Why customer publishers should be talking to mummy bloggers - part two
In part one we looked at the rise of UK parent blogs, where they came from, why they blog and more. We also touched on how they are increasingly more open to engage with brands and write branded editorial. In this feature we are going to look at how customer publishers can build relationships with mummy bloggers and what they can offer branded content producers. First though it is worth discussing a little best practice.
As the targeting of this particular blogosphere sector has grown (mainly through public relations companies), many UK parent bloggers are being contacted on a daily basis by brand representatives, many of whom stumble at the first hurdle: initial contact. ‘Mummy bloggers' are often seen as one unity and are consequently treated as if they had the same interests, personalities and experiences. Jo Beaufoix, one of the top UK mummy bloggers, says: "I don't mind brands approaching me, but [the sheer number of approaches] is overwhelming at times. I find an initial short email asking if I might be interested in something and if I would like to know more is the best approach. I'm a mum, I don't have time to read though all the bump."
Maria Jose Ovalle, a part-time PR Consultant who blogs from her son's point of view in her spare time on Mummy's Busy World, agrees: "Having to filter through paragraph upon paragraph of info to find out what the brand is after is of little use. It is also easy to forget that bloggers work on different deadlines than journalists - childcare and family life takes precedence! If you want something to possibly appear online before a certain date, let us know from the start. This way, if it is of interest, we can say ‘yes' or ‘no' immediately depending on our schedules."
When it comes to what type of brands they prefer to work with, both Maria and Jo are fairly open to approaches. However, they agree that a brand's reputation can influence their decision. Jo says: "I wouldn't work with a brand who I know has a bad reputation regarding work ethics or human rights."
One vehicle that seems to be working from a customer publishing point of view is to create a branded website or community and get the bloggers involved. If successful building a relationship with a couple of leading parent bloggers, and gaining their trust, there is an opportunity to gain access to a vast audience in a hugely interlinked group.
Take the website LifeStyled for instance. Launched in February 2010, LifeStyled is ‘a space to hear all the news from Clothing at Tesco and to share fashion, style ideas and thoughts on life'. It is written by selected contributors, including guest fashion bloggers, and offers visitors the chance to keep up to date on Clothing at Tesco and key events and trends in the fashion world, e.g. London Fashion Week. In addition to producing their own content, they also invited parent bloggers to attend a Halloween preview, which Maria attended. They sent the bloggers home with a selection of products to try at their own leisure as well as thanking each blogger for attending the event by giving them a ‘blog love' post in return, which appeared in the feed to their 2,700 followers on Twitter. Instantly, the brand has compensated the bloggers for their efforts.
One particular grey area in the blogger/brand collaborations are so-called ‘brand ambassadors'. Many top UK brands are looking to work with a few selected mummy bloggers, but fail to draw up contracts of what this work entails. Maria said: "I was recently approached by a well-known company to be associated with their brand. However, not once did they specify what this affiliation entailed; how many branded blog posts or tweets they expected, the timeline or guidelines regarding mentioning their competitors. I kindly declined the opportunity."
To date there are no formal guidelines or obligations by bloggers to disclose freebies, but many do so out of their own integrity. Quoted in a recent article on BBC.co.uk about the new campaign ‘British Mummy Bloggers Do It With Integrity - a campaign to promote transparency and full disclosure among bloggers - founder Susanna Scott said: "It's very important. If a blogger is working with a brand, you need to tell people. I think people have a right to know."
Working with parent bloggers can be a goldmine for brands if done correctly. To help you achieve this, with the help of Maria and Jo, here are some guidelines:
● Show that you have done your research. Take 5-10 minutes to read a few posts, look at their ‘about' page, what do they blog about.
● Send them a polite and personalised email. Keep the email short and to the point; clearly state why you are approaching them, and ask if they are interested in what you are offering.
● Don't expect bloggers to write about your brand. In Part One we looked at the four elements of most mummy blogs; diary; experience; community; product review. Ensure that what you are offering is relevant to their blog and don't be pushy.
● Think about compensation; do not expect these individuals to publicise your brand for free. Look at how your brand can value to their blog, and in turn they may help you reach your target audience.
