The Price of Social Influence

As social media networks have increased in size and profits over the years, the value of a strong social media presence has also increased. Websites and communities, such as Influenster, have developed all which focus on using the power of trend setters with high social worth to promote brands.

When planning campaign, it's important to consider the power of social media influence. Reaching out to bloggers and vloggers with large followings can be extremely beneficial to your client's campaigns. Bloggers and vloggers, along with creating their followings, have also established a trusting community of consumers who trust and rely on the blogger/vlogger's opinions. There is definitely value in that kind of community, but how do you put a price on it?

Currently, the ball is largely in the court of the influences to determine the worth of their influence. Bloggers and vloggers can name their own ad rates, and most have a standard price for sponsored posts or content. But that doesn't mean that brands and their representatives don't have bargaining power in these situations.

Before investing money in social marketing, consider these factors:

Followers don't equal engagement. 
Engagement will always be worth more than the number of followers someone has. Rather than ask for a sheet of numbers, ask how many times a day the influencer is mentioned, retweeted, or shared on other platforms. These are the numbers that will make the money you invest worth it.

You need a system to measure ROI.
Tracking your website traffic or the number of social media followers you gain (or lose) are both great ways to tracking the return on investment of working with social influencers. Create a system that shows growth (or lack of growth) to help determine if the money spent was worth it and should be spent again.

Don't create greater competition.
Because social influencers are in such a high seat of power, there are many brands ready and willing to work with them. Before agreeing to become another one of these brands, do your research to see who they currently work with, or who they've worked with previously. Don't create a campaign that increases the competitive struggle by placing your posts or content alongside that of your competitors. Push for exclusivity.

Have you worked with social influencers to develop your campaigns before? What research did you do prior to creating the campaign?

Blogging Conferences: The Prep List

photo via.

Bloggers have a great opportunity to create organic and original platforms perfect for promoting various projects, clients and brands. Working with bloggers is great, as they usually operate in smaller teams and have a great passion for what they do.

As a blogger looking to work with brands and sponsors, it is so important to be sure that your blog is in tip top shape. This means creating consistent and original content, maintaining a readership and finding ways to network and engage other bloggers. A few weeks ago, I shared some 2014 blogging conferences - which are great events to network with other bloggers and learn how to enhance your online space. Before packing up and heading to a conference, there are a few things you should prepare in advance to make the most of your experience:

Streamline Your Brand Across Platforms

A common mistake that many bloggers make is loosing a consistent image across platforms. If your Twitter handle is @GreatBlogger but on Instagram it's @iLoveToBlog, it can get confusing and difficult for people to find and follow you. Decide upon one name and handle to use across every platform that you are on. 

Get Business Cards

With all of the hustle and bustle that comes with an exciting blogging conference, no one is going to have time to take out pen and paper to jot down your blog name, URL and your contact information. Have a business card that has your brand's logo and colors that lists all the basic information someone will need to reach out to you.

Prepare A Media Kit

If you plan on reaching out to brands and sponsors for potential partnerships, hit them with your best shot right off the bat! Have a one-sheet media kit with your blog's logo at the top that lists some of your online stats. These could include your monthly page views, numbers of followers on various social media platforms, a description of you and your blog and a little about your reader demographics.

Review Your Current Content

While you're networking with bloggers, you can bet that they will all be heading over to your blog to see what you're all about. Before sending everyone to your little piece of the web, be sure that you're happy with everything being presented. If you have some earlier posts that aren't really your best work, consider editing or revamping them. Make sure all photos and links are still functional and look well within the post. Consider making a fresh 'about me' page, and make your media kit available on your blog for easy access!

These are just a few items on the checklists of many bloggers heading to different conferences. Are you heading to a blog conference any time soon? How are you preparing?

Tips To Be A More Productive Blogger

Recently, PR Daily posted an article listing 23 ways to become a more productive blogger. From that list, I chose to highlight five tips that I feel could be most beneficial.

1. Consider your workplace. Make sure you're in an environment that you can be the most productive in. Whether that's in a cafe full of people or a quiet corner in the library, put yourself in a space that will foster your best work.
2. Know why you blog. Keeping your mission statement, or the reason why you blog, in the front of your mind is essential. Not only does it help to focus your content, but constantly reminding yourself why you blog can be a great motivator to keep pressing forward.
3. Keep an idea list. From personal experience, this is beyond helpful. If you're in a bind and can't seem to put pen to paper, an idea list can prevent writer's block. It always seems that the best ideas come at the most obscure times, so make sure you have a place to jot them down to reference later.
4. Embrace flow. It's not all the time that the words just seem to flow so when they do, don't stop! Take advantage of this sudden burst of creativity and schedule several blog posts ahead of time. That way if/when writer's block should strike again you're prepared with a few posts that are ready to go.
5. Just do it. You may not feel up to the task of writing every time you need to, but push through and just do it. Ramble if you have to, but get some thoughts on paper. You can edit later, but at least now there is content there to edit.

For all 23 tips you can view the original article here. Do you have any advice that can help fellow bloggers? Share them in the comments below!

Promote Your Blog--For FREE!

Blogs have become an extremely important part of public relations, media, and online interaction. There are many blogs that have tremendous following and can have a great impact.  As blogs have become more relevant, it seems that everyone wants to start one.  Since this is the case, it's important to set yourself apart from the crowd.

You might have terrific topics and a lot of support from your friends and family but still not be reaching your goals.  Without a solid internet following, your blog might not be as impactful as you'd like.  Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get the word out about your site.  Return On Now offers these suggestions:

Start a Meetup.com group in your subject area and share your blog at events and online.
This is a great way to connect with people in your area that share similar interests to you.

Make insightful comments on other blogs and include a relevant link back to your own blog.
If you interact with others, chances are they will interact with you.  After all, it's all about who you know!

Write a press release and post it on free PR sites.
Not every site posts every release, but it can't hurt to try! Make sure your releases are relevant and newsworthy so they will spark interest.

Provide free trainings to local nonprofits, universities, and meetup groups to establish expertise.Groups that can't necessarily afford to hire someone but would love to build a blogging presence will appreciate help from someone with blogging expertise and will pass your name along.

To read all 25 of Return On Now's ideas for free blog promotion, click here.  Do you have any to add?

Do You Disclose?

When it comes to making a purchase, consumers will almost always attempt to get an honest review from someone they trust. Word of mouth carries more weight than any infomercial or glossy magazine advertisement. Consumers already feel that brands are often more concerned with their bottom line than the actual consumer experience, so they hope that an unbiased third party will stand on their side. YouTube vloggers and blogs of all sizes have found ways to capitalize on this need. Conversely, brands have found ways to capitalize on these bloggers and vloggers.

A blogger may agree to post a product review or host a giveaway on behalf of a brand in exchange for free product or financial compensation. The blogger gets to entertain his or her readers and make some side cash, and the brand gets cheaper publicity delivered straight to their target audience. Consumers are much more likely to trust a blogger's honest review, because they feel that it is someone they can connect with. However, when there is money involved, the honesty and integrity of many bloggers may be questioned. This is why it is important to draft a disclosure policy.

What is a disclosure policy? A disclosure policy basically serves as the "fine print." It lets your readers, followers, or viewers know that some content you put out may be sponsored, or that you somehow receive compensation from it. Disclosing does not indicate that everything you post is sponsored content, but it allows the reader to be aware of what goes on behind the scenes.

Why should you disclose? Well first and foremost, because the FTC says you have to. In order to insure the protection of the consumer, the FTC requires bloggers to clearly and conspicuously disclose when they've received products (solicited or unsolicited) to review on their blogs. Despite that, you should want to come off as honest and sincere to your readers and followers.

What should be included in your disclosure policy? Websites like DisclosurePolicy.org will help you draft a disclosure policy based on the content you put out. The policy should always mention who writes and contributes content and the forms of advertising accepted (or not accepted).

Where should you disclose? A full, clear and concise policy should be available in full on your blog or website. Consumers shouldn't have to dig for this, it should always be visible and available. In addition to this, adding a small disclosure line at the bottom of a post is also helpful. 

Example : This post was sponsored by Brand X for review. These are my honest views on Brand X.

On social media, using hashtags like #ad or #spon (short for sponsored) is also an easy way to disclose.

Are you disclosing? Do you think it's necessary to disclose on social media? Let us know!

Press Kits For Bloggers

Blogging has transformed over the years from a fun pastime to a lucrative industry full of creatives. As a blogger, making yourself and your content accessible to the press and to PR reps can only work in your best interest. One simple way to do this is by creating a press kit. A press kit is a package of material that is made available as a brief on a company or brand. The kit should tell a reader what your blog is about, some statistics on your blog, and a bit about you of course! As a blogger, you can get a little more crafty and creative with the presentation of your press kit than a corporation or magazine. Here are a few tips and tricks for creating a successful press kit:

• Use elements of your blog - Include images that are on your blog to help solidify your brand and help viewers familiarize themselves with you. Take the header image that you use on your blog and make it the top of your press kit. If you use an image of yourself in the sidebar, include that image next to a short bio in your press kit.
• Less is more - While it is great to have a fun and creative press kit, you don't want to distract the viewer form getting essential info. Try using only one or two simple fonts, and implement white space. Too much color can be very overwhelming.
• Include your demographic - If someone is viewing your press kit, it is likely because they want to work with you! Let them know the audience that you target so that they can decide if your blog is the right blog to partner with. This will save the hassle of going through pitches that don't necessarily fit your blog.
• Know your blog stats - How many people stop by your blog daily? Weekly? Monthly? These numbers are important to have in your press kit, so be sure to include them.
• Social media is a must - Include all of your social media statistics in your press kit: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all others that apply! Your social media numbers indicate your online reach, and can work in your favor when looking for sponsorships!
• Make it available - Be sure to create a space on your blog for your press kit. I recommend saving it as either a JPEG, PDF, or both for easy access.

 Have you created a press kit for your blog? PR professionals, what do you like to see in a bloggers press kit? Let us know!

Blogging for Childhood Cancer

The majority of blogs that I seem to follow, along with my peers, revolve around fashion, art, celebrities, music and humor. Blogs are great for that reason, there are so many of them that it's impossible to not find one to obsess over. But blogs are great for a lot of other reasons too. They can serve as an outlet for people who find themselves to be an outcast amongst their peers, or a way for people from all over the world to connect over a common interest.

For others, it could be a way for a parent of a child with cancer to express their feelings, fears and advice. For a long time, I've been thinking about a career in the health care field, especially after readings these blogs. One particular blog I follow, Rockstar Ronan, is written by Maya Thompson, the mother of a 4 year old little boy who died of a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. Through her blog, she has built a large following. Taylor Swift wrote a song named after Ronan and performed it at a Stand Up 2 Cancer event. Maya has even created a charitable foundation called the Ronan Thompson foundation which donates money towards Neuroblastoma research, successfully completed a petition to turn The White House gold (color for childhood cancer), is in the process of writing a book, and is slowly building the foundation for a Neuroblastoma center. All through the power of her blog and her words.

A blog isn't just for posting pictures of cats or the latest trends. Blogs can go so far as to change lives.

The Aesthetics Of Blogging

First and foremost, Happy New Year! Welcome to 2013 on the PRowl blog, we are all excited for a new year!

Blogging has become one of the most popular forms of online expression next to social media sites. With so many blogging platforms, the more popular being Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr and Typepad, starting a blog is as easy as making a few clicks and typing out some paragraphs. Yes, anyone can start a blog, but it takes a more savvy and dedicated person to maintain a blog and keep a decent following.

While content is definitely the number one concern of bloggers, the design and lay out of a blog can often be a deciding factor on whether or not readers will visit again. Browsing blogs online should be a fun, relaxing, enjoyable thing. The design of a blog speaks volumes about the blogger as well, and plays a huge part in how you brand yourself to the blogosphere. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing a blog, whether you are doing it yourself of hiring someone else!

• Keep it readable - No matter how fun your design is, if it makes it impossible for readers to actually read your content, it's a no go. Black or grey text on a white background is usually a winner. Avoid putting text in bright colors with contrasting, as that is often difficult to read. See, this is a rough read, right?
• Easy navigation - Be sure your readers are able to find what they are looking for! You can do this by using headers in larger fonts (like the title of our blog posts) and labeling important sections. It is often helpful to make links a separate (yet readable) color from the standard text. A search bar is also a nice feature so that readers can find what they need quickly.
• Show some personality - If you have a tagline or slogan that you are using to describe or brand yourself, include it! You want to show off who you are so that the readers can build a relationship with you. Including a photo of yourself helps with that as well.
• Less is more - Don't try to fit every one of your posts on the first page of your blog. That's a huge no no. Limit yourself to 5-8 posts, depending on personal preference and the layout of your blog. Include links below the last post that will allow users to navigate to older posts if they wish to.

What are some of the design elements of your favorite blogs? Share them with us, and we'll post what you say to our social media to share with other bloggers and future bloggers!

We Are the Twenty Percent!

In the world of business, ROI is everything. In order to increase your ROI, you need to ensure you are delivering the right message, to the right audience, through the correct channel.

Online, there are seven types of audiences: altruists, selectives, passionates, connectors, trendspotters, provocateurs, and careerists.Of these consumers, only 20% are high sharers, active users, like us, whom generally create original content and whom are loyal to online brands, and the other 80% are considered low sharers, consumers not loyal to a specific brand and whom are not very active on social media. In general, campaigns should be tailored to your company's or organization's high sharers. Below, I will highlight the characteristics of each type of high share consumer and how to cater to them.

1. Altruists account for the largest percentage of social consumers. They re-tweet, post and share because of a desire to help others. Altruists are especially important to focus on for non-profits and fundraising endeavors. The most effective way to engage altruists is through Facebook and email.
2.  Selectives make up the second highest percentage of social consumers. They strategically share information and content with specific users. These consumers use email most frequently to share content.
3. Passionates share content and information because of a common passion they share with their followers and friends. They can be frequently found on Facebook and on customer review sites.
4. Connectors share information in order to create opportunities. They generally will link multiple account to optimize their social experience. They are most commonly found and can be reached on Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and Facebook.
5. Trendspotters want to be in and let others know they are in the know. They attempt to increase their credibility via multiple social channels and can be found on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, foursquare, Flickr, Facebook and Delicious. 
6. Provocateurs are always looking to get a reaction. Bloggers are generally included in the this category and can be reached on YouTube, Wordpress/Blogger, Twitter, LinkedIn, foursqare, Flickr and Delicious. 
7. Careerists general use social sites for business and networking purposes. In general, Careerists utilize YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and Facebook.

The number of followers and analytics of your company's page are no longer an appropriate measure of a campaign's success. Targeting high share consumers to generate recommondations and inspire creation of content is the appropriate means to increase engagement, brand loyalty, and ROI.

This post is based on the Huffington post article written by Jennifer Nagy,  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-nagy/social-media-marketing_b_1695186.html 

How To Reach Out to Bloggers

With the explosion of the internet over the past decade, every PR pro knows that no public relations campaign is complete without blogger outreach. Bloggers target certain niche audiences that may be hard to reach otherwise. Blogs also have a lot more credibility than ads that are paid for. Making strong connections with bloggers can prove to be very beneficial because they tend to have a loyal audience who are always willing to follow their recommendations.

Blogging is a fairly new media outlet and for most PR professionals interacting with bloggers is a whole new ball park. Bloggers are extremely diverse. Some write because they are passionate about their subject matter. Some write for profit. Some do both. This is why one approach may be welcomed by one blogger but not well received by another.

I don’t believe there is one right way to pitch to bloggers, just like there isn’t just one way to pitch to any other media outlet. Just keep in mind bloggers are people too. They enjoy well thought out pitches that are sincere, relevant and useful to their audience. And who can resist a good story?

Here are some tips to help you achieve better results from your blogger outreach:

1.    Do your research: Before you approach the blog owner with your pitch make sure you know what the blog is about, the content of the posts as well as what kind of audience they are reaching out to. You can do this by reading a variety of posts and comments from various months/years to get a good idea.

2.   Interact with bloggers way before your campaign: When you reach out to a blogger to pitch a story, it is always better to already have a relationship with them before hand. Bloggers could get offended if you only approach them when you have a campaign you’re working on. No one likes being used! To start building a relationship long before your campaign starts, read and comment on their blog posts, follow their social media accounts and recommend them within your personal network. Going the extra mile will definitely help you out in the long run.

3.   Be natural: Bloggers write in everyday, conversational language. When pitching to them, make sure you lose the formal, corporate language. 

4.   Provide more than they need: Make their job easy by providing them with all the essentials to publish a high-quality blog post. This could include photos, videos, quotes, pre-written tweets/status updates and always offer them interview options.

5.   Offer valuable content: Try to pitch stories that will grab a bloggers attention. Most of the time bloggers will be more inclined to publish a story about free products, giveaways, special offers or exclusive interviews rather than a boring press release. You need to make sure your story has potential to go viral, will attract traffic to the blog and help to build profit by enticing subscribers.

        

Have you ever had to reach out to a blogger before? If so, what was your experience? Let us know!

Give & Take: Pitching to Bloggers

Pitching to bloggers can sometimes be unknown territory. With so many different categories and niches of bloggers, how can you pitch effectively and gain the support of the blogging community? Below are 6 things bloggers want from PR pros:

The specifics up front: Bloggers read a large volume of content daily, keep your pitch simple. Give the who, what, where, when, how up front and make it easier on them. Also, be clear with your deadline so that he/she can feasibly tell you if its possible to cover your story.


Compensation: These are hard times, and while it would be nice to offer monetary compensation to bloggers for coverage, 9 times out of 10 its not possible. A popular trend among bloggers are giveaways. Offer them a gift basket of your products to give away to their readers. Remind them why they should be promoting your product for free.


Information, not prewritten language: Give plenty of data and stats on your product. What are some FAQs? Pictures? Social media accounts? Do you have any other endorsers or sponsors? Give all of this information so that a blogger can easily, and quickly, cover your product, giving you more of a chance of having your product backed.


Promotion: It's a give and take world. While you want bloggers to promote your product, they also expect you to promote their blog via your social media channels. Tweet a link, share their blog on Facebook, anything that will both promote your product and establish a relationship with said blogger.


Patience with data: It's quality not quantity, try not to get bogged down by numbers. What's more important is the amount and scope of people you reached.


To keep in touch: Try to keep in touch with these bloggers, by establishing a good relationship, you will increase your chances of having your other products promoted by them.