The Big 10—Definite Don’ts of Blogger Outreach

Blogger outreach campaigns have gained popularity over the past few years, but there are still some big mistakes that are made by businesses who do not know how to use it for their advantage. Click here to find out the ways in which you can use blogger outreach without making any mistakes.

The use of influencer or blogger engagement is widely used by online marketers, SEO experts and PR agencies. The reason for its popularity in the online marketing sphere is a simple one. It just works. In fact, blogger outreach is one tactic which promises the most ROI for your efforts as a marketer, and can be the difference between the failure or success of your business. But that’s only when you’re doing it well. Unfortunately, many online marketers are not, which is the whole point of this blog. Since Bloggers are some of the most sought after resources for consumers when it comes to information on brands it is important that you get it right. So, here we are going to discuss the many mistakes made by businesses while using blogger outreach.

1. Do Your Homework

First off, one of the biggest and most unforgivable mistakes a company can make is not do their homework before hiring a blogger. This will involve more than just skimming through the results on your search engine. Before you even make contact, a brand has to find out as much as they can about their potential blogger, and the kind of audience they attract. Also, check to see if they have a PR friendly approach and most of all, are happy to work with companies that are similar to yours. You are more likely to be successful in your influencer marketing attempts if the blogger you hire is more in tune to your products similar to yours and the kind of audience demographic you are after. For instance, 79% of mom bloggers accept advertising to monetize their blog.

It’s always best to do some research before hiring a blogger rather than sending out blanket emails to every blogger you can find on Google, which is a mistake that most brands make.

2. Sending Email

This comes right after doing your research because the more you know about the potential blogger you are interested in hiring the better your proposal will be. Remember, influencers receive dozens, maybe hundreds of emails from brands all day so it’s important that you are able to stand out from the crowd, and you can only do that by coming up with a tailored proposal of your business proposition, after you’ve done your research.

This brings us to our second point. While most bloggers will have their preferred method of staying in contact, the easiest and most used method of communication is via email. If that’s not been made available there’s no need to panic. Just look towards other options, like their social media page and contact them via those services. And don’t forget to end your email / message with a clear CTA (call to action).

3. “Their” Way or the Highway

Yes, that‘s right. Sure it’s your business, your product and your name on the Director’s seat. But, don’t forget that when it comes to blogger outreach, the blogger does not have to submit to the traditional norms. This means that you, as a brand will need to adapt and accept those terms. One of the truths using blogger outreach is that they won’t always do what you want them to. If you want a better review, play nice with the blogger you choose, and they in turn, will write you a better review of your product or service.

4. Never Kill a Relationship

No we don’t mean murder here. But, not adhering to this simple rule can do a lot worse to your brand. So, once you and your blogger see eye to eye and you’re definitely on the same page, it gets easy to take them for granted and move on to find others who will do the same for you. This is where the train goes off the track and results in a casualty, which is your brand. This is the reason why it is so important for brands to maintain a healthy relationship with their bloggers. Influencers are most active on blogs, as 86% say they have them while 88% say they blog for themselves. So, never kill a relationship with a blogger.

5. Keep it Short

If you feel that you can do a guest post on the blog, feel free to ask, just keep the request short and sweet. Again, bloggers (and mainly the good ones) find themselves staring at hundreds of emails a day from people who request them if they could post a guest post on their blog. So, be concise and to the point always.

6. R.E.S.P.E.C.T

I think we’ve established by now that the influencer is the one who wears the pants in a blogger outreach relationship. So, don’t even think of asking them to do something they won’t do, because if you do, and you make them unhappy there’s really no telling how much damage they can cause to your cause. In other words, learn to respect your blogger.

How can you do that? Try not to send them the kind of content you know won’t work for them, (this is if you decide to write a guest blog). Also, Show them that you understand their idea and motives behind their blog. And don’t take it personally if your proposal gets rejected. The secret to building a strong relationship with your blogger is by appreciating their efforts, and showing them the same respect they show you.

7. Too Formal = Bad Idea

As it is in the real world too, most people usually tend to sense when a person is being fake. Since you’re not writing an essay on the wonder’s of being you, try to write an email that looks like it’s been written by someone who is genuine and who is genuinely interested in working with said blogger on a project.

8. Never Leave a Comment

Yes, it is true that it can be hard to make contact with some bloggers. So, when you see the “Leave a comment” section of the page, you naturally think of using it to write your proposal. Don’t. For starters, everybody who visits that blog will be able to read it. And secondly, it just looks unprofessional and shows the blogger that you are incompetent in making contact like a professional, which is clearly not a good way to start off a business relationship.

9. Not Pooling In

Remember, your relationship with your blogger is a partnership. This means that you should pitch in an idea or two whenever you have a good one. But, then again, this is assuming they are cool with guest posts.  Only, make sure that whatever you contribute is relevant to your brand or service.

10. Too Many Follow-Ups

There’s nothing more annoying than receiving emails from the same person over and over again so don’t do it. Bloggers are mostly busy bodies who often times aren’t able to respond to a request on time. Have patience and don’t overdo it or you’ll just be harassing the blogger.

These were some of the mistakes that brands make when contacting an influencer. The only way a brand will really have any success in hiring a blogger is by following the tips given above. So, use them and make your communications more fruitful.