LiveBlogged: Blogger Outreach That Works #typeacon

Session: Blogger Outreach That Works
Speakers: Cecily Kellogg, Jessi Langsen of Edelman, Ana Roco-Castro, Jenn Fowler
Where: TypeAParent Conference, June 23-25, 2011, Asheville, NC

Blogger & Brands — Bill of Rights

Ana — The most important part of the pitch is the key performance indicator. Is blogger doing the right thing, is brand pitching the bloggers? Brands want concrete measurable results.

Jessi — Worst pitch from PR: “I’m going to give you the chance to blog about this retail outlet that is far from your home.” Brands: Don’t pretend that you are doing the blogger a favor by sending a pitch.

Cecily — How do brands reach out to bloggers? On twitter. She has a better conversion rate when she pitches on twitter than when she sends out email pitches.

Jessi loves DM (Direct Messages). Her most successful pitches came from getting to know the person first. PR will get a better conversion rate since you know the person first.

Ana — Worst pitch mistakes involved inviting people she didn’t know to a campaign. DM is good. Or phone call.

Jessi will search to see if the blogger does reviews or not. Checks out the About Me page. Titles emails “Quick easy sponsored post!” Bloggers want to know what is in it for them. Get to the point,

Jessi — least favorite pitch from bloggers to brands “To whom it may concern, I would like to request all your products to review and giveaway…” Instead bloggers should pitch a personal email to the brand. Tell the brand where you met them — at an event, conference, trade show. Tell why the brand should let you review. For instance, pitch to Ziploc that you are doing a series of posts on freezer cooking. Give date of when posts will run.

Cecily — bloggers should pitch to brands a year or more ahead as brands do budgets in advance. In other words, don’t pitch for BlogHer 11, pitch for BlogHer 12.

Cecily does her research first, rather than cold pitching bloggers.

How to Manage the Relationship with Bloggers

Jessi — you can’t know every blogger or brand. From a PR perspective you don’t want to work with the same people over and over again.

Ana — gigcoin — brands pay her, then she pays the blogger

Jessi — likes engagement document between brand and outreach person. Include requirements. If you sign something, you feel obligated to do it.

Jessi makes the process as easy as possible. Provides links, pictures, and verbiage.

Blogger and Brands Bill of Rights

Bloggers
1. Professionalism
2. Access and communication
3. Clear terms (no mission creep)
4. Understanding of values
5. Clear instructions
6. Prompt payment (within reason)
7. Disclosure (bloggers are required by law to disclose their relationship to brand)

“mission creep” — brands will ask bloggers to post about a product not part of the original contract

“scope slide” — Megan Jordan @velveteenmind. If scope changes, it is better to re do the contract. You need to be paid for work done on next project.

Brands

1. Professionalism
2. Access and communications
3. Deadlines met
4. Unique and original content
5. Measuring results
6. Reports (as agreed upon)
7. Disclosure

If someone at brand doesn’t send prize, find out if your contact left the company. Contact the Better Business Bureau

Ana — won’t do a giveaway unless she has the giveaway. She mails the prize.

Trips — Bloggers love trips via Cecily.

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