Ansley from Anthill here! Recently, Christy and I went to the PRSA Georgia monthly meeting at Maggiano's Little Italy in Buckhead to get the most up-to-date information on building a better blogger relations program. The seminar discussion was lead by Laura Scholz, an avid blogger and president of Scholz Communications. Laura, who knows a thing or two about blogger relations (okay she know a TON!) spoke to the audience about various topics from the proper method of building a blogger database to the pitfalls and challenges we as PR practitioners share when pitching to bloggers.
Some tidbits I took away with me from the seminar were:
- Blogging offers an opportunity for more dialogue and more immediate feedback than traditional news outlets do.
- Always reveal what you're doing. Disclosure is very important, especially when offering product as an incentive to a blogger.
- Getting to know the blogger first almost guarantees longevity. Although pitching your product or brand is the main objective, it comes secondary to building a relationship.
- When blogging for a client, time management is crucial. Set mini deadlines.
- When doing research, referring to the blog reel on a blog you are interested in can be a jackpot!
I stayed for the lunch to listen to the panel discussion entitled- Out of the Mouths of Bloggers: Learn How to Pitch and Work with Today's Top Bloggers.
The panel of bloggers included:
- Lorraine of Ask Wifey
- Maura Neill of 365 Atlanta
- Erika Ward of Blue Label Bungalow
All had great insight on the blogging atmosphere and how it is becoming as respected as other traditional news outlets.
Until next time!
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