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5 Essential Blogger Outreach Best Practices, Tips & Guidelines Every Marketer Must Know

With the incredible rise of social networks over the past decade, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the other rich, social components of the internet. One of these important destinations is the tried and true blog.

There are over 440 million blogs in the world, covering a wide variety of interests and categories. On WordPress — one of the most popular blogging platforms on the internet — 409 million people view more than 21.5 billion pages each month. When considering these staggering numbers, it becomes apparent just how influential bloggers are on the web.

From fashion, to food, to travel and home improvement, blogs are a vital part of many internet users’ daily lives. In that way, these blogs can also play an important role for businesses trying to connect with new and existing customers online.

Before reaching a blog’s audience, however, a brand must first engage the blogger or bloggers and express interest in working together. In the post below, we’ll explore some of the best practices for reaching out to and generating relationships with bloggers.

1. Establish Your Brand And Blogger Outreach Goals

Brands can work with bloggers to achieve a variety of goals:

• Drive sales - Many bloggers promote products and/or services to their audiences through reviews and recommendations on their site. Consumers look to bloggers for advice on the latest products, services, and brands.

• Create brand awareness - Bloggers are adept at introducing audiences to new brands, helping to increase awareness.

• Grow a social following - The most popular bloggers in the world aren’t confined to a website or blogging platform, but also have powerful presences on a variety of social networks. These bloggers can encourage or incentivize their audience to follow a brand’s social media accounts.

• Spokesperson or brand ambassador - Some brands choose to create a closer relationship with bloggers, enlisting them as spokespeople and/or ambassadors for their brand. This formal sponsorship creates public awareness of the partnership and allows brands and bloggers to work together on longer-term projects and campaigns.

Regardless of what approach a business wishes to take, it’s important that their goals are clearly outlined and communicated to bloggers at the outset of the relationship.

Related Post: The Top 10 Brands Working With Bloggers [Infographic]

2. Research and Get To Know The Blogsphere and Bloggers

Finding the right blogger takes time and resources. Blogs and bloggers can be researched via search engines based on which categories a brand wants to target i.e. “lifestyle blogs" or "food blogs."

However, many other considerations, such as the blog's PageRank — a way the popularity and reputability of a site is measured — as well as the blogger's social media presence should also be taken into consideration. Moreover, it’s wise to look at a blogger’s "About Me" page to understand who they are and what they might be looking for in a partnership.

The due diligence required to find the right blogger for a particular campaign can be intensive, and companies with strong blogger relationships such as influencer marketing agencies can assist businesses in finding and vetting the right content partners.

Related Post: The Top 12 Things To Consider When Finding Influencers

3. Engage and Contact Bloggers The Right Way

Before sending a cold email to a blogger about a potential partnership, consider engaging with them on social media or in the comment section of their own site. Showing familiarity and interest in the blogger and their work can help you build an organic connection with them before a pitch is ever made.

Moreover, like/favorite, comment, and share/retweet blogger’s posts through their various social accounts. Taking these extra steps can show a blogger that a brand is interested in cultivating a real relationship, rather than a single transaction.

When contacting a blogger with an offer to work together, be friendly and concise. Many bloggers are busy people who get a lot of requests for sponsorship and promotion.

While personalization is best, some campaigns call for a large number of bloggers to be solicited. In these instances, businesses can adopt tools that offer different outreach templates and management systems but like most software, they have limitations and potential risks.

Alternatively, an influencer marketing agency with a track record of working with reputable bloggers can help to make introductions and establish fruitful connections.

Related Post: 7 Steps To Working With Bloggers To Promote Your Business

4. Pitch Bloggers Correctly

Many bloggers are savvy business professionals, so be prepared to tell them how a partnership can be of value to them (money, product, exposure, etc.). It’s also vital to be clear and honest, and not overpromise compensation or exaggerate the future of the relationship.

Enthusiasm is infectious. Brands should show their passion for the blogger, their own product or service, and the potential of the collaboration. In as organic a way as possible, look to get bloggers excited about the project and prospect for a mutually beneficial relationship.

5. Maintain Meaningful Blogger Relationships

A fruitful blogger outreach strategy depends on not only finding, contacting, and pitching bloggers, but also maintaining relationships with them. Treat bloggers well throughout the duration of a campaign, and once it ends, stay in touch.

Maintaining positive blogger relationships will not only make for stronger and more meaningful connections, but will also benefit future campaigns. Influencer marketing is an industry built on relationships and the more positive connections a business can make, the more opportunity it will have to grow its presence online.

 Also See Our Posts On:

The Top 10 Lifestyle Bloggers Every Marketer Should Know

[Guide] Influencer Marketing Pricing For Blogs, Instagram, YouTube & More

The Biggest Influencer Marketing Trends To Know For 2018

How To Master Influencer Relationship Management In 10 Easy Steps

The post A Comprehensive Guide To Blogger Outreach Best Practices appeared first on Mediakix | Influencer Marketing Agency.