Influencer Relations Tips October 16, 2008

There’s No Market for Messages

Primary Issue for PR Pros Lies in Approach Can’t force media relations model onto bloggers General attitude of get rather than give is antithetical to communities Bloggers are often part of subject specific communities Influencers can be powerful on social networks, but not have blogs They can be part of two or three communities (cross-pollination) Spam, press releases, blanket approaches don’t work

Can’t force media relations model onto bloggers

General attitude of get rather than give is antithetical to communities

Bloggers are often part of subject specific communities

Influencers can be powerful on social networks, but not have blogs

They can be part of two or three communities (cross-pollination)

Spam, press releases, blanket approaches don’t work

The Similarities People Write, talk, and/or shoot video Have readers/viewers Trusted Relationships mean more Some blogs are actually electronic publications – GigaOm, TechCrunch, Huffington

People

Write, talk, and/or shoot video

Have readers/viewers

Trusted

Relationships mean more

Some blogs are actually electronic publications – GigaOm, TechCrunch, Huffington

The Differences Journalist Paid to write content Has a masthead w/ an editorial mission Needs sources Supposedly adheres to journalistic standards Has an editor And a publisher And advertisers Blogger Unpaid Writes to topic – or not Writes for self, or to build business May or may not want sources Adheres to personal standards Does not need PR

Journalist

Paid to write content

Has a masthead w/ an editorial mission

Needs sources

Supposedly adheres to journalistic standards

Has an editor

And a publisher

And advertisers

Blogger

Unpaid

Writes to topic – or not

Writes for self, or to build business

May or may not want sources

Adheres to personal standards

Does not need PR

New Media Requires New Approach Social implies interaction… Think relationships Networking skills supersede messaging Long term harvest versus short term gain Communities exist in more than one place Identify all influencers, and focus on them Example: Ike Pigott, A-List in PR? No. Influencer? Oh yeah!

Social implies interaction… Think relationships

Networking skills supersede messaging

Long term harvest versus short term gain

Communities exist in more than one place

Identify all influencers, and focus on them

Example: Ike Pigott, A-List in PR? No. Influencer? Oh yeah!

Influence As Pictured by Simon Collister

The Tipping Point

Leveraging Social Relationships Start by providing value… What’s the so what for this person? What are you giving them that matters? Unconventional pitching: Twitter, social networks, micro pitches: NO PRESS RELEASES The phone still works Be one of their community members Blog Socnet

Start by providing value… What’s the so what for this person? What are you giving them that matters?

Unconventional pitching: Twitter, social networks, micro pitches: NO PRESS RELEASES

The phone still works

Be one of their community members

Blog

Socnet

Smart Campaign Ideas Advisory councils Use your social media tools! Interview them Cross-link Feature one of their posts Sample the wares Feedback/focus groups

Advisory councils

Use your social media tools!

Interview them

Cross-link

Feature one of their posts

Sample the wares

Feedback/focus groups

Additional Reading Five unorthodox ways to pitch bloggers: http://tinyurl.com/6s7muf Podcast on the current state of blogger relations: http://tinyurl.com/68tdum Thoughts on pitching bloggers http://tinyurl.com/6pq7ft

Five unorthodox ways to pitch bloggers: http://tinyurl.com/6s7muf

Podcast on the current state of blogger relations: http://tinyurl.com/68tdum

Thoughts on pitching bloggers http://tinyurl.com/6pq7ft