I came to Ogilvy 360 DI — and social media strategy — via a slightly different route than most of my colleagues. In short, I was a longtime blogger (and journo) who’d become frustrated at how poorly blog outreach was being handled by brands that, under any other circumstance, would’ve been impeccable with their approach. They’d finessed relationships with the press and customers, but when it came to bloggers, they ended up botching it completely (clunky outreach, poor planning, uneven execution) — and as a result, not capitalizing on all that blogs and social media could offer. Ogilvy was the first place I saw that truly got that blogger relationships were not a one-size-fits-all kind of endeavor. I signed on for the job.
Even though I’m now at Ogilvy, I’m still a blogger — my fashion blog, FashionisSpinach.com, has been tapped for a wide number of influencer campaigns for brands like Chanel and Gucci — and I’m still the target for many brands stepping into the social media sphere. Not a day goes by when I’m not completely amazed at how companies try to use clunky PR methods to reach out to bloggers like me.
Here are three of my most frequently seen pitfalls.
1. Think outside the (in)box.
Yesterday, I received 96 e-mails in my blog’s e-mail inbox (of course, not all were straight outreach — it’s also the spot where I sign up for store newsletters and other e-deals). Want to know how many I opened? Twelve. In this world of e-mail overload, your note needs to catch my eye to get a click. Too often, brands blanket bloggers with generic press releases — and not a photo in sight, a major oversight when dealing with blogs.
The new rule: If I’m going to open your pitch, it should at least contain the following: A personalized note that shows you’ve actually read my blog; a introduction to whatever you’re sharing that doesn’t sound like corporate-speak; and news that actually fits in with my readers (looking at you, baby sling PR woman).
2. “Ask” and you might not receive.
I’ve been asked to participate in a number of high-profile blog campaigns lately; for the most part, I’ve turned them down. Why? The “ask” was so great it transformed a cool campaign to a burden that seemed forced and unnatural with my blogging style. Case in point: One major fashion house is currently teamed up with a group of bloggers for a month-long event. They offered free clothes and other perks, but among the requirements was to tweet 10x per day about the brand/project on one particular day of the month. I only tweet 10x a day as is — to suddenly have to flood my friends and readers every hour promoting this brand felt like a major imposition. I turned down the offer.
The new rule: Your value exchange needs to be fair and balanced — simply asking me to promote your product (because, let’s face it, that’s what you’re doing, even if it’s something I like) for little in return doesn’t work in today’s blogosphere. But it’s also important to make sure the ask is reasonable and won’t damage the brand: I suspect if I’d signed on and tweeted 10x a day about a company, my followers would’ve viewed that with skepticism, not excitement — totally defeating the purpose of connecting with new customers.
3. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
My biggest gripe about blogger outreach? Most brands tend to heavily bombard with their pitch, hoping to generate a one-time spike in “buzz.” Instead, the priority ought to be on building relationships with bloggers over the long term. Yes, this one new perfume/shoe/spa and hotel is fabulous and attention-getting, but just because we successfully connect about it shouldn’t mean our relationship is over when the campaign is. Good social media pros develop relationship with bloggers — after all, you never know when a new campaign or a new product will pop back up. A friendly, professional relationship over time is so much more valuable than one visible blog post for one event.
The new rule: Get to know your bloggers. Follow their sites; read their blogs; reach out (with a quick hello, or a fun article that has nothing to do with the product you work on) from time to time. And for goodness sakes, if a blogger writes a great post about your product/company/amazing! new! doohickey!, send them a thank you note. It makes us feel good to know that you appreciate our support, and weren’t just schmoozing to squeeze a post out of us.
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