Slides for talk by Dan Levy @TheDanLevy in Toronto, Canada to a University of Toronto - U of T - School of Continuing Studies class SCS2846 in Social Media Strategy on Blogger/Influencer Relations. Class is taught by Jean George and these are my slides from my talk.

1. Dan Levy:
An Influencer’s/Blogger’s
Perspective
Foundations of Digital Marketing Mgmt
University of Toronto - November 18, 2013
#SCS2846

2. Who I Am
 Renaissance Guy
 Writer
 Reader
 Geek
 Social Fusionist & Community Builder
 Researcher
 Student
 Online Portfolio: About.Me/TheDanLevy
 Blog: http://bit.ly/thedanlevy
 Twitter: @TheDanLevy
 Facebook: FB.com/TheDanLevy
 G+: Gplus.to/TheDanLevy

3. How I Built My Following
 PLATFORMS:
 Real Life (events & community gatherings)
• Attending, Organizing, & Generally Helping
 Twitter
• Being present.
• Live tweeting at events/conferences
 Blog
• Guest blogging
• Blogging on other’s outlets as well
 Facebook
 Other blogs’ comments sections

4. How I Built My Following
Being Open, Approachable, & Engaging

5. How I Built My Following
Being Positive & Honest

6. How I Built My Following
Joining The Community

7. How I Built My Following
Joining The Community

8. How I Built My Following

9. When Did I Notice Brands
Reaching Out

10. How I Help(ed) Brands
 Talk about things – before, during, & after – online and in real
life.
 Events
 Review items
 Campaigns
 Suggest ways to add value
 Connect them with others (especially if I know I’m outside
their target).
 Complete info in blog posts with linkbacks and SEO tactics
 Honest Feedback: quietly and privately especially if I’m
being critical.
 Be a brand ambassador.

11. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DOs
 Reach out personally and make sure it’s targeted.
 Build a relationship.
 Make sure you’re providing them and their readers
value.
 Make sure to give them something to talk about.
 Make stuff easy to find & share before, during, and
after the fact.
 Make important info easily exportable from the
communication.
 Share & RT their content about you with your
audience.

12. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DOs
 Try to give them an amount of respect similar to
what’s given to the media.
 Touch base before and after.
 Be open to try new things/ideas.
 Be honest & open in communications with them.
 If you’re giving SWAG, make sure it is something
which will actually be used not just sit in a drawer.
 Give them a USB key they’ll actually use again or
just switch to the cloud.
 Remember: We talk in real life too so the online
response may not be entirely accurate.

13. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DOs
Give them a USB key they’ll actually use again.

14. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DOs
Give them a USB key they’ll actually use again.

15. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DOs
Give them a USB key they’ll actually use again.

16. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
DON’Ts
 Forget that this is EARNED media, not paid or
owned.
 Send untargeted press releases.
 Send untargeted invites.
 Send emails with no actionable info UNLESS
you’re dealing with a news site.
 Forget their +1s. Don’t make them ask and feel like
a beggar.
 Blame them when something doesn’t go the way
you wanted.

17. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
Crowdsourced DOs & DON’Ts

18. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
“Personalized” Message Fails

19. Engaging With A
Blogger/Influencer
“Personalized” Message Fail

20. My Details:
 Email: TheDanLevy@gmail.com
 Online Portfolio: About.Me/TheDanLevy
 Blog: http://bit.ly/thedanlevy
 Twitter: @TheDanLevy
 Facebook: FB.com/TheDanLevy
 Google Plus: Gplus.to/TheDanLevy