How to Get Bloggers Talking About You Pt. 1
Recently I mentioned that the only thing worse than having bloggers talking negatively about you, is to have them not talking about you at all!!
I’ve created my own 21st century version of the classic question of whether a tree falling in a forest still makes a sound if no one is there to hear it:
If a website exists on the internet, but no one reads it - does it really make an impact?
In other words:
- It’s great that you have a brick and mortar business.
- It’s fantastic if you’ve created a website to make it easier for your customers to find you.
- But, don’t stop there! Take it one step further and let the blogosphere know you exist!
So - how do you do that if you don’t have a blog???
Simple - leverage other people’s blogs!!
But don’t just flood bloggers with press releases about your business. Just as you don’t like telemarketers calling you at home with unsolicited messages about their business - bloggers don’t want to be inundated with unsolicited press releases about you and your business.
Bloggers care passionately about their own business - their blogs.
They are interested in topics and ideas pertaining to their blogs.
They are interested in forming relationships based on the shared interests expressed in their blogs.
Are you starting to see a pattern here?
So, here is my guideline for Getting Bloggers Talking About You in three easy steps:
1) Read relevant blogs. These may be blogs written on the same or similar topic as your business. These may be blogs written for the same target market as your business. The important things you are looking for are:
- commonality with the blogger
- an admiration for the blogger’s style
- an active community that the blogger influences
2) Develop a relationship with the blogger. Write comments on the blog. Add to the conversation. Generate ideas. Start an email dialog.
3) Tell the blogger about your business. Provide an interesting angle for a post on their blog. Offer to write a guest post. Share a book or CD you have created. Offer a free sample for review.
At this point, most bloggers who are interested, will offer to help you publicize your business. If they are not interested - don’t push it. It’s their blog and their decision. If they don’t feel comfortable writing about your business, you’re better off seeking out another site.
If all of this seems like a lot of work - it is. Building relationships with bloggers is much more like building networking relationships than it is like publishing mass press releases.
The blogosphere is a community and the only way in is to demonstrate that you understand their world and that you genuinely care.
So - what steps can you take today to build a relationship with a blogger?
photo credit: Dano
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Blogging
3 opinions for How to Get Bloggers Talking About You Pt. 1
Chelle Parmele
Apr 22, 2008 at 11:23 am
It’s been an interesting challenge the last couple of weeks as I’ve started to roll out our new product to bloggers. Trying to give information on a product, but not sound like I’m marketing is quite a challenge!
Building relationships is key, I totally agree on that point. Of course, when your key target is ‘entrepreneurs and small/med business’ that’s a lot of ground to cover. ;)
Laura Spencer
Apr 22, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Thanks for your insight Chelle!
I think you bring up a good point. It’s very important to focus on blogs and bloggers that are representative of your market rather than blindly trying to establish relationships with bloggers.
Liz Fuller
Apr 27, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Hi Chelle
Although it takes more time, I think it’s best to personalize the correspondence with bloggers. Even if you just do it the first time. I find it annoying when I receive an email from someone that generically states “I read your blog” and then launches into a PR/sales pitch. I know that they don’t. Even the ones that take the time to cite a recent blog post seem more sincere. I may still not believe that they are a regular reader, but I’ll at least realize that they’ve tried.
Perhaps other bloggers feel the same way.
That said, I really enjoy your blog. It turned me on to TerraPass - fascinating stuff!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: