Blogger Outreach 101: Connecting Your Brand with Top Influencers

By Christine Rochelle

Social is becoming a bigger piece of the digital marketing pie every day, leaving businesses wondering how to spread their message online.

Content still reigns as King of the world wide web, so in order to combine social and content that leaves businesses with one option: bloggers.

But how do you get bloggers to write about your business, providing valuable exposure and quality link juice back to your website?

You can just ask, you know.

Connect with Bloggers

Have you thought about asking a blogger to write about your product? Or how about write about their experience as an intern for the day? Maybe they can sit down and interview your CEO? The writing opportunities are endless with what is called “blogger outreach.”

BlogDash, a blogger outreach dashboard for businesses, allows marketers to research 50,000 bloggers to find the most relevant bloggers for your current marketing campaigns. Search by social media accounts, biography, page rank, location, and more to find the perfect blogging fit for your company.

Businesses are able to then engage with the bloggers through BlogDash by connecting via Twitter or blog posts, all through the BlogDash business dashboard. Marketing directors are then able to pitch to a blogger why they should write about their company’s product or services by using pre-paid “points.” Businesses can earn points that can translate into free pitches by recommending the service to friends, other bloggers, or by even suggesting dashboard improvements to the BlogDash developers.

Blogger outreach gives your company the ability to build relationships with top influencers in your industry and local market.

If you’re not into using a paid dashboard like BlogDash, try some other blogging communities such as BlogCatalog, BlogWorld, or BlogHer.

Blogging Outreach Dos and Don’ts

Do your research on your blogger before you pitch to them. You don’t want to make the mistake of choosing a blogger who can be a controversial publish relations mess for your company. Choosing blindly is a risk and nothing can ever be erased from the Internet.

Don’t assume your blogger will give your product two thumbs up. If you decide to pay the blogger or give them swag for their time and influence, they may be more likely to give a positive review of your product but they also then have to state that they were paid for their content as per the FTC. If they’re not paid, there’s a good chance they may give your product an honest thumbs down.

Do search for bloggers who have already been actively engaging with your brand online. Being active on Twitter and Facebook for your business doesn’t just build relationships with consumers but also influential bloggers who already have a strong reputation in your industry and with your potential customers.

Don’t forget to be grateful to the bloggers for their time, paid or unpaid. Sharing their posts on social media, actively engaging in their blog, and giving back some link juice are appropriate. These things should be done both BEFORE and AFTER the blogger writes for you. These relationships need to be nurtured for as long as they continue to blog.

PCG Digital Marketing

PCG Digital Marketing is an award winning digital agency headquartered in Eatontown, NJ. We help our clients get found online through innovative search, social and online advertising campaigns. For more information, visit our company page.

     

Tags: blogging, blogging outreach, blogging outreach etiquette, blogs, content