Should blogger outreach be handled by PR or Social Media? So far, I’ve come across or have been involved in the following scenarios:
1. Blogger outreach by PR team: the client has asked for media outreach which now includes online publications, some of which are blogs that have gained traction to become a valuable paid gig for bloggers who have earned themselves sizable, highly engaged audiences. The focus for PR outreach that includes online media generally extends to include the ‘big’ blogs.
2. Blogger outreach by the Social Media team: the client would like social media activity and includes blogger outreach in the mix. The focus is on audience size but also Twitter and other social networking influence.
The Challenge
The lines are blurred when looking at successful blogs that have grown to allow the blogger to survive on paid content and advertising on their sites. Many of these are considered media by PR people and even clients. And some of these blogs operate more like a media outlet in the traditional sense, however they are still a blog that originated from the heart and soul of unpaid content.
These kinds of blogs appear on PR lists and Social Media lists … so who reaches out to the likes of a fashion blogger like Lifestyled, penned by a former glossy magazine Editor who is doing wonders with her blog, or the new communications man about town Trevor PR Warrior Young?
Will the PR person know how to also leverage a blogger’s online influence in other social networks with consideration of the nuances and etiquettes that go with them?
Will the Social Media person know how to get the most from a blogger in the same way we’ve been working with journalists for far longer than blogger outreach has existed?
Learning from being on both sides of the coin
Having experience in PR and Social Media roles has been valuable for bringing all skills and experiences to a brief. I’m starting to see more PR people looking to bring Social Media professionals into the mix for blogger outreach. I’ve also trained PR professionals about the nuances of blogger outreach, taking their existing skills and translating them to the blogosphere.
On the other side, I’ve trained Social Media professionals about how to reach out to bloggers and the toolkit they need to have on hand to maximise the opportunity of blog coverage. We also covered how to develop creative angles to pitch in the same way we approach media relations.
I’ve love to hear about your experience with blogger outreach from anyone in PR or Social Media.
Bloggers, would love to hear your stories of the pitches you receive – the good, the bad, the ugly!
*Jackie Chan meme found here