According to a 2009 Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, 90 percent of Internet consumers have some degree of trust in recommendations from people they know; only 62 percent place their trust in television advertisements, and the numbers are even lower for other forms of traditional advertising. So what does this mean for social media?
For that 90 percent who trust the recommendations of people they know, they’re not just taking tips from family and friends, but also from their online connections. Think about it: if you read a rave online review about a restaurant, you’re more likely to check out that restaurant on your own, even if you’ve never met the reviewer.
Our online connections influence our decisions.
From a business standpoint, tools like Google Reader provide an efficient way to keep tabs on what people are saying about your company. And by reaching out to opinion leaders in the online community, you will find people who can vouch for your company, connect you with your audience in a new way and serve as contacts in the future. (You’ll also be able to track down negative messages and address a concern right where it’s voiced.)
Here are a few tips for getting started with blogger outreach:
1. Make a list of key terms and phrases bloggers might use to reach the audience you target. This list should be pretty exhaustive—try out different combinations, singular and plural forms of words (blog vs. blogs), even popular misspellings. Use Google’s blog search feature to generate a list of results, then scroll to the bottom of the page and choose “Subscribe to a blog search feed for [search term] in Google Reader.” You’ll also want to subscribe to your company’s name, Twitter handle and any other identities bloggers might use to reference your company. As new blog posts that fit your search terms are made public, they’ll automatically be fed to your Google Reader account.
2. Look at the posts that seem relevant to your company or your industry. Identify the bloggers you’d like to reach out to, and narrow your list down by their reach and influence. Eliminate any that haven’t posted within the last few months.
3. Take some time to get to know their focus, tone and audience. Connect with them on their turf by commenting on a post or two that are relevant to your own company’s focus—this shows them that you are familiar with their blog and that you want to join the conversation. Engage with them before you need something from them; establishing relationships now will give make it easier to reach them down the road.
4. Reach out to the bloggers you select to offer your “pitch.” Stay away from form emails—this is your opportunity to show that you really want to connect with them individually. In your email, explain why they and their readers will care about your brand. Personalize it by referring to a particular post on their blog that caught your eye, or use a specific example to show how your pitch is relevant to them. Some bloggers receive hundreds or even thousands of unsolicited pitches each day, so make sure yours is compelling and unique.
5. Be prepared to provide additional information, resources and logos to them. If they’re taking the time to write about your brand, you should make it as easy as possible for them to do so.
6. If a blogger you contact does write a post about your company, promote their post through your social media channels. Not only will you share their coverage with your fan base, but you’ll also drive traffic back to their blog and reinforce your commitment to staying connected to them.
If you’re less successful than you’d like, set your sights on bloggers who may receive fewer requests. Continue to monitor your Google Reader feeds, and stay engaged with the bloggers you’ve connected with. The more authentic your relationships with these bloggers are, the more likely they’ll be willing to help you out.
What are your tips for connecting with bloggers? Share your thoughts below.
[Photo courtesy of macalicommblog.com.]
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