How to write a blogger outreach email?
Is there a science to blogger outreach? Well, I don’t recommend using ready-to-go scripts. As a blogger, somehow, you can always feel when someone’s pitching you cold with a generic copy-and-paste template.
Pitching bloggers require lots of work, but I recommend writing individual emails. It’s worth the effort.
Here we go:
I. Blogger Outreach Email: What To Include
I have this PR checklist for writing blogger outreach emails. I don’t use it to be sly or in any way to automate my writing, rather I use it to ensure I don’t miss a beat.
These are the components I strive to include:
(Always Include) Honesty
I make sure to express honesty. Saying something nice about another person’s work is polite, and if I can’t think of anything honest to say, then I shouldn’t be pitching that particular blogger.
(Always Include) Purpose
I try to state my purpose in one sentence pretty early on. No superlatives here — I try to keep it plain and descriptive.
(Always Include) Incentive
What’s in it for the blogger? The incentive is the most crucial but is strangely also the most often forgotten. I will make sure to be clear about the details here.
(Always Include) Recognition
There’s a reason I’m contacting the blogger. We both know that. Therefore, I think it’s essential that I, who initiated the contact, also acknowledge the blogger.
Read also: The Honeymoon Outreach PR Strategy: Influencer Relations 2.0
II. Example: Blogger Outreach Email Script
This is a made-up example of how I would pitch a blogger writing about interior design:
If you include these five elements and strive to keep each part down to one or two sentences, you should be able to cover the basics. Some prefer to write even shorter pitch emails, but you might risk coming off as too blasé if you take that approach too far.
These elements can appear in any order. See, for example, this follow-up email example:
III. Example: Blogger Outreach Follow-Up Script
Here’s another made-up example of how I would do a follow-up outreach to the same blogger:
Read also: How To Craft the Perfect PR Pitch: A Step-by-Step Guide
IV. Find Your Personal Pitching Style
I try to stay true to my tonality and pitching style. I don’t try to imitate anyone or write as younger or older because I think it’s essential to pitch with integrity.
However, I mix it up quite a bit between formal and informal. In some cases, I’m “all business,” and in others, a lot more personal — depending on the context.
Thanks for reading. Please consider sharing my public relations blog with other communication and marketing professionals. If you have questions (or want to retain my PR services), please contact me at jerry@spinfactory.com.
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PR Resource: Categorising Influencers
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The Influencers in Public Relations
In PR, influencers are individuals who have managed to grow a substantial audience, which has the potential to affect a specific organisation either positively or negatively.
“Influencers in public relations are emerging stakeholders who generate a state of opinion in the digital community that surpasses traditional public opinion.”
Source: The Role of Prosumers in the Interactive and Digital Processes of Public Relations 1Polo, M. (2020). The Role of Prosumers in the Interactive and Digital Processes of Public Relations. 161 – 174. https://doi.org/10.4018/978 – 1‑7998 – 3119‑8.ch012
Establishing and maintaining good relationships with strategically chosen influencers for the organisation is often critically important.
I recommend using the following tiers and naming conventions for categorising different types of influencers:
Learn more: The Influencers in Public Relations
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PR Resource: Influencer Marketing vs Influencer Relations
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Influencer Marketing vs Influencer Relations
There are two main types of influencer marketing and two main types of influencer relations:
Influencer Marketing
Influencer advertising = the influencer will publish the brand’s pre-made content in their channels.
Influencer sponsorship = the influencer will read a script to convey an offering following the brand’s instructions.
Influencer Relations
Influencer collaboration = the influencer showcases the brand’s offering by creating content similar to the influencer’s regular content.
Influencer outreach = the influencer receives invitations, demos, or exclusive material without strings attached.
Advertising and sponsorships are what we typically refer to as influencer marketing. Collaborations and outreach are typically referred to as influencer relations.
Organisations looking to utilise the potential reach of relevant influencers will be wise to pay attention to these distinctions. 2Silfwer, J. (2020, January 15). The Influencers in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://doctorspin.net/influencers-in-public-relations/
Learn more: Influencer Relations Is Not Influencer Marketing
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ANNOTATIONS
1 | Polo, M. (2020). The Role of Prosumers in the Interactive and Digital Processes of Public Relations. 161 – 174. https://doi.org/10.4018/978 – 1‑7998 – 3119‑8.ch012 |
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2 | Silfwer, J. (2020, January 15). The Influencers in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://doctorspin.net/influencers-in-public-relations/ |