Blogger Outreach 101*

in , , , , , , , , by Nikki LLL Blog, October 31, 2018

The only thing I can really say I'm an expert in is being a full time knobhead. So pls, to those of you out there who stumble across this post & are pure experts in all things outreach, forgive me if I'm pretty much chatting out me arse.

That being said tho, I have been blogging for four years and I do get asked a fair few questions about where to find blogging opportunities, the best way to conduct blogger outreach campaigns & how to contact / pitch to brands. So I don't think I'm totally irrelevant, yeno?

Therefore - for this collaborative post, I thought I'd lay a few tips & bits out there for ya. Looking at the whole concept of blogger outreach; from both sides of the [proverbial] fence.

So...? Shimmer Mist Star Dust Lovelaughslipstick Blog

Finding Opportunities as a Blogger

With so many of us out there, it can feel sometimes like there aren't any opportunities available... and that bigger bloggers get all the luck when it comes to campaigns. And I'm not gonna bullsh*t you hun; that is partially true - it simply makes sense that bloggers with larger [and GENUINE NOT BOUGHT] followings have more value to brands

But there are most definitely opportunities out there for the taking - and with a bit of practice & a sprinkling of confidence, there's no reason why you can't get out there and make your own opportunities happen; too.

I sign up to as many relevant newsletters as poss and regularly scour the #bloggerswanted or #prrequest hashtags to see what's on offer; in terms of opportunities. There's some really great Twitter accounts you can follow too - such as Bonjour Blogger! and Blogger Opps who are absolute gems for retweeting the latest campaigns or requests made from brands.

Apps such as Tribe, Influencer and Takumi are also a great way of interacting with brands & getting on campaigns [if you meet their criteria, that is... I'm 'too old' for Influencer and Takumi legit hate me after we had a barney over my aesthetic. Oh well xo]

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Pitching to Brands

Sometimes, if you want something bad enough, you've gotta just MAKE it happen; rather than waiting for said brand to come to you. 

I'm not saying be a pure entitled, obnoxious bellend purely because you have a blog; but if you genuinely feel you have something to offer the company & you've prepared what you're going to say then why the frig not? The worst that can happen is that they'll say no.

I typically reach out via email; but I've also reached out via Twitter, Insta and doing some stealth slides into a few DMs before now.

Remember to be professional, honest and unique in your pitch. Try to back up what you're saying with statistics or testimonials, don't ramble on too long and don't simply copy and paste the same email to a whole chain of email addresses. Be friendly, be concise and be you.

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When it comes to pitching to brands, a great piece of kit to have is a Media Kit

Other things to consider:
- Your bio on your social media platforms - Make sure you include your name and email address in your bio; if you don't make it easy for brands to contact you, then you can't blame them for not doing!
- Email footer - I attach my blog's logo and links to all my socials, profiles, media kit and website to every email I send. This makes it easier for PRs or companies that I'm chatting to to get an overall picture of my reach & demographic. 
- Know your stats and have them to hand - Things such as your total number of followers, unique monthly visitors to your blog or your site's DA / PA are crucial in justifying to a PR why they should invest in your brand.
- The usefulness of newsletters & email send-outs- fab sites, such as Paperless Post can really help you in doing this; with fab, interactive designs you can slide GIFs into & really make your own.

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Having an up-to-date Media Kit

A media kit may sound daunting AF; but it's really not, hun. I think it's actually quite fun designing and putting one together - but if you're struggling or want someone to give you a hand, email me & I'm ya gurl.

I have my media kit on my blog; meaning that people thinking of using my blog or services can do their own research before contacting me. It's quite a big file too, so doing this makes it easier in terms of not having to pure WeTransfer it over everytime someone asks for it!

Your media kit is like your blogging portfolio; it should summarise you, your blog, your achievements, what you can offer and your relevant stats & figures. It's not like a CV or a job application; you can make it as jazzy & unique as you want. It's about getting the message across in a way that represents you & your content in the best possible light. Loads of bloggers have done really useful posts on how to create a media kit or the best info to include in one; so let me know if you'd like some inspo & I'll link you up.

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On the Flipside - Blogger Outreach for Brands

On the other end of the spectrum, what should brands be looking for in a blogger relationship? 

I guess a very hot topic right now is brands choosing to work with bloggers who have bought their followings and in reality, have very little engagement on their posts; meaning they are acting somewhat fraudulently and are, in many cases, massive titheads. Tools such as Social Blade are great in helping companies sniff out these bot-buyers; therefore avoiding partnerships that aren't mutually beneficial.

High quality content, an active / engaged following and consistent posts are undoubtedly things that contribute to a blogger's worth to a brand; as well as them aligning with the same moral values of the company they're being paid to promote.

Working with bloggers can be extremely worthwhile for brands when gone about in the correct way. Having a blogger outreach strategy in place is crucial to nail its success.

Were any of these tips helpful to you?
*Sponsored post, but all opinions and that are totes my own xo
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