fanscape and womma whitepaper: pitching to bloggers

8/9/2019 Fanscape and Womma Whitepaper: Pitching to Bloggers

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Pitching to Bloggers

a fanscape and womma white papeA Best Practices Guide



2

Overview

The relationship between leader and follower is

nothing new. With the advent of the online spaceand the growth of online communities, traditional

“ ”

ever-expanding and constantly changing

blogosphere. Bloggers, the internet’s answer to

marketing’s “influencers,” are important tools in an

age where more than two-thirds (68%) of online

Americans visit blogs, online communities or socialnetworks. Of those respondents, 47% said that

blogs, communities and social networks have

influenced their decision to purchase particular

brands or services to at least some extent 1.

Developing a good relationship with a blogger can

mean the difference between getting a targetedmessage to your intended audience and having it

s unopene n e r n ox. us, o ssem na e

information to evermore skeptical bloggers, it is

important to understand how to communicate with

them effectively. The following pages detail how to

best communicate with bloggers in a series of

steps: identifying the differences between types ofmedia influencers, measuring their influence and

creating partnerships.

1 Insight Report from MarketTools, August/Septemb



3

Identifying Influencers

A media influencer is defined as an online ournalist, blo er and/or

website with significant clout and influence over their readership. There

are two types of media influencers that should be focused on: the active

blogger and the influential blogger. Understanding the differences

between the two is important because it can determine the efficacy of anentire marketing campaign.

The Active Blo er

Although it seems self-explanatory, an active blogger is a blogger that is

very active in the blogging community as shown though consistent

posting and participation in a particular niche. An active blogger desires

an active audience that also regularly posts comments on their material.

However, the active blogger’s power is limited in comparison to the

influential blogger’s by sheer size and by the fact that their audience does

’ .

The Influential Blogger

An influential blogger, unlike an active blogger, has a very wide scope and

accompanying power in the blogosphere. They have a large audience that

is willing to consider anything that they promote. While an active blogger

is present in a niche community, the influential blogger is considered a

.

Telling the Difference

An important way to distinguish and understand the potential hurdles

related to each subset of bloggers is to remember that one is micro, whilethe other is macro. An active blogger’s audience is in an inherently

smaller niche community where the readers usually identify worthy news

. ,

consists of a highly focused group of individuals with a similar interest. An

influential blogger, meanwhile, personally creates what is new and their

community follows them. Thus, while the influential blogger’s community

is much larger, it often lacks the centralized focus that leads to

communities where both blogger and reader are very knowledgeable on

the subject.

Active bloggers post frequently to a limited

audience. Influential bloggers are tastemakers

who have significant power in the blogosphere.



4

Measuring Influence

ince the scope of each blogger’s reach differs greatly, it is important to be

able to measure their influence. Influencers can be gauged in a number of

different ways, including:

Connections: members, followers, friends, visitors, etc. to the blogger’s

site. This is the essential catch-all that quantifies the total amount of people

that the blogger reaches; it does not, however, take into account each

unique visit to the blog (defined as traffic).

Traffic: this term is related to connections but differs in the fact that certain

members of the site might visit the blog multiple times a day, while some

only once, or others only a couple of times a week. It quantifies the

amount of unique visits the blogger has each day, not the amount of

individuals he or she actually reaches.

Visitors/Fans

Blogger Blogroll/LinksSocial Media

Links: Blogrolls, direct links and permanent mentions of a certain influencer.

Imitators

Links show the pervasiveness of the blogger in other media sources and on

other sites.

Engagement: average time spent on the influencer’s site and total

interactions on the site (including comments, views, plays, ratings). This term

also can include the actual blogger and how much updating he or she does

to the site (which, in turn, should lead to more user engagement.)

Imitation: the influencer’s actions are mimicked or repeated by a reader atthe influencer’s request (visitor posts the video an influencer has posted; user

clicks a link the influencer has asked them to click). An example of this would

be a user of a certain blog site taking a video link from the blog and putting it

on their own social media property, such as Facebook.

Recommendation: word of mouth allows the influencer’s message to be

spread from one user to another (sharing, retweeting, linking). This is the viral

dissemination of a blogger’s message from person to person without the

blogger’s direct influence.



5

Creating Partnerships

At Fanscape we define blog partnerships as coordinating with an influential

blog to set up a partnership for the purposes of driving traffic, getting reader

feedback, generating video views, etc. Forming a partnership between

marketer and blogger is beneficial for both parties. By targeting a blogger asa social influencer and crafting the appropriate communication, the blogger

can get new or newsworthy information to their readers while the marketer

spreads the intended message to their target.

Blog partnerships rarely require just pitching. They are carefully formed over

time and require persistent communication and sincere interest. Chris

Brogan, a popular blogger and President of New Media Labs, recently wrote,

“The trick is not to talk about your stuff. You should have started this

outreach weeks and weeks before ever needing anything, and it should be

enuine.” To create and further cement a stron artnershi between

marketer and blogger, follow these six steps:

Research – It is essential that the most appropriate

influencers are contacted to get your message out and

circulating. Reading blogs, user comments and researching

the blogger’s biography are all tools that help to better

’un ers an e og s mem ers an arge au ence.

Broadening the scope beyond the blogger’s main site and

incorporating all of their social media properties can help

clarify not only which bloggers are best for the campaign,

but also get your message in front of even more people.

Relevance – If the message you are trying to pitch to a blogger

does not match the vibe of the site, then they probably won’t

care and your message will be lost in the shuffle. Crafting

messages that are specifically tailored to an individual blog will

greatly improve their chances of peaking the interest of the

blogger, and getting published on the site. Researching the past

posts of the blogger and his followers can give a better picture

of what the site is about and what issues people are concerned

2

“The trick is not to talk about your stuff. You

should have started this outreach weeks and weeks

before you ever needed anything , and it should be

about.

genu ne. – r s rogan



6

Strengthening the Relationship

Bloggers Are Not Traditional Journalists – Even if the

message you are pitching seems interesting to you, there is

no guarantee that the blogger will find the message

newsworthy. For the most part, bloggers act alone. This

means there are no other staff members or writers to

upload a greater variety of opinions or content. Respect3Connect – Utilize all avenues available to get in contact and

intrigue the blogger. Social media tools, like Facebook and

Twitter, can make connecting with a blogger much easier

and more ersonal. You will not be taken seriousl without

e r sc e u es, rea e r con en an con ac em w en

they want to be contacted.

first establishing these initial connections, so make themearly and make them often.

Follow Up – Bloggers are real people who are very busy

and often have full-time jobs in addition to their blog.

Making yourself stand out to the blogger by sending a

follow up note could be all it takes for your message to

potentially skip many others waiting for approval.

Stay Engaged – Once the conventional pitching is done, goback into the space and respond to people talking about

your message. It will leave a greater impression on the

audience of the particular blog and show the blogger you

appreciate their efforts.



7

Ensuring Credibility

As bloggers grow to reach larger audiences, they gain greater power of

influence with every click and comment. The underlying factor of a blogger’s

influence is the credibility they have with their readers. However, a blogger’s

credibility can be undermined if they come across as “shills” when promotingspecific products and services to their readers.

To ensure the honesty of their opinion, a blogger must disclose if they’ve

received “material compensation” (defined as: sample products, special gifts,

and or other perks) from a marketer as encouragement to share a

recommendation or a review with their readers.

This act of disclosure protects both readers and marketers because it

assures readers that a blogger’s recommendations and reviews are

trustworthy. And, it offers marketers a proven way to reach audiences with

credible information.

The matter of disclosure is vital because word of mouth recommendations

work best when they are 100% credible. It’s also vital because the Federal

Trade Commission (FTC) now understands the power bloggers have in

influencing consumer purchase decisions.

As of December 2009, the FTC has updated its guidelines on endorsements

used in advertising to reflect the rising prominence of social media marketing.

These updated guidelines make it very clear—bloggers must disclose any

“material compensation” they have received from marketers when

recommending or reviewing products and services online.

Material compensation includes: free products,

coupons and discounts, money or cash equivalents,

sponsorships, revenue from links, partnerships with

other sites, services performed for free, promises for

,

that has value and was received at no cost.



8

Proper Disclosure

Proper disclosure is easy for a blogger to do on a post. Simply writing, “I

received [ insert product name] from [ insert company name] and here is my

opinion...” is all the disclosure needed to ensure credibility within a blog post.

For extra assurance, adhere to the following elements of a good disclosure:

1. Speak to the occasion (the circumstances)

2. Say a little something about your blog and what

kind of blogger you are (credibility, authenticity)

. , integrity)

4. Explain the benefit(s) received or how you make

money (honesty, transparency)

5. Post in a clear and direct manner (awareness)

Marketers have responsibilities to ensure disclosure happens. First,

marketers must require disclosure with the bloggers they work with on

. , u

to ensure disclosure is occurring. Third, if the bloggers that marketers have

partnered with routinely fail to disclose receiving “material compensation,”

marketers should strongly reconsider working with those bloggers.

Honesty leads to credibility, which builds trustworthiness. When bloggers are

honest to their readership about their relationships with marketers and honest

n s ar ng t e r true op n ons on ne, rea ers w cont nue to trust n t e

tastemaker status of an influential blogger.

For more specific information on the issue of disclosure and for best practice

guidance in all social media channels (including Twitter and Facebook), refer

to the WOMMA Guide to Disclosure in Social Media Marketing.

http://womma.org/ethics/disclosure/

http://womma.org/ethics/disclosure/



9

Conclusion

Bloggers have become an increasingly important

marketing avenue. The trust and endorsement that can

be developed by these digital influencers builds the kind

of connected audience that companies crave. That is

why doing your homework is imperative to creating a

lasting blog partnership.

o ow ng e a oremen one a v ce can ea o no on yone targeted message getting exposure, but many more

in the future. If the blogger feels that you actually

researched their blog and tailored your message to them,

then our efforts should be considered a success. Often

this will translate into the message garnering more praise

or higher placement by the blogger. Don’t think of

bloggers as storytellers, think of them as storysellers.

Many bloggers are leaders in the online space. They are

constantly striving to expand their reach and grow their

knowledge. They influence many but are influenced by

few; pitches to bloggers must be carefully researched and

.

the deserve for the attention they create.



10

Fanscape is the leading Social Media Marketing Agency with

twelve years of experience helping clients reach and activate

consumers to foster targeted and engaging marketing through

online and emerging media. Fanscape’s online influencer

marketing experts have in-depth understanding of niche

audiences and consumer behaviors across the Web.

We provide highly measurable, earned media strategies for major

corporations and leading entertainment, technology and mobile

companies. Our mission is to lead the field of Digital Word of

,

methods of inspiring WOM conversations, foster positive

sentiment for our clients, provide detailed measurement and

analysis, generate the highest Return on Investment (ROI) possibleand to listen, educate and activate consumers. This results in

customers.

For additional information, visit www.fanscape.com, our blog

www.digitallyapproved.com and follow us on Twitter @Fanscape.

Contact us:Fanscape, Inc.

323.851.3267

[email protected]



11

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) is the

leading trade association in the marketing and advertising

industries that focuses on word of mouth, consumer-generated

and social media platforms -- or marketing techniques that include

buzz viral communit and influencer marketin as well as brand

blogging. The organization is committed to developing andmaintaining appropriate ethical standards for marketers and

advertisers engaging in such marketing practices, identifying

meaningful measurement standards for such marketing practices,

“ ” .

Founded in 2005, WOMMA members include marketers and

brands that use word-of-mouth marketing to reinforce their corecustomers and to reach out to new consumers, agencies that

- - ,

track the word-of-mouth experience and offline and online

practitioners.

To learn more, visit www.WOMMA.org and follow us on Twitter

.

WOMMA

312.853.4400

[email protected]

fanscape and womma whitepaper: pitching to bloggers

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