Bloggers offer marketers a new way to reach consumers, but you will need to know their rules before you can play in their sandbox. Check out these tips to make sure you engage them the right way.
As a marketer, you probably realize by now the benefits of the blogosphere, which is not only growing in size but in importance, too. However, entering this new medium can be daunting if you're unsure of the rules of engagement.
First, let's take a look at why marketers should care about the blogosphere. According to a 2008 Compass Partners/BlogHer study, 36.2 million women participate in the blogosphere weekly, both as publishers and active readers. Jory Des Jardins, BlogHer Inc. co-founder notes that, "Traditional advertising is so commoditized. Now we pay attention to what our friends say." The Compass Partners study goes on to show that some people rate bloggers' writing as more credible than traditional media.
And bloggers are passionate about what they do. The study found that rather than giving up participating in the blogosphere:
- 43 percent would give up reading the newspaper
- 49 percent would give up their PDAs
- 42 percent would give up their iPod
- 55 percent would even give up alcohol
iMedia had the opportunity to delve into the minds of bloggers when more than 1,000 female bloggers gathered recently at BlogHer's fourth annual conference. We've culled tips from bloggers to help marketers understand exactly what they're getting into, and what they should expect when working with bloggers.
"They're not reading my blog"
Des Jardins says that this is a common complaint amongst bloggers when approached by marketers. "You have to give them the right kind of pitch," Des Jardins says. Devra Renner, who blogs at Loser Moms and Parentopia, recalled during a BlogHer breakout session on The Commercial Momosphere that she was pitched Easter recipes for one of her blogs. She happens to be Jewish, which the marketer might have known had they spent a little time on her site before pitching her.
Renner notes there's not a universal "mom" out there. The same holds true with bloggers in general. Not all bloggers are created equal, and you can't blanket them with the same pitch.
Heather from RookieMoms.com asks that products be relevant. "My audience may not care about toothbrushes and band-aids." Then again, another blogger may be excited to write about those products. It's all about finding the right audience for your brand.
Don't try to control the conversation
"Let it be on their terms," Des Jardins says. "Don't give them any 'terms.'" If you reach out to the blogosphere with the hopes that bloggers are going to gush about your product, you may be in for a big surprise. And remember that the negative feedback you get might be just as valuable as positive feedback.
As a woman in the BlogHer audience pointed out, "It used to be that corporations and PR teams were in charge of the conversation. Corporations are now scared and just observing. They're used to telling, not actually joining the conversation."
Dawn Meehan of Because I Said So will give an honest product review, but does honor company requests to remove the post if they disagree. Keep in mind that not all bloggers feel the same way, though, or are as accommodating. It's a risk you take, so it's important to keep that in mind when you reach out to the blogosphere.
Even on your turf, play by their rules
Blogs inspired what editor-in-chief Stacy Morrison did with Redbook, both online and in the magazine. "Woman are telling the truth online," she says. "We need to do that!" Her magazine has no filter on the Redbook blogs, and there is no moderating. "It's all or nothing," she says.
Embrace experimentation
If you attended BlogHer and weren't Twittering, then you were in the minority. The micro-blogging tool was all the rage during the conference. And as blogger Gwen Bell noted during the DIY Content Syndication breakout session, brands like Jet Blue and Zappos offer great examples of Twitter best practices for marketing.
Jet Blue uses Twitter as an easy way for customers to ask questions and receive quick responses. Jet Blue followers ask questions such as what the airline's new pillows are made out of, if car seats count as a second checked bag, while Jet Blue offers its more than 3,500 followers traveling tips each Tuesday.
Zappos' CEO uses Twitter to keep its more than 9,400 followers upraised of his business trips and fun internet finds, and to provide a look behind the scenes of Zappos' headquarters.
Redbook's Morrison embraces experimentation within the blogosphere. "You may have no idea if it'll work, but invest a little and see what happens," she says. "And if I make a mistake, then I want to make the best mistakes."
Lesley Pinckney, Essence communications director of digital development, notes that many larger companies aren't in the mood to just participate. "Huge media companies like Time don't want to help build stuff like Twitter; they'd rather just buy it," she says of her magazine's parent company. "I wish it were more 'let's incubate it' instead of 'let's own it,' but there is a reason it's called the entertainment business."
Pay bloggers to bring their perspective
Don't expect bloggers to market your brand for free. Some will look at it the same way many traditional media outlets do -- approaching opportunities to market your brand within their content as public relations rather than paid placement. However, others expect to be paid for reviewing products. And as Lisa Hsia, Bravo TV's senior VP of new media and digital, says, "Pay bloggers to bring their perspective."
If you're talking to bloggers about advertising opportunities within their site, bloggers ask that marketers be flexible with negotiations. Give them what's fair market value in terms of cost-per-click and ROI, keeping in mind that they may be offering you a more captive audience than your traditional media buys.
Keep in mind that there are companies like Brand About Town that connect marketers with bloggers looking to become brand advocates. Gwen Bell became a Nintendo Enthusiast after being approached by Brand About Town. She got to host a fun party for her blog fans to play with Nintendo DS handheld game systems in a cool venue with yummy treats (attendees also walked away with their own free Nintendo DS), while Nintendo tapped into a target audience via a credible third party. She wasn't obligated to blog about the event or post photos, but she did both.
Work with other brands in the space
Hsia implores brands to work together with the denizens of the blogosphere. If you find a marketing solution that works, share with other marketers and help move the industry forward.
Nanette Marcus is cover stories editor for iMedia Connection.