This article was co-authored with Devon DeMars, Social Media Director at IMI. You can follow her at @ThereDGoes.
A lot of executives still cringe when they hear marketers talk about blogs and reaching out to bloggers. To many, the “blogosphere” is still a strange, dark, misunderstood concept that is still somehow associated with thoughts of a person typing away in the basement somewhere.
But business owners and marketers who stick to that notion will fail. What started in the 1990’s as a place for individuals to write an online diary has come a long way and is a bona fide digital discipline and critical PR channel. Today’s executives must understand the blogging landscape and the impact it has on today’s consumers in order to effectively market and manage reputation online.
This is why...
Blogging Is Here to Stay
Blogging has become a part of daily lives. There are millions of blogs available to readers (literally), and two out of three people read blogs multiple times a week. It’s not just a hobby anymore; many influencers have made blogging their full-time job and dedicate their efforts to cultivating a large, loyal following. Even those who blog casually still develop an audience and have sway in the digital sphere.
Consumers Trust Bloggers
Consumers trust bloggers for a few reasons. First, bloggers are not a company mouthpiece, so the public assumes they are naturally less biased and more honest than a brand's advertisements, website, PR team, CEO, or even employees. Second, bloggers gain their credibility by providing honest opinions and insight into their lives and experiences. Once they start appearing to be “bought out” they risk losing their audience; so they make efforts to maintain their honesty and authenticity. Third, individuals relate to bloggers on a personal level. They read blogs by individuals who are similar to them and they see themselves in that blogger or aspire to be like that blogger.
Blogs Influence Behaviors and Purchasing Decisions
Blogs are today’s version of word of mouth marketing. A study by Research Now found that 84% of consumers make purchases after reading about a product or service on a blog. Also, individuals between the ages of 18-54 rank blogs within their top two most important information source when making a purchase. People aren’t just seeking information from friends and family anymore, they are turning to online sources like blogs.
Blogger Outreach Impacts Your SEO
If you’re familiar with the basics of SEO, you know that getting authoritative, natural links back to your website can help boost its rankings. A brand can accomplish this through a process called blogger outreach. You can seek out bloggers that have a healthy and loyal following and write about subjects related to your products or services. When an influential blogger writes about your company or products and then inserts a link back to your site, Google sees this is a sign of authority. This is great for your SEO, and as a bonus, it makes it easier for viewers to click directly to your website.
Blogger Outreach Can Improve Your ORM
Online Reputation Management (ORM) is a huge battle for many brands. If consumers type your brand name into a search engine and negative articles show up, you’ll need to combat the negativity with other positive (or at least neutral) and informative content. Again, building good relationships with bloggers and having them write about your company can help push down the negative search results. However, working with bloggers doesn’t guarantee that they are going to write a glowing review. But if you have a good relationship coupled with a solid product or service the chances of getting a bad review are slim.
As you can see, bloggers have established a key role in today’s consumer behavior and digital marketing strategies. Brands and marketers that adapt to this changing landscape will be able to positively leverage this reality and boost their brand awareness online.
Part 2 will explain how companies can establish positive blogger relationships and utilize them as part of the marketing mix.
