Get Out of the Blog Fog: How to Pitch Bloggers

MODERATOR

Kirsten Osolind
Founder and CEO, RE:INVENTION Marketing
Writer, Entrepreneur Magazine

PANELISTS

Liz Crokin
Founder, TheseBootsAreMadeForStalking.com
Columnist, Chicago Tribune's RedEye

Andrew Huff
Editor & Publisher, Gapers Block
Blogger, me3dia

Audarshia Townsend
Editor, 312 Dining Diva

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Kirsten Osolind (from left), Liz Crokin, Andrew Huff, and Audarshia Townsend. Photo by Ted Lacey.

By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

With the shrinking of news outlets in print, there has been an increased emergence of online media, necessitating that PR professionals seek out new avenues to communicate news about their clients or organizations. To assist in updating PR pros on new online options, three leading bloggers guided January's Publicity Club of Chicago luncheon discussion on the increasing influence that bloggers have on public awareness and news.

Blogs, short for "Web logs," are unique sites that allow individuals or groups to share a commentary involving comments and personal insights with online audiences, allowing for instant and continuing feedback.

Kirsten Osolind

Kirsten Osolind, the program’s moderator, is a former Fortune 500 marketing executive and founder/CEO of RE:INVENTION, a marketing and PR firm that helps companies market to women. She edits the #1 blog for women entrepreneurs and ranks among the nation’s top 150 marketing blogs. She also writes as column for Entrepreneur Magazine. She can be reached at Kirsten@reinventioninc.com or by phone at 312-635-1350. Visit her Web site at www.reinventioninc.com.

Liz Crokin

With a degree in journalism and political science, Liz Crokin is the founder of a blog called TheseBootsAreMadeForStalking.com and is a columnist for the RedEye edition of the Chicago Tribune. Before embarking on her current work, she interned with Bill O’Reilly at Fox News and CBS and spent time “chilling” backstage at rock concerts.

As a freelance lifestyle writer, she wanted to break bigger stories. She also was frustrated by topics the Tribune will not cover, such as drinking, sex and drugs. Crokin began blogging when she saw her topics limited and her columns being edited. She wanted to tell about a celebrity that got thrown off an airline flight so she wrote about it on her blog when the newspaper would not let her include it in a story she wrote for them.

Believing that most bloggers can be trusted, and realizing that the majority of them are not professional, she acknowledged that credibility is tricky as they reflect what is happening NOW. As an example, she cited how the Britney Spears story changes every 15 minutes.

Crokin defines her blog as “100 percent my own voice. I have no editors to take away what I want to say like the punch line of a joke. I write what I want to say and no one will touch it.”

She said she “constantly leaves out the good stuff due to my respect for the celebrity. I won’t sell them out, however I know some bloggers who don’t care.” For example, “If I am at an event with Vince Vaughn, I will report on it but, if we are out as friends, I will put my pen away.”

If she writes a negative story, she just quotes the celebrity and relates what happened; for example, she will tattle if a celebrity is not being polite.

Having had some exclusive stories and photos “stolen” in the past year, she now watermarks all the photos she posts on her Web site. She moderates all the comments made on her site.

Explaining her philosophy of blogging, Crokin said, “The purpose of a blog is to make money and break news.” She uses Google ads and tracks visitors, but has no advertising policy on her blog as yet.

To grow her blog, Crokin hands out business cards at the various event she attends, does e-mail blasts and blasts on MySpace.com. She finds Google Analyst good at showing reader demographics and letting her know how readers found her site. She also suggests investigating www.bravenet.net for Web sites and tools, along with www.sitereader.com.

The best way to contact Crokin is via e-mail at liz@lizcrokin.com. She does not mind receiving press releases.

Andrew Huff

A former PR person with an expertise in medical issues, Andrew Huff is editor and co-founder of Gapers Block (www.gapersblock.com) a Chicago-centric news and events webzine. He began blogging in 2001, becoming a personal blogger full time for clients like American Express, Starwood Hotels, A&E television and others, in addition to doing his own blog projects.

Huff does not believe that everything a celebrity does needs to be reported, but he feels there is a professional line that should not be crossed.

Most blogs, according to Huff, are reactive. With his staff of 60, they are likely to pick up a variety of stories, especially if there is a link to a resource added in the pitch.

He admonishes PR people to get to know blogs before pitching them. He suggested, “As the majority of bloggers are not professional writers or marketing people, check into their backgrounds. If you can’t find any clear information, you have to wonder about their agendas.”

He does not want to be on the receiving list of a e-mail blast list, but wants publicists to realize the value of relationship building. Just like in print media, “Don’t pitch blogs that don’t cover that kind of story. If the story is inappropriate, I won’t write about it. For example, someone pitched me a story on Dove products. Dove is not Chicago-based and I don’t write about products. Give us what we need, including events calendars. Put a link in your e-mail.”
Do not send him items that make no sense for his site. “The editor at Wired has a blog that publishes e-mail addresses of PR flacks, admonishing them not to send pitches to the editor and chief, and not to send inappropriate releases.”

Although Huff does sell sponsorships, if he gives an ad a plug on his blog, he will mention the advertiser as a sponsor.
He also cautioned people not to include “flash” features, as bloggers cannot link past the front page. When promising coverage to clients, he also urged people to take care. “Boingboing (www.boingboing.com/) [as a resource site] is like the Wall Street Journal with its hierarchy. Find a blog that is an easier target and don’t promise a higher blog than you can deliver.”

If GapersBlock covers a restaurant and is given a complementary meal, he will mention it on his blog. “We get invitations for food, music and theatre all the time. I send people to those.” Occasionally, he will write about negatives, like bad service. To counteract this kind of publicity, he warns that “nasty, accusative e-mails won’t work. PR people can talk to us but be careful. Don’t piss us off.”

For greater visibility, make your blog visible. “Google loves blogs and Alexa.com, an Amazon product does traffic listings, although they are not always accurate as it counts only those who download that bar. Technorati is also good.”

Huff can be reached via e-mail at ah@gapersblock.com.

Audarshia Townsend

Having written for the Chicago Tribune, Essence, UR Chicago and Playboy.com, Audarshia Townsend is also the co-writer of Cheap Chow Chicago and the BlackBook Chicago Guide 2008. Currently, she writes for Chicago’s Restaurant Guide, Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine and others. Finding herself with an abundance of additional information that people might find helpful, she created a daily blog called 312 Dining Diva (www.312diningdiva.com), showcasing items from “in” spots to neighborhood gems. She refreshes her blog as often as she receives noteworthy “gems” to post.

As an editor in her daily life, she does all her own research, writing and editing. She does not grab headlines from other sources and finds a lot of others are linking to her blog. As she can tell who is coming to her site, including a lot of journalists, she wants to be the first to get and do a story.

She sees bloggers giving each other credit. For the most part, bloggers are a community and there is respect given between them, however some writers claim material as their own, even when it comes from others.

Townsend firmly believes that bloggers need to earn credibility with their readers, establishing themselves as trusted information sources. She feels that reputable blogs should include biographical information on the site to show the writer’s credibility.

“Blogs need to be written ASAP,” she said, but “need to establish credibility through their immediacy and accuracy.” The good thing about blogs is, “if you make a mistake, you can change it quickly.” However, she believes that one cannot cross the line between personal and professional. As a reporter, everything is fair game. “I don’t cross the line. That’s why I don’t hang out with chefs and [others she writes about] and party with them.” She has a disclaimer on her blog, letting people know she does not accept payment for covering them.

Only writing about positive things, Townsend considers covering negatives a waste of time, a thought reflected in her tag line, “There’s never a dull moment in Chicago’s restaurants and lounges.” She is working on a policy regarding ads and sponsorships, as she currently has none. However, she still approves every comment that appears on her blog. If there is no e-mail address attached to a pitch, she will disregard it.

Although she does not mind receiving e-mail blasts and releases, not wanting to kill tress or be badgered, she warns PR people not to send her a release and then follow up with letters in the mail and phone calls. She wants pitches about things that are different – “a nugget I can apply that is different from what others will cover.” The best way to catch her attention as a valuable resource is to give other sources – even if they are other people’s clients – so there is a threesome. “Do things that make you unique.”

Perusing ever e-mail she gets to see if the information is usable, Townsend responds to those she finds interesting that include a link.

For increased visibility and size, along with target audience, Townsend has used mailing lists, word of mouth and networking.
“Blogging won’t be stopped,” added Townsend, saying it is up to the PR professional to do their own research and “figure out who is legitimate and who is not.”

Reach Townsend via e-mail at igrooveon@gmail.com.

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