There are millions of great posts around the blogosphere that detail the best practices of Blogger outreach, but what some people might not realize is that Blogger Outreach is a multifaceted strategy.  There are different methods of outreach that achieve different goals, and all of these methods fall under the Blogger Outreach umbrella. So how do you know which kind of Blogger outreach is right for your brand?

Finding that niche list of blogs to target isn’t the hard part. The difficult part is how to approach these bloggers.  The key to approaching bloggers is to work backwards and answer these questions;

1. What are the Goals?

  • Brand Awareness
  • Product Announcement or Exposure
  • Event invitations

2.  Why would the blogger care?

  • Their audience is the main demographic
  • The blogger has a specific outlook on campaign details
  • Location centric
  • The blogger will receive compensation  or be able to offer gifts to their audience

3. Why does the brand NEED the blogger?

  • The blogger has a large targeted audience within the brand demographic
  • The blogger has a valued presence on the blogosphere and ranks highly in the search engines
  • The blogger has the potential to enhance the brand awareness
  • The brand lacks organic presence and is new to the Social Arena
  • The blogger has fans on Twitter, Facebook, and additional important Social Networks.

If you can check off many of these points, then you are ready to accept Blogger Outreach into your marketing strategy.

Learn from History and Avoid BAD Blogger Outreach:

  • Keep it Personal
  • Research the Blogger ahead of time
  • Do not Solicit
  • Play by the Blogger Rules (Many bloggers have specific outreach instructions on their site)
  • Learn about their audience
  • Make sure its blogworthy (give them a real reason to post about the brand)
  • Give the blogger all the assets they will need. (Images, Video, Links, and content)
  • Make sure to remind the Blogger of the new FCC Guidelines, play by the rules!

Here are some examples of Good Blogger Outreach Examples:

Secret of the Mountain DVD review and Giveaway on Dad-O-Matic:

Bacon Freak Gourmet Contest on Bacontoday.com:

Grasshopper Phone Systems example:

When done properly, the advantages to a GOOD blogger outreach campaign are endless.  But tread lightly, do research, and be transparent at all times.  Bloggers are real people and need to be treated with respect and delicacy.  When treated correctly they could help market your brand better than your VP of Marketing.