Sponsoring Bloggers: Part One
ByI began this post and decided it was going to need a second part…and maybe a third…stay tuned.
Every time a conference rolls around we the hustle and bustle of finding sponsor starts shooting through blogger land. People talk of companies they will contact and PR people they will work to find someone to help them get to conferences. I think sponsoring can be a great way to promote your company…sometimes.
When you are sponsoring a blogger you are putting your brand in their hands. Anything that is said and/or done at that conference has your brand written all over it. When you hire a new employee you do background checks and call references. Many times contracts are signed and rules are set. Things have to be outlined very well because that new employee is representing your brand. Still, how many companies blindly spend money letting a blogger represent them without really knowing who this blogger is and what they are about?
I would assume most companies would know this but I feel the need to lay out some ground rules. When sponsoring a blogger:
- Read their blog: Not just the first post on the page but dig deep down in there. Look for the juicy posts or the hidden posts. Look at what they have written and how they respond to their readers.
- Interview them: If this person is going to be at a conference with booze and friends and loud music you really should know who you are sending out there to represent you. If you are a small company the only interaction bloggers may have with you are the people you have sponsored to a conference.
- Set guidelines: Make it clear to the bloggers you are sponsoring what you would like from them. The way in which they should approach people. The way in which they should represent your company.
There are some amazing bloggers out there and some really good writers. Many people who are looking for sponsorship not only need it but deserve it. So pay attention to who you are sending out their with your brand in their hands.
Look for part two: what sponsorship can do for your business…
No related posts.
I have never been sponsored and i am not really a popular blogger but as someone who is working (agonizing slow) at starting her own business i would think this is an important thing for sponsors to do.
I know i wouldnt want just any random person selling my business. Most businesses probably have a mold they want that person to fit and how would you know if they do or not if you do not get to know them.
I think it is less important how popular are than how genuine you are. If you can give a company a good reputation and find new and exciting ways to spread the word about their product that is powerful!
what is your new business? Would love to hear about it!
I agree and especially with the outlining expectations. I think is where many companies fail – either because they don’t know what they can get out of the sponsorship or because they think because we are bloggers we should know how to approach other bloggers to disseminate information. But the vast difference in personalities out there means an infinite number of approaches and interpretations to giving out information about a company providing a sponsorship. (Says the blogger who has never been sponsored and wouldn’t necessarily be clear on what I should do if I was.)
I think this is an important post, because I see a lot of sponsored blogs that are pretty “junky” i.e. not well-written, popular because of gimmicks only, and cluttered up with a lot of distracting and blinky stuff. I am always puzzled at how these bloggers become popular.
[...] Part one of this series discussed the importance of knowing who you are sponsoring. Now I am going to touch the subject of why you should sponsor bloggers. I realize I am moving a little backwards. That is my style! [...]