7 Tips to Make Sure You Do Blogger Outreach Right

March 4, 2016

The statistics for marketing are overwhelmingly in favor of recommendations for selling a product. In fact, 92% of people are more likely to be influenced by word of mouth than any other form of advertising. For bloggers, the best way you can gain trust is by having someone endorse you.


And the way to do that is through the medium of guest blogging. Asking another prominent blogger to publish something on your website, and vice-versa, is the equivalent of a seal of approval.


But blogger outreach must be done in the correct way. These seven tips are going to show you how to do it right.


Say their Name

The startup company 1Face has had experience with guest blogging before. The CEO said that the first thing he looks for in any guest blogging proposal is their name.


He went on to say, “I cannot underemphasize the importance of simply using the person’s name when you contact them. It’s such a basic and respectful to do, and yet it’s so commonly absent. Nothing makes me trash an email faster than not having my name right at the top.”


Personalize the Message

You may have a template ready to go, but you shouldn’t just send a basic template. Any blogger has been in the business long enough to realize when something is a template and when something is genuinely personal. Spend a few minutes personalizing the message.


Go out of your way to say something about why you chose them specifically. Was it something on their blog? Did you hear about them through a friend? Tell them about it.


No Mass Mail

Mass mail is another cardinal sin. If you want to generate the online reputation of a robot, then mass mail is for you. For everyone who wants to be successful, avoiding gathering a list of addresses and just sending an email out to them all.


It’s time-consuming to send personalized messages, but it’s also respectful. If you want a higher conversion rate, you have to put the time and effort in.


If you absolutely must use mass mail, the least you can do is not CC every other recipient in. No self-respecting blogger will even respond to such a message.


Opt for a Relationship

Make no mistake, you are both there to get something out of a blogging relationship. But you should also be building bridges. The first point of contact is the initial beginnings of the relationship. Make sure you find some common ground and continue to build those bridges beyond a link on each other’s website.


Not only will it lead to more opportunities later, but building up a network of contacts will ultimately benefit you in the long-term.


This is not something you can achieve overnight. It’s a long-term process you have to commit to.


Avoid Asking for Fake Reviews

You may be looking to have a blogger review your product or service. But don’t ask for a positive review. Expect an honest review from any reputable blogger. They have worked hard to build up a following that trusts in them. They are not going to break that for any reason.


Not only is it bad for them it’s bad for you because if anyone finds out about your practices it’s going to harm your reputation.


Offer Something

Would you ask a blogger to work for free?


Maybe. But how would you feel if someone approached you and asked you to do something for nothing? The chances are you would turn them down. You have to offer something in return. This may be a backlink or it may be cold, hard cash.


Follow-Up Emails

Sometimes the first email doesn’t hit the right chord. It may not even reach the blogger. There are many people who subscribe to the idea that you have to send two or three emails before you receive the response you are looking for.


Make sure these follow-up emails are done in a friendly manner. Don’t start spamming someone and most certainly never sound whiny.


If you receive a ‘no’, that’s when you have to turn to someone else.


Conclusion


Blogger outreach is an essential part of building up your online network. It’s vital that you take your time to build real relationships beyond the initial backlink or the initial guest blogging opportunity.


Make sure you are respectful at all times and treat them like you would want to be treated. That’s how you do blogger outreach right.

Digital & Social Articles on Business 2 Community

(16)

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.