5 Core Elements of Blogger Outreach Campaigns

Coming from a traditional PR background, I 100% disagree with the sentiment that traditional media is dead. However, I do believe companies need to understand that in many cases traditional media alone won’t always get the job done. Instead, you can amplify your message and achieve better results by integrating traditional and digital PR strategies. For example, blogger relations is a fresh approach to a best practice — media relations, in this case.

Interestingly, in the past week, I’ve had conversations with brand managers at a startup and a FORTUNE 50 brand and both posed a similar question: HOW? They know they want to work with bloggers, but they’re not sure how to get started. In theory, they understand the basics, but how do they create and execute a truly compelling campaign that activates specific audiences? I’ve written extensively about blogger relations, including how to build blogger lists, the 5 Cs of blogger outreach, pitching bloggers, and even Pinterest as a secret weapon.  BUT, there’s more: The most effective blogger outreach campaigns are the ones that nail the details.

The Rewards of Relevancy

When we’re building blogger outreach campaigns for clients, we think through the following five core elements:

• Portability — Can we build a campaign that is portable? Whether that’s an engraved charger or post-event photos in customized frames, we want the campaign to have a physical element that lives on beyond duration of the campaign.
• Sharability — How can we make it easy for participating bloggers to share their experiences with their networks (online and offline)? Having 20 bloggers involved is a good start, but we want to build in opportunities for them to share the campaign with their friends, thus helping us reach — and hopefully activate — an even larger group of people.
• Exclusivity — No blogger should ever feel like they’re just “one in a million.” (Actually, let me rephrase that: No blogger should ever BE one in a million.) What kind of exclusivity can campaigns include? Perhaps limiting the number of participants to a select few bloggers? Or offering some piece of exclusive content (eg exclusive interview, data, giveaway or experience)? People like to have access to things/products/experiences before the general population. Incorporate exclusivity into the campaign to build enthusiasm and pique interest.
• Personalization — This gets beyond just using the bloggers name. We look for ways to customize campaigns to make sense for each participating blogger. This can take shape in a variety of ways, but it can’t be overlooked.
• Devil in the details — From handwritten notes and quality packaging … to pre-planning and responsiveness, a blogger campaign’s level of success is often found in the details. Though seemingly small, the extra touches go a long way in building a rapport with the bloggers and establishing a team of people willing and excited to be involved with your brand. DO sweat the small stuff.