Wrapping up February’s Straight Talk From PR series, I think it is important to hear how they see our future relationships evolving. One has to wonder with the statistic that Holly shared that 120,000 new blogs are created EVERY DAY, when does market saturation begin? Has it already? I think in a lot of ways, yes, it has. The old model of product review/giveaway is tired in my opinion. I think moving forward brands and bloggers are going to have to come up with more innovative ways to leverage our influence. But, alas, February is not about what I think, it is what actual PR reps think and so I will conclude this month with a few more great answers.What do you want mom bloggers to most understand about your position?
I serve almost as a middle man between bloggers and my clients. It’s my job to bring both parties together so they can do mutually beneficial work and build relationships. Plus, I’m a nice, normal person, so you should get to know me and not think of me just as a “pr flack.” =)
Do you like being pitched (moms seeking you out) ?
I definitely like when mom bloggers proactively contact me to express interest in working with my clients or to even get to know me better.
I love it!
What do you foresee in the future in terms of mom bloggers and PR?
I think 2010 is going to be a deciding year for mom bloggers and PR. The relationship has evolved over the last few years and will continue to do so. With the FTC involvement and the upswing of “sponsored” posts, I think companies are really going to start analyzing how effective mom blogs are in relation to their bottom line.As for the PR relationship, there will continue to be less “traditional” media outlets, and it will be interesting to see how much the lines between a “blogger” and a “reporter” begin to blur.
I think working with mom bloggers will remain very important to brands trying to reach moms. I hope that we can find more ways to work together that is mutually beneficial for both our clients and the bloggers whether that is with more paid spokesperson gigs or bringing bloggers in for counsel. It’s still a bit murky with the FTC guidelines, but I think the relationship between bloggers and PR people will continue to evolve.
What do you think? How do you see the relationship between mom bloggers and brands evolving?
Barb, this is an interesting post. The number of blogs being created everyday is something that is truly amazing. A more interesting stat would be how many of these are actually content producing. As a PR pro, I look at the changing media landscape as a challenge that needs to be monitored every day. One way that I've seen as a way to increase engagement between companies and mom bloggers is by expanding the review process to offering a contest or giveaway for the site's readers. Tweet chats or parties from what I am told are growing in popularity as well. Toni-Lynn was giving me the lowdown on what you guys are working on and I am impressed with the innovation and think that may be yet another avenue to build up the partnership between PR and bloggers.My recent post What can you give back to your community?
These posts are always so informative. Thank you!My recent post You Know You Live in the Desert When…
Thank you so much for this series. I've learned so much!My recent post ECO Store Gift Card Winner
I am glad. Let me know if there is a certain topic you want covered as we go through the year
Very interesting post, Barb. It will be fascinating to see where this relationship between bloggers and PR People leads. Thanks for the informative post!My recent post 10 Reasons to Enroll in an Online School
As a PR person who talks to bloggers daily, I think what really works is the same thing that has always worked. Good content. PR companies need to realize that it costs to produce great content and pay their bloggers accordingly (however that works depending on the circumstances) and bloggers need to concentrate on producing content worthy of pay. More is not better. Traditional media is becoming less of an influence and I see that trend continuing. So blogging really has a shot at influencing buying patterns and creating buzz. It just has to be good blogging.
That is an unbelievable number of blogs! I do wonder how many actually stick and how many "die" each day as well because people give up on them.My recent post Help Fight the Advertising Tax
Your posts have been getting my wheels turning (the ones in my head…) I love what you're doing with this series!
Yet another awesome post from my brilliant and inspiring friend… Great job with this series Barb!!!My recent post Candy under my pillow.. I must be staying at the Ritz Carlton right? -wrong.
I have a question for your anonymous PR peeps: What is the best way to respond to the deluge of e-mails I get from people wanting me to "share this with your readers"?I know those types of requests are for magazine-style sites (I guess), but I'm not typically in the habit of giving away my space as I have a personal blog and I accept advertising and do some product reviews.I'm glad they think of me, and I don't mind the contact, but I don't want to be rude.I might look forward to working with them on other things, but I just can't seem to find the wording to let them know I'm not a megaphone service or a bulletin board.Suggestions?My recent post Where can I find Chuck Norris? In Bob Costas' hair, apparently