Comments on: What's the Best Way to Pitch Bloggers?

By: Betsy Stevenson

Betsy Stevenson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:31:34 +0000

This post and discussion are a good reminder that successful media relations practitioners are respectful and trustworthy in their conversations with bloggers, or any media, for that matter. This takes time and thoughtfulness, as it does to build and maintain any good relationship in life.

By: rani quirk

rani quirk — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:38:07 +0000

Great post–really helps me as I begin to reach out to bloggers and eventually begin blogging. The common sense part is easy…it’s the time factor that’s a killer. Any tips for that?
PS–met you at the DMS meetup you organized..great job.

By: Jessi

Jessi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:25:12 +0000

Thanks so much for this post. There is a lot of merit in relationship building for the traditional PR world so why not online? Just because it feels impersonal doesn’t mean it should be. I would like to read more posts on this topic definitely.

By: Nick Lucido

Nick Lucido — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:11:57 +0000

Of course we think it’s a given, but I have run across some blog posts from people talking about their experiences with dishonest pitches. I just wanted to add that just to make sure everyone knew about it.

By: Vic

Vic — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:15:12 +0000

I get pitched by authors and editors all the time. First, realize that I blog on my own time and that, in my case at least, I make no money from blogging.

Second, a $10 – $30 book does not come close to paying for my review. It takes time to read a book and then write the review. If a publicist had to pay me, I would charge at least $500 for each promotional piece. Since I don’t, a thank you would be welcome, especially if I wrote a rave review. You’d be surprised how many authors forget to do this.

Third, you are not in a position to dictate to me and I’ll just ignore you. I actually had an author suggest word substitutions and then she requested that I write a book review on Barnes & Noble as well. I am not your personal publicist.

Fourth, do not send me a cookie cutter PR release. That ploy might have worked with magazines and newspapers in days of yore when few people read both the NYTimes and Washington Post, but I take pride in the fact that my posts are original. As soon as I learn that the piece you sent me has been posted by even one other blogger, I will yank it off my blog and not promote your work again.

Fifth, there’s a reason why I don’t hop to it. I have a life and personal considerations take precedence over promoting your product or your time table.

Thanks for listening.

By: Jeremy Porter

Jeremy Porter — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:55:29 +0000

Do you run into this disclosure issue a lot? I thought it was a given that you identify who you’re working for? I agree 100 percent. You have to be up front, your call should start with “I’m calling you on behalf of (or from) XYZ company.” I think posing as someone your not is shady.

By: Jeremy Porter

Jeremy Porter — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:53:22 +0000

I like your points about getting in early with a blog. This can pay dividends in the long run.

I disagree with blogs being a dead end. I think branching out is a good thing, from both sides of the equation. You’re more likely to build a stronger and more engaged audience around niche topics than broad, sensational stuff.

For me, a pitch is not an advertisement. It’s putting something interesting in front of the blogger – it’s up the blogger whether or not they think it’s interesting enough to share.

By: Sienna

Sienna — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:09:50 +0000

Nick Lucido and Gandalf are right – from a bloggers point of view. We are not usually idiots and we are hungry for that good idea or story.

Reading here and at other sites it seems that you are trying to bullshit bloggers into thinking you care. We know you don’t. We know there is something in it for you or it’s your job.

When you guys say a pitch went bad , that is a sign that we didn’t know at first , realized, and were then offended by the insincerity.

As Nick Lucido said the key is ” to disclose your relationship for whom you’re pitching. For example, if you work for an agency representing Clorox, you should say right in the beginning of the pitch that you are contacting on behalf of that company.”

And Gandalf was right “the type of blog you should pitch, get in early with blogs like mine before they get big once they are big they get staff, regular tips and advertisers, regular visitors. They are not “hungry” anymore and your job becomes so much harder if not impossible.”

By: Catching up and a weekly article recap « Communication Matters

Catching up and a weekly article recap « Communication Matters — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:52:51 +0000

[...] What’s the Best Way to Pitch Bloggers?: This article is definitely one you shouldn’t miss. Do our traditional notions of PR apply in social media? Again, I wonder if we marketers are trying to impose our “old school” tactics to a medium that just doesn’t support them. I’ve been actively working on fostering deep relationships with several bloggers since April, and I can’t count the number of times they’ve mentioned how a PR rep has sent them a pitch that had absolutely no interest for that blogger. When relationships matter, why would you send a generic press release and expect a blogger to write about it? I cringe just thinking about it. [...]

By: Nick Lucido

Nick Lucido — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:49:46 +0000

This is a good list, but I think it’s so key to disclose your relationship for whom you’re pitching. For example, if you work for an agency representing Clorox, you should say right in the beginning of the pitch that you are contacting on behalf of that company. You don’t want to have your client called out for dishonest pitching.