After participating in an on-line event, I was asked for a dream list of what a PR pro would like to find on a Mommy Blogger’s site to coordinate PR/blogger promotions (giveaways, contests, goody bags, expert guest blog posts, quotes for blogs and even virtual blog books tours) – in a paragraph. Not an easy task, so I sent a shorter intro to the ladies from MomItForward (and #GNO or Girls Night Out Tuesdays 7-10 pm MST on www.twitter.com), and have expanded it here on my blog. These techniques can be applied to any specialty type of blog to create win-win situations for your readers and our clients.
What PR Pros Want to Know – The Basics
PR people are hoping to find a match between between our client/company/expert’s product or info and your reader’s interests and needs. With 18 plus years of PR experience, including handling PR for Winterthur Museum’s Licensed Products Division (products inspired by the museum’s collection), I can say I wish blogging was as hot then as it is now, I would have loved to have had you all to reach out to. Marketing & PR tools have changed, but reaching out an connecting one-on-one hasn’t – relationship building is what PR is all about.
The Type of Info a PR Pro Hopes to Find on Your site, Includes:
A good About Us page, telling briefly what you and your site are all about (intro to the site and how it works, who your readers are, what niche do you reach, and who the sites author(s) are). A good PR Info page also tells us more reader demographics along with some site statistics/numbers – see tools below. Also useful are sections on how you like to work: what you will do to publicize the promotion, what you need from us, and note any success stories you’ve had (some of this can also be indicated is on a document that we can request – if your readers don’t need to know the details).
At it’s best PR/blogger promotions - can be win-win situations. Bloggers get cool items to review/use/giveaway (or info/advice/guest post from an expert ), which helps your readers, and builds your brand. PR consultants get exposure for our client/brand and our product/info, and hopefully generate some action from your audience: web traffic, conversation about the product/expert/brand, or product purchases. At it’s worst this process can leave both the PR staffer and/or the blogger frustrated. Communication, beginning with a good About Us and PR/media pages (and/or a promo sheet that can be emailed on request), can go a long way toward creating successful promotions. If mommy bloggers are getting bombarded by off-target PR pitches, you can send them a link to this page, to tell them what type of promos you look for, who your blog reaches, and how to you prefer to work. Ideally, the PR person/company should have similar promotional info on their site, or at least identify a contact name for the person who handles promotions (and info about their needs to send on request).
The Details for Both Sides:
The Ugly PR “Pro” and the “Bad” Blogger
Now we all know of those stereotypes, that sometimes PR types and bloggers get off on wrong foot. A Public Relations staffer will grab a list of mommy bloggers and sent out a pitch to all of them, without ever reading the site to see what their niche is. An we have heard stories of bloggers, grabbing a list of PR folks and doing the same, without finding out what products or experts they cover. This is Social Media after all- on both sides of the isle – let’s be social. Our internal SPAM filter has been hardened again the mass e-mailed request. Take the time to reach out and connect with each other, maybe even before you need to work together. Find out each other’s interests, niche, needs, clients, audiences; then target your requests. ‘Nuf said. Twitter and it’s short message format can be a great tool for this – it’s how I met Carissa and Jyl of #GNO/MomItForward.
The Ideal Information a PR Pro Hopes to Find on your Site Tells us:
- A short but good About Us page including: an Elevator pitch (A couple of good sentences that sum up what your site it all about), Bio/history of you and the site (when did it start, why/how, quirky stories, do you support any charities – keep it brief), how your site works, & who your readers are, (not just moms, but single work-at-home moms, or grandparents caring for their daughters children, moms of infants or teens. This info helps us fit our products/exp[ert to your audience). And contact info, so we can get a hold of you and connect.
- Who your readers are Demographics - specific niche/interests (single moms, grandparents, moms with infants, moms with school-aged children etc; age ranges of the moms. Nice extras would be: marital status, #/ages of kids, income levels, region of the country, do they travel, amount spend online ea. month) Survey & polling tools noted below can help; or ask some info when people sign up for your newsletter.
- Some site statistics/numbers that help. If your numbers are good, you look good; although it is not all about the numbers, I have to admit, they do help. (some of this would be cool for your readers to know - Other info is less useful to them, and might be included on a PR Promo sheet that's available on request).
- monthly average unique visitors and page views (weekly/daily if relevant or available)
- amount of repeat or new traffic vs. new traffic
- are there traffic spikes during times when you do a promotion/ giveaway/expert guest blog post, if so what's the traffic increase.
- The average number of people who participate in your giveaways /promos
- the average number of comments that posts generate
- the number of members if your site is member-based
- your Google Page Rank
- any indications of large sites that routinely send you traffic (BlogHer network, Twitter, Digg) or mommy networks you participate in
- any major or seasonal events you celebrate on your site
- also any media coverage you have received online, radio/TV or in print.
This Type of Info can be Obtained by Setting up Free Online Tools Like
- survey monkey
- polldaddy
- Google Analytics
- Twitter Counter
- Feedburner RSS reader stats
- Quantcast
- Clicky
- Hubspot Site Grader
Please, don't be intimidated by the list - this is the "Dream List" remember. You may not need everything on this list, (each tool has it's own pros and cons), but by using them, you can help a PR specialist choose to work with your site over someoneelse's. Besides, you'll probably learn quite a bit about your readers and your own site too. If sorting through the tools and info is not your favorite thing, there are plenty of people out there who can help, from sending questions out on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to finding a how to blog, or even working with one of us PR or Tech types 
What Bloggers Can Tell Us & Make it Easier for you:
- how you like to work
- what product types or experts you are looking to feature
- be sure to note any seasonal/holiday or major events you celebrate
- what you will do to publicize the promotion (Facebook, Twitter, social media release?)
- what info/items we need to provide you (links to the product’s page for more info or so readers can purchase it, a product image & requirements, a short blurb about it, or a link to an expert guest-blogger’s bio
- what you can provide us with, if we agree to promote it too (your logo or head shot, a site badge (showing participation in the project), dates/times the promo and any events will run, links to the promo page)
My final note to ask that we work together to find creative ways to track our success; which will be good for both of us. Agree to both monitor our site traffic, monitor product/promo mentions via Google Alerts and other tools, work out special discounts or promo codes to track traffic and other results: product sales, brand awareness or increase in members/comments/site participation.
Thanks to Jyl & Carissa at MomItForward for the opportunity, and to you for reading. There are plenty of folks like me who can help you sort through and find the tools and ideas that meet your needs and those of your readers. Every promotion is different, but the goal is the same – a Win-Win for both Great Bloggers & Classy PR Pros.
Cathy Larkin & Web Savvy PR – Your Public Relations & Social Media Guide – Bringing new media tools to the traditional PR toolkit to expand your brand and build your business. I talk “techtalk,” but translate fluently into “plain English.”
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Carissa 02.28.09 at 11:37 am
For sure! I agree first that you are a ‘classy PR pro’! and second I agree that a lot of this is just plain mumbo jumbo for a lot of moms, bloggers, and momprenuers. Thanks for starting this conversation. I think I now have a million new questions for you!
CathyLarkin 02.28.09 at 3:36 pm
Thanks for the compliment, Carrissa; and you are a ‘great mommy blogger.’ MomItForward and #GNO (Girls Night Out on Twitter) are great ideas.
Sorry I wasn’t able to make things simpler, I wanted to give a enough useful info, and not just skim the surface. I probably should have made it into two posts – less overwhelming that way. LOL
Many of the mommy (and other specialty bloggers) are great at creating dynamic sites, great content and at building communities, but may not know how to connect with companies, corporations or even authors, speakers and other consultants who have products, or info to share, and may want to reach your audiences. And some bloggers ( and PR types) are not that tech-savvy, and may not know about, or have the skills to set up some of the free tools that are out there. I kind of play in both of those worlds.
The basics really are to have enough info on the site that tells me who you and your audiences are, some basic site stats, and what you type of promos you are interested in. The rest can build from there, once PR pros and bloggers connect.
Nicole Morton 02.28.09 at 7:38 pm
Thanks so much for this great information. When I started a blog I thought all I needed to do was write great info, I had no idea about the other side of the coin, promoting. I have been blogging for about eight months now and it is time I get myself savvy with all that I need to do to promote it. I have done some of the things that you suggest, but I have a LONG way to go. This post was very helpful, thanks so much for the well thought out, comprehensive list of things I need to do!
Musings of a Housewife 02.28.09 at 7:38 pm
This is fabulous information. Thank you. Jyl and Carissa are awesome. I met them at Blissdom. Now I’m off to beef up my About page and PR page!
Musings of a Housewife 02.28.09 at 7:46 pm
Hey, I just noticed that you’re in Philadelphia!? Me too!
CathyLarkin (@CathyWebSavvyPR) 02.28.09 at 8:07 pm
Thanks for the nice comments. Philly inna house! It is all a constant learning process for all of us, and the landscape keeps changing.
You have reminded me that I need to spend a bit of time and tweak up my own about page, and create a client page – so you all can see the type of clients I have, and where there might be a match for promotions, guest blog posts/interviews & virtual books tours as well (I’ve been spending time helping others get up and running). I’ll check out your site, and find you on twitter.
I also have to give a shout out to the first three Mommy bloggers I worked with Kelby Carr (Type-a-mom), resourcefulmom & AngEngland.
CathyLarkin (@CathyWebSavvyPR) 02.28.09 at 8:11 pm
P.S. – Great content is still “the center that holds it all in.” Without solid content, they may come, but they won’t stay. It is easy to fall into the trap of “If I build it they will come.” And while many folks love blogging, they may not love all the rest of it. I’m having a blast with it all! Home to meet you at a Tweet up soon.
Meredith from Merchant Ships 02.28.09 at 10:18 pm
Good to know. Found you via a tweet from Angie at BlogCoach.
I’ve never successfully resolved the question of “how can I sell stuff to readers?” when I blog about not buying new stuff at all. However, it wouldn’t hurt me to have a PR/Media page on hand if/when the dream opportunity should arise.
Thanks for making it sound do-able!
Mary Davis 02.28.09 at 10:21 pm
Great info, Cathy. It’s really helpful information. I’ve recently begun to take my blog in a new direction and have reached out to businesses and PR folks for collaboration. While I try to maintain a professional and sensitive approach, it helps to know these things so that I can make my relations even better.
Stephanie's Mommy Brain 02.28.09 at 10:35 pm
Here from a tweet by BlogCoach Angie. Great information! Thank you for sharing! I just redid my about page but didn’t think to include info about my readers. Guess I need to tweek it some more.
Allison Worthington 02.28.09 at 11:46 pm
Congratulations this article has been deemed to be the best of the Web and is featured on the Worthington Wire.
You can view your listing and grab your badge to brag about the feature here:
http://WorthingtonWire.com
xo, Alli Worthington
Amber 03.05.09 at 12:48 am
I’m on the verge of jumping into this world with my blog. This is the perfect post to help me go down the right path! Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information. A lot of what I’ve found is so vague that I have no idea how to apply it. But here I see exactly what to do to be helpful and reach out.
CathyLarkin (@CathyWebSavvyPR) 03.06.09 at 6:02 pm
Amber, welcome to the world of blogging.
I keep feeling that I need to cut down the length of this post, but folks seem to find it useful. I’m planning a followup post, on where folks can find info on companies that want to participate in giveaways, reviews, guest blog posts etc., but I did not get the response fro others I wanted. It will be coming up soon though.
adiaha 03.09.09 at 6:06 pm
What great information. Thank you for taking the time to put this all together. I’ll keep checking for more such information. As a new blogger this is incredibly useful.
Busy Mom 03.26.09 at 1:17 pm
Great information, thank you so much!
Jyl (Mom It Forward) 04.04.09 at 11:32 am
I don’t know how I am just discovering this article now, but seriously… this is packed full of tremendous information and I would love to repost it on the Mom It Forward site at some point if you are interested. I think we all–bloggers and PR peeps–want to work and play well together. Win-Win is right! Sometimes, it is just a matter of knowing what info to have, how to approach each other, and as you mentioned, keeping in mind always that this is social media with an emphasis on the word “social” and relationships.
Thanks so much for this post.
jyl
Nicole Morton 10.29.09 at 7:38 am
Thanks so much for this great information. When I started a blog I thought all I needed to do was write great info, I had no idea about the other side of the coin, promoting. I have been blogging for about eight months now and it is time I get myself savvy with all that I need to do to promote it. I have done some of the things that you suggest, but I have a LONG way to go. This post was very helpful, thanks so much for the well thought out, comprehensive list of things I need to do!