Introduction: Contribute to this Page

The purpose of the "Blog Outreach: How to Pitch Bloggers" article is to help create a central and comprehensive document outlining the basic strategic and tactical methods of conducting blog outreach and contacting bloggers. This article has been placed as a wiki to encourage others to contribute, revise and refine this article.

 

Download the PDF of this document at http://www.emergence-media.com/lp/blogger-outreach.html

 

Please visit www.Emergence-Media.com for more information.

 

 

Overall Strategy

Don’t Pitch hard, but “Don’t Let Go” either - Manage Smartly

While contacts with bloggers should avoid sounding like a press release or a sales pitch, careless is dangerous too. There’s a lot of buzz about “letting go” when it comes to Social Media, but the Microsoft Vista/Vista Laptop fiasco showed that poor execution can lead to a PR disasters (see "Social Media Marketing and the OMG-WTF Crowd"). Lesson: Don’t Think You can “Control the Brand” and Don’t “Let Go” of the Brand, but “Manage the Brand”.

 

Build Your Relationships: Do it Now, Not When You Need Them.

PR companies like to emphasize their strong relationships with prominent journalists. It’s the same for blogging. It’s important to build relationships with a variety of targeted bloggers now, not when you’re trying to make a last minute pitch when you try to make you’re 6PM deadline on who you contacted. Create you own blog, leave intelligent comments and feedback, let them know you’re there – just please participate.

 

Build Your Relationships: Recognize Them Publicly

Lots of companies may send “thank you’s” for reviewing the product (good or bad) on the blogger’s website. But how many create a “Blog Mentions” page on their corporate website? Think beyond listing the generic press releases under your “Press Room” section. As they say, give some “link love” back to the blogger (regardless of the review).

 

Know the Landscape Part 1: Look Beyond the A-Listers

It’s one thing to know the A-List bloggers, its another to know what mid-tier blogs they read. Just like in regular PR, you may need to hit the mid-tier bloggers (who are read by the A-List bloggers) before you get covered by the big leagues. Don’t be fooled by looking only at Alexa data or Technorati rankings, see who links to them too.

 

Is it a Great Product? Would the blogger use it?

Simple Enough: Good products, sexy products get buzz. Bloggers are often tech-savvy and very picky, is your product up to it? Is it something the blogger (the exact one you’re aiming to contact) may buy? Or want?

 

Bloggers need an offer, exclusivity – something to stroke the ego

A lot of bloggers have a certain degree of ego. They’re blogging for themselves. What exclusive story, juicy inside scoop can you offer? Do they get a “select journalists only”, first review of the product? Will they get a peak at your private beta? Will their questions and feedback be responded by the VP of Marketing or the marketing intern? With Farecast, John Battelle was given a special number of invites which he could give his readers.

 

Messaging and Approach

Be Personable, Casual, But Professional

The best way to approach a blogger is like contacting a friend of a friend out of the blue. You want to be casual (because you have a mutual friend), but you cant get too personal (because you really don’t know the person). Remember that the blogosphere is conversational so please spare the obvious pitches, the press release synopsis and the canned stories. At the same time, stay professional and to the point.

 

Be Descriptive, Speak English

Bloggers are notorious for hating marketing/PR jargon, so no “creating a long-tail crowrdsourcing service in the conversational economy”. Call it as it is – even when too many bloggers are notorious for getting way over excited over the next great “web 2.0” service.

 

Be Clear with Your Blogger: On Reviews, On Embargoes etc.

The big Microsoft Vista incident with the free Acer Laptops was due to the lack of clarity and consistency on what conditions were bloggers given the review units. Bloggers are like lack amateur journalists, they may not know exactly what you mean by an embargo or what a review unit is. Be clear and consistent – but in human language, not legalese. Bloggers will compare notes and see if they received different emails, they did this publicly with Microsoft Vista with embarrassing results.

 

Be clear and prompt on follow-ups

Be ready with follow-up questions, clarifications. Bloggers are naturally online all the time and may operate on an even faster “internet time” and require quick feedback and requests. It may sound like a chore, but a quick 10 minute response back can do wonders. Additionally, will their questions and feedback be responded by the VP of Marketing or the PR intern? If you want to appeal to the blogger’s ego – get the VP/CMO/FancyTitlePerson on it.

 

Appeal to the Ego, Not the “Readers”

Bloggers partially write for their ego, so it is best to avoid telling the blogger that “I’m sure your readers would be interested in Product X”. Don’t make your appeal to their readers, appeal to them.

 

Know Your Bloggers

Learn who the bloggers are, most bloggers have an “About Us” with their background, interests, who they work for, where they are (and what region they cover), etc. Learn them and use it to your advantage when approaching a blogger. Only a lazy PR person would contact BoingBoing about a DRM-enforced product or service.

 

Know the Landscape Part 2: Categorize Your Bloggers

Within a large space (say like “Web 2.0”), not all bloggers are alike. TechCrunch and Read/Write Web may look the same at first glance (Web 2.0 stuff), but a closer reading of the blogs will tell you a different story. Can you guess what?

 

Making the Connection: First Contact

Keep the Pitch Soft

No “read your great post” or other all too obvious ego stroking. If you can see how yourproduct/service directly relates to a recent post, than it’s probably okay to mention that. If there is anything relating to a press release in your subject line or body, that email is going to the delete folder.

 

Like Sending Resumes, Avoid Attachments

Part of keeping your email short is to avoid attachments. No PowerPoint Presentations, no PDFs – unless as part of a follow-up. Or send a link instead.

 

Please don’t call.

It’s true that some bloggers leave their Skype or phone numbers online, but cold calls from a PR person is probably something they don’t want to hear regardless of what contact information is posted on the blog.

 

After the Review Posting

Bad Review? No Review? Still Follow-Up

If the review looked bad then it’s an opportunity to show you care about the product and the reviewer by asking what changes would be needed, and follow-up with the blogger on the next revision of the product. If no review, don’t take it personally – the same blogger may willing review the next new product. Lesson: Don’t Burn Bridges.

 

Build Your Relationships: Recognize Them Publicly (Repeat)

Already mentioned in the Strategy Section, follow-up and acknowledge the blogger for reviewing the product/service. Ensure there’s a “Blog Mentions” in your website’s “Press Room”, linking back to the blogger.

 

Cultivate the Relationship

Don’t let the relationship just die after the posting. Keep them abreast of new products, free trials, have them as beta testers – relationships are difficult to keep, so don’t waste it. Remember, you’re in it for the long term. (Aren’t you?)