GebenCommunication.comheather@gebencommunication.com@prTini

for slides & resources:bit.ly/COPRSA

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Collaboration. Integration. Social Good.