The World Wide Web is a one-stop shop for every need and wants of a person. The internet has become one of the easiest avenues for customers to find what they’re looking for regardless if it’s a product or service. The internet has also changed how businesses design and implement their marketing strategies. Today, more and more businesses are using blogger outreach to sell their products, entice customers and foster brand loyalty. Unlike other marketing strategies, blogger outreach is different because it can be used by different businesses regardless of their size and niche. This strategy can become the solution to all of your business’ marketing and SEO woes but do you know how to reach out successfully in blogger outreach?
Blogger outreach is all about creating healthy relationships with a blogger. When you’re a business owner, you should be able to work with a blogger so that he or she can produce content for your business’ behalf. The blogger you choose to work with plays a vital role in the success of this marketing strategy. If you don’t have any idea on how you can reach out to them successfully, consider the tips below:
5 Tips To Reach Blogger’s Successfully: Blogger Outreach Strategy
1. Think of your followers as your brand ambassadors
Regardless of how little your followers are, they still make up a percentage of the people who are already sharing your content. Before you decide to reach out to new followers through blogger outreach, think of your existing followers as your brand ambassadors. How they tell other people about your brand can greatly impact your marketing and profit. You can improve your relationship with these followers with the following:
- In your social media accounts, create a special group for these followers. Focus on retweeting or liking all of their posts. Doing this will only take a little of your time but can significantly impact your relationship with your followers.
- If your followers have their own blogs, monitor those as well. See to it that you check and share their blogs, and even comment as often as you can! Engage yourself with the online community these bloggers have as this can help you gain new followers in the long run.
- You can also provide incentives for your top followers. If you can see that they’re helping you promote your brand, go ahead and surprise them with a free product. Your existing followers should be your priority if you’re looking for people to connect with. After all, their experience with your business can become an effective marketing strategy.
2. Scout for the most relevant influencers
The key to making your blogger outreach efforts successful is by working with a relevant influencer. You should choose a blogger who has a credible name and large following. And while some business owners fear that this is a challenging process, you don’t have to feel the same. Scouting for the most relevant influencers for your business can be easy when you know how. You can start by doing your search on Google or expand your options by using other tools as well.
3. Create a plan on how you’re going to approach bloggers
After doing your search online, you’ll probably come up with a list of bloggers whom you’re eyeing to work with. Because these people are influencers and already have a name in the industry, it’s important that you start off with the right way in approaching them. This can make or break your chances of working with them and improving your business brand. To give you an idea on how you can create your pitch with bloggers, keep in mind the following:
- Regardless if you’re sending them a direct message on their personal social media profiles or e-mail accounts, make your messages short. Running around the bush with your message won’t help. Remember, these bloggers don’t have the luxury of time. If you send them a message which is two-pages long, they’ll either delete your message or reply to you after a month’s time.
- If you’re keen on looking for the perfect blogger for your business, you’ll have to look for several options. After narrowing down your search and have found several bloggers, don’t send all of them a generic message for your intent. This won’t help you create relationships with them and can also adversely affect your business image. It’s okay to use a template, but you should ensure that your message will have a unique element, suitable for a specific blogger.
- Your first contact with a blogger can create an impression – so make sure you’re creating one which is good for your business. Always be professional when dealing with bloggers. You should know where to draw the line between being confident and boastful. Treat them how you would treat your customers.
- Blogger outreach is about creating relationships with other people. You need to be transparent in order to gain the other party’s trust and loyalty. You should inform the blogger what you want from them and how your business will pay for their services. Transparency is always key in every relationship, and blogger outreach is no exemption.
4. Provide topics that attract bloggers and influencers
Gaining the trust of a blogger doesn’t only require a pitch letter. Generally, you need to send relevant topics which you think the blogger and their target audience will enjoy. Bloggers, especially those who’ve been in the industry for years, will be very keen on the topic they have to write about. They won’t waste their time and risk the trust of their followers if the content doesn’t align with their own niche. Your topics should provide information to the blogger’s audience, beneficial to everyone (the business, blogger and target audience), and solve a common problem.
5. Develop long-term relationships
Once a blogger posts content about your business, it doesn’t mean that you have to cut communication with them. You should strive to develop long-term relationships with bloggers because their expertise can help you with your marketing and SEO efforts in the future. Continue sharing the blogger’s content, comment on their blogs and social media profiles and even invite them for coffee or lunch. For your blogger outreach to become a success, treat these bloggers as your friends, and not just another marketing strategy.
Professional Relationships Are Important
Once you’ve decided to use blogger outreach for your business’ advantage, you should be careful about your next steps. For one, you shouldn’t treat a blogger poorly because you know you’re paying them. Your behavior towards a blogger can become the reason why your business will gain a negative image in the eyes of the public. Remember that a blogger already has a lot of followers and subscribers, and if they choose to write a review about your business or your unprofessionalism, it won’t be long before your business takes a turn for the worse. If you’re certain that blogger outreach is indeed for your business, you should always be courteous with the blogger you’re eyeing to hire. Everything you do will be associated with your business so make sure you do good all the time!