Harnessing the Power of Bloggers

I recently read an article in the November issue of BC Business that discussed the level of impact that bloggers can have on any type of business and more importantly how firms might capitalize on their influence.

The idea of customers publicizing their own thoughts, complaints and feelings without censure is hardly new however with the proliferation of social media, the reach or amplification of these conversations is now off the charts. Businesses can now no longer be dismissive of bloggers or social media and have little choice but to be proactive and get involved. Enlisting the support and good faith of a popular and relevant blogger is high on the priority list for many firms.  This leads to the obvious question from managers…..how should we go about doing that?!?

Contrary to what you might think guys, don’t just go rushing in with wads of cash, that might end up doing more harm then good. A bloggers credibility is their currency; their life force, and the mere suggestion that their opinions may be purchased can cause irreparable damage to their reputations and subsequent relevance.

The first step for a firm is to identify the right blogger. Knowing which niche they intend to target is crucial as this will guide the search. A blogger being popular doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good, so choosing by number of followers as opposed to one with access to the right customers is a common mistake. Now that they are identified it’s time to approach them.

The process of “blogger wrangling” is so involved that many PR firms, on behalf of their clients, actually outsource this task and hire professionals to identify and win the good favor of the ideal blogger. University level courses have even been taught on how to pitch ideas to bloggers. Pitching, educating and sampling bloggers all have merits and must be considered, however it’s safe to say that there’s no exact science.  The only thing that seems obvious to me is that bloggers are important and getting a good one on your team who resonates with your customers should be high on the wish list of any business.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *