The Interaction of Bloggers and PR Experts

Bloggers have a tremendous amount of power in the business world today. If things go wrong, public relations, marketing, and advertising experts may find themselves to be the subject of blog articles. They really need to play nicely together.

In the past, there was a certain set of rules of conduct that were followed. Today, the rules have changed quite a bit. PR experts have a need to adjust their way of thinking when it comes to their interactions and relationships with bloggers. The following are tips on how PR experts should approach bloggers:

Relevant and appropriate communications: Sending out a mass Email to a blind-copy list is not acceptable. It is considered spam. The communications that you send out should be customized. The last thing that bloggers want is to feel as though they are a number receiving a blanket communication. It is very important to familiarize yourself with what the blogger is passionate about through their writing.

Really understand the niche and all of its impact: The more popular a blogger is, the more he or she will know people of influence in his or her niche. Influential people are very important to you and the blogger is your key to those people.

Respect their differences: Of course, each blogger is an individual with a different way of thinking and different opinions and a different approach to the work. It is extremely important to do your homework before you reach out to the blogger. You should be well acquainted with his or her likes, dislikes, feelings, etc, before any conversation takes place.

In addition to you, as the PR expert, having a lot of power to make a positive difference, the bloggers have that same power. Bloggers can:

• Have an influence over brands: If you are proposing a concept to a blogger and it is not relevant to who they are and what they are trying to do, they will tell you why it doesn’t work for them. They will, hopefully, also offer you suggestions about how to make it work for them. Both parties come out ahead in that case.
   
• Tie in their blog closely to a particular brand: Because blogs and bloggers have such tremendous power of influence over brands, it is important to couple the blog with a particular brand. What the blogger brings to the table is just as valuable as the brand, including a huge volume of traffic, numerous interactions with customers, etc.
   
• Influence their readers: Because bloggers have such a solid relationship with their readers, they can influence them in a very positive way when it comes to connecting to brands. The bloggers have credibility in the eyes of their readers and therefore, the readers are loyal and trusting.

Conclusion

Writing content and public relations go hand in hand and they are both necessary for a successful business outcome. Each brings skills to the table that complement the others’ skills. It is extremely important for both sides to truly understand the perspective and the needs of the other side. Both PR experts and bloggers have an important job to do and their needs to be mutual respect. The four most important words when it comes to a successful relationship between the two are “thank you” and “I’m sorry.” If those words are used on a regular basis, everything will turn out fine.

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