Blog Networking
Most of the PRs taking our Blog Relations Survey had never "pitched" a blogger, even though they thought that there were influential blogs out there. Others commented that journalists read blogs and that they are a good route into the mainstream media. Another said that you don’t "pitch" a blogger per se, you enter into a dialogue.
Well here’s a cunning strategy for PRs. The thread came via Backbone Media where John Cass gives a good summary. Basically the PR does some research on which blogs a particular journalist reads. He then starts to write relevant comments and trackbacks on those blogs, and thus lures the Journo into his web of contacts. Tricky, huh? I suppose you call it ‘profiling’ your target.
Read the full details on Media Metamorphosis where you will also find this advice which makes it sound less devious: "So, how do you get taken seriously by bloggers? The easiest answer is to jump into the pool and become a blogger yourself, but use your blog strategically and join in with other existing conversations."
Of course you need your own blog to be able to leave ‘trackbacks’ in the comments sections which lead back to you. You also really need to blog to understand the blog culture.
Of course this may work for more than just journalists. There are some pretty influentual bloggers out there, including CEOs of big corporations. In the film "Wall Street", the thrusting young broker, Bud Fox, found out the date of Gordon Gecko’s birthday. Well you can find out a lot more about a CEO, including the way he thinks, by reading his blog.
I think this is legit. Blogging isn’t just about publishing and reaching a big audience. It’s about networking and making new contacts whom you get to know over the web. As a journalist, I am far more likely to listen to somebody I know, than somebody who gets in touch with a story out of the blue. Patience is a virtue. It’s best to cultivate over time. Use blogs to build valuable business relationships.
