A number of other bloggers have been writing about this subject, with some interesting posts and comments. Here are a few:
http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2008/05/09/stop-asking-start-filtering/
http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2008/05/11/dear-pr-people-how-to-pitch-bloggers/
http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/05/the_pr_professionals_credo_7_p.html
And she listed the actual names of the PR firms she is blacklisting!
Ouch.
Blogs have entered the mainstream and your company should join the conversation. Blogs represent genuine opportunities for media coverage and exposure, ranging from the national stage to the HR and benefits/senior care space. If you've ignored blog writers in the past, they need to be added to your radar soon.
However, they are an entirely different animal than journalists - as the above example suggests.
The act of sending news to blogs is an ongoing source of controversy: on the one hand, many blog writers appreciate receiving news releases as long as they're relevant to the blog's content. Others strongly believe that bloggers shouldn't be "carpet-bombed" by PR and marketing people who view them as just another news outlet.
Bottom line: At HRmarketer, we don't send press releases to bloggers who haven't agreed to receive them. And it may be best to think outside the press release box if you want to engage with the blogosphere.
Here are some tips for successfully entering the blog world:
- Choose a handful of blogs that relate to your market, and become a regular reader. Get to know the writers, their interests and coverage topics.
- Contribute to the online community. Add comments that offer genuine insight and perspective; draw from company experiences, but don't blatantly promote your product or service.
- Email bloggers first and ask if they're interested in receiving releases.
- Be very selective about what news you send. Think about whether their readers will care.
- NEVER blitz a group of blogs with press releases – they are not a dumping ground. Always email them individually.
- When commenting on a blog, be sure to identify yourself as "working in the space for XYZ Company," to avoid the appearance of a hidden agenda.
Make it more personal and follow the tips above.
Posted by Mark Willaman
HR Buyers guide, thousands of white papers and other content related to human resources and more! 
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3 comments:
Chris Anderson, the editor of wired magazine not only listed PR agencies but the email address of people directly pitching. Is Chris considered a blogger or a traditional journalist in your view?
John,
If Chris has a blog, then he is both a blogger and a journalist. And if he publishes his contact information, then he is fair game to be contacted/pitched. It’s part of the job of a journalist. Most bloggers publicize their contact information and invite communication via email or forms. Most journalists publicize their email address on the media outlet web site and sometimes on the stories they write. Many of the ideas for stories will come from these unsolicited emails. So in some ways, once you toss your hat in the ring you have to accept what may happen. You cannot have it both ways. At the end of the day, bloggers and journalists cannot avoid the task, as unpleasant as it may be, of wading through pitches - it comes with the territory when you publicize your email
If a journalist or blogger does provide their contact information but they are sensitive to the types of information they receive they should provide these "guidelines" for how they wish to be contacted and what information they want to receive on their blog or media outlet profile.
But the case of Chris Anderson is an interesting one - a gray area. I did not know who Chris was until I read your posting. So I took five minutes to research him. I found his blog and he does provide a personal email address - not an @wired.com address. Then I went to Wired magazine and I could not find his email address listed. So, my opinion? Chris offers no guidelines on his blog about what he wishes to receive information on. So while I personally would never send him a pitch or press release intended for Wired magazine, or associate his personal email address with Wired magazine, I don't see how Chris can get upset if he receives such information. My suggestion is for Chris to make it clear on his blog (directly underneath his "Contact me" where he publicizes his personal email address) some guidelines for contacting him.
That said, the job of the PR agency (or media database company) is to respect these guidelines and educate their staff and clients on the proper media (and blogger) relations. Or face being blacklisted or taken to task in the public square. A better way of looking at this is to acknowledge that we all (PR firms, database firms, journalists, bloggers) have to work together and assume some responsibility - we need each other.
PRWeek did a nice job of covering this story:
http://www.prweekus.com/PR-blacklist-wont-fix-imperfect-system/article/110084/
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