tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21217704.post-42481293820357453322007-11-11T10:01:00.000-08:002007-11-11T11:16:59.380-08:00<img style="width: 407px; height: 272px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/1949791067_55998904d4.jpg?v=" 0="" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Building relationships with bloggers has been the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.briansolis.com/2007/11/pr-roundtable-discussion-advice-on.html">hot </a><span style="font-family:arial;">topic of the last year, with an emphasis on the last couple of weeks - courtesy of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail/2007/10/sorry-pr-people.html">Mr. Chris Anderson</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> (btw, thank you Chris for sparking some of the most important and </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.briansolis.com/2007/11/dear-chris-anderson-open-letter-to-make.html">invigorating discussions</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> to take place in PR in quite some time).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I was invited to join Marc Harty of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.prtraffic.com/">PR Traffic</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> to speak about how and why to build relationships with bloggers at Blogworld Expo in Las Vegas.<br /><br /><img style="width: 407px; height: 272px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/1949861663_bde3c7cec6.jpg?v=" 0="" /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The room was filled with bloggers, entrepreneurs, PR people, corporate executives, and journalists, all looking to engage. I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise as it was one of the last sessions of the entire event.<br /><br /><img style="width: 410px; height: 274px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/1949885737_1e22b5a31b.jpg?v=" 0="" /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The agenda for the hour was basic, but the ensuing discussions were deep and immersive.<br /><br />Remember, the point here is that while many of this seems like common sense, but it actually requires a completely different mindset for creating blogger campaigns and measuring their success.<br /><br />Conversations are taking place right now about your company and your competitors. What are you going to do about it?<br /><br />Blogger relations and participation are critical to the future of your business.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >1. Define Blogger Relations</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Blogger relations is about people, many of whom might be customers and peers. It is not to be underestimated.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >2. The Art of Relationships</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Be knowledgeable, transparent, honest, and trustworthy. Add value or don't bother.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- You don't have the "right" to pitch bloggers, so really think about it before you approach anyone.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Conversation seems to be the "it" word, but it all comes down to respect, articulation, and relevance. Personality helps.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- No one likes to sold "to" or marketed "at" - each person needs to hear things differently, so think about that.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- There is no market for messages.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- You are empowered and expected, as a PR person, to know what you're talking about, it's benefits, and why it matters to the markets you're trying to reach. Become an expert.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Less is more. This isn't about numbers, this is about doing PR in the Long Tail so that you can develop more meaningful relationships that have a more significant impact on the brand, business, and customers service. Quality vs. Quantity.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Stop thinking about PR in terms of pitches and audience. The pitch is dead. The audience is dead.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- It's all about trust and respect</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> - Determine their preferred method of contact - note it might not be email, but rather various social tools. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">NOTE TO BLOGGERS:</span> Please help PR help you. Create a page or update your "about" section with tips and recommendations for developing relationships with PR people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >3. Promote and Reach Bloggers Through Social Media</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Submit their posts/articles to social networks and news aggregators such as digg and reddit.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">- Link to them.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">- Comment before reaching out with meaningful content - participation is marketing.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">- Leverage personal networks.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Utilize Social Tools </span><br /><br />- There are alternative contact channels to email and forms (</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >No spam or invasive tactics allowed</span><span style="font-family:arial;">)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Social networks such as Facebook, Yahoo Mash, LinkedIn, Plaxo Pulse.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Micromedia such as Twitter, jaiku, Tumblr, Utterz, Pownce.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >5. Be Creative</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- The traditional press release has no business in blogger relations. You're going to have to put things together as building blocks in order to help someone tell a story.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Video, create short video demos, intros, events, greetings, or skits, that are specific to markets you're trying to reach.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Podcasts, invite them to co-host a podcast or to be a guest on something like BlogTalkradio. Or create pre-recorded interviews or discussions that matter to bloggers. Think about creating custom content for different people. One shoe doesn't fit all just like one message or one tool doesn't matter to everyone.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Social bookmarks, Bookmark content that matters to bloggers through services such as StumbleUpon, ma.gnolia, and delicious. Also, create purpose built pages dedicated to providing unbiased market background and perspective to help bloggers gain expertise and context through one link.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Tagging, Tag items within social networks for specific people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >6. Find the People Who Can Help You</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Google Alerts allow you to be notified if anyone is talking about your company, competition, you, or other important topics.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Blogpulse reveals blogs and bloggers that have strong authority around relevant memes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Technorati allows you to discover blogs that cover certain key words.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >7. The Art of Listening</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Read. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Explore their blogroll.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Use an RSS aggregator or feed reader to simplify the process of reading the important blogs and their coverage.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Read the comments (and participate). Sometimes the greatest insight is unveiled outside of the post.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >8. The “C”s of Blogger Relations</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Concept: what's the compelling plan.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Context: why is it relevant to them.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Consumption: create a package that makes it easy for bloggers to write their story.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Credibility: what makes you credible? Become the expert.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Community: join it, participate without expectations.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Conversation: you are not invited to the conversation as a marketer. This is about people, so be articulate, responsive, honest, smart, and resourceful.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >9. Expand the scope</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Don't get caught up in the A-list.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Blogger relations can be based on news and also stories.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Focus on the magic middle, bloggers with 20-1000 blogs that link back to them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Read the </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.briansolis.com/2007/06/future-of-communications-manifesto-for.html">Social Media Manifesto</a><br /></span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.thinkfreedocs.com/docs/embed.php?dsn=839058" style="border: 1px solid silver; width: 500px; height: 550px;" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Download the Word doc </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://thinkfreedocs.com/docs/docListActionDown.php?mode=down&amp;dsn=839058">here.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">----</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lisa Barone liveblogged the session. Click </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/archives/2007/11/building_relati.html">here to read</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> her summary</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Special thanks to Barbara </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://barbararozgonyi-wiredprworks.com/">Rozgonyi</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> for taking <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/briansolis/sets/72157603061711333/">these pictures</a>. And, also thank you to Marc for a great session.<br /><br />It was also very nice to meet Britta Meyer of <a href="http://www.eurekster.com/">eurekster</a>, Steven Van <a href="http://www.getslightlyfamous.com/">Yoder</a> of Yedda, Lior <a href="http://www.yedda.com/">Haner</a>, Sean Jackson of <a href="http://www.leadmaverick.com/">LeadMaverick</a>, Michael <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.britopian.com">Brito</a> of Yahoo, Paul Ruppert of <a href="http://www.globalpointview.com/">Global Point View</a>, Clinton Schaff of M80, Chuck Hester of iContact, Jim Turner of <a href="http://www.onebyonemedia.com/">One by One Media</a>, Don Crowther of <a href="http://www.greatresults.com/">Breakthrough</a>, Ajay <a href="http://www.ajayjain.com/">Jain</a> of <a href="http://www.techgazing.com/">TechGazing</a>, Todd Earwood of <a href="http://www.jotzelmedia.com/">Jotzel Media</a>, and Paul <a href="http://www.paulsbio.com/">Borgese </a>of AP.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Connect with me on </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.twitter.com/briansolis"><span style="font-family:arial;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://briansolis.jaiku.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">Jaiku</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://pownce.com/briansolis/"><span style="font-family:arial;">Pownce</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> or </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503537886&amp;hiq=brian%2Csolis"><span style="font-family:arial;">Facebook.</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/social+media" rel="tag" class="techtag">social+media</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/socialmedia" rel="tag" class="techtag">socialmedia</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/socia" rel="tag" class="techtag">socia</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/media" rel="tag" class="techtag">media</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/brian+solis" rel="tag" class="techtag">brian+solis</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/media2.0" rel="tag" class="techtag">media2.0</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/media+2..0" rel="tag" class="techtag">media+2..0</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/2.0" rel="tag" class="techtag">2.0</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pr2.0" rel="tag" class="techtag">pr2.0</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pr+2.0" rel="tag" class="techtag">pr+2.0</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/newpr" rel="tag" class="techtag">newpr</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/public+relations" rel="tag" class="techtag">public+relations</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/public" rel="tag" class="techtag">public</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/relations" rel="tag" class="techtag">relations</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/publicrelations" rel="tag" class="techtag">publicrelations</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/publicity" rel="tag" class="techtag">publicity</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/communications" rel="tag" class="techtag">communications</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/marketing" rel="tag" class="techtag">marketing</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/brand" rel="tag" class="techtag">brand</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blog" rel="tag" class="techtag">blog</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogging" rel="tag" class="techtag">blogging</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogger" rel="tag" class="techtag">blogger</a> <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/blogger+relations" rel="tag" class="techtag">blogger+relations</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21217704-4248129382035745332?l=briansoliscom.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Brian Solishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15267529747951332602noreply@blogger.com5