Today I’m so, so excited to introduce you to Julie Meyers Pron, who runs VlogMom and Julieverse. She’s a PR professional who’s gonna give you a behind-the-scenes look at what PR and Marketing people are looking for on your blog. I just about squealed out loud when I received her post and it’s just that awesome.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Many bloggers call themselves “PR Friendly.” You’ll see the term in their headers and on their sidebars, announcing themselves as the bloggers that Public Relations professionals and marketers will want to work with. But is a PR agent truly looking for that? I asked brand marketers what the term “PR Friendly” means to them.
“Seeing PR Friendly on a blog means nothing at this point in time. It’s the hot buzz word and everyone adds it to their about me/home page because they see others doing it.”
“This wording doesn’t mean anything to me either, actually for some reason it turns me off. If I find a blogger I’m interested in working with, I’ll reach out to them directly. I figure most blogs are PR friendly, but if not I’ll find that out when I contact them.”
“I assume PR Friendly means they have their hand out for freebies (and probably aren’t very sophisticated bloggers). Most of the bloggers I work with regularly instead include media kits or thorough About Me pages which would lead a PR person to a contact form.”
“To me it means that they are more of a review blogger.”
“I think that it’s a signal that they don’t have a discerning eye for what a PR person sends to them.”
With five brand marketers in agreement, the question bloggers should be asking is what are brand marketers and Public Relations executives looking for when they look at your blog?
Brand Marketers Want to Know You
Brand marketers want to know more about who you are. If they’re going to recommend you to their client, they need more information than they’ll find in your five latest posts. For nearly every campaign I’ve run I’ve looked at bloggers’ About pages to get a bit more information about the blogger. Make sure your About page includes your personality, your interests and your background, as well as information about your blog. (Melissa offers fabulous About page critiques.) As suggested in the comments, above, it’s not a bad idea to have a Media Kit available on your site.
Contact information
If there’s one thing that drives marketers crazy, it’s when they fall in love with a webapge and can’t find a way to easily contact you. Make your contact information so easy for them to locate that they have no excuse not to contact you, and do that by including your email address several times on your page.
I made the mistake of having just an envelope icon on my webpage when I shared this suggestion on my website, and I was slammed with criticism–bloggers telling me I should practice what I preach because I didn’t list my email address. Well, I did. In that envelope and on my “work with me” page. But I didn’t shout out “CONTACT ME” and that, truly, is what people need to see. So, go ahead, make CONTACT ME a header and list your contact information on your about page and any PR pages you host on your site.
A Word about Contact Forms
Contact forms look wonderful. And they are easy to use, especially for you because they follow your format. But keep in mind that brand representatives are often making long spreadsheet lists of information about bloggers they’d like to propose to work with. An embedded contact form won’t fit on a spreadsheet and won’t copy into a blind cc email. Feel free to keep your form, but offer an alternative email address above the form on your page.
Your Name
This is bound to raise eyebrows for many bloggers. When marketers pull together a list of bloggers to recommend to a client, they want to recommend a name–your name. Your full name. It’s much easier for a blue suit in corporate America to understand that she’s contracting to work with Julie Meyers Pron and Melissa Culbertson than Julieverse and MomComm. A name makes you a person. A blogger should be a person. Still not sure? Consider what Carol Schiller, Social Media director at Cozi, shared with me:
“I can’t tell you how many times I have decided not to contact a blogger because I didn’t want to write Dear ‘Name of Your Blog’.
Not convinced? Look around at the websites you consider to be the “top bloggers” who work best with PR companies. List twenty of them. Then check through to see if they include their names. I’m betting 95% of your 20 top bloggers include their full names. (While you’re looking at their sites, peek around and look for other things in common. They’re doing a lot of something right, and should be role models to the rest of us.)
Your Location and Information about Your Family
I’m not telling you to give it all away. No where on your blog should you list that you live at 123 Sesame Street, YourTown, ZK 01234. But you should list your nearest local town or the region in which you live. For example: Greater Philadelphia Region, Baltimore Suburbs, Los Angeles, or Rural Kentucky. Brand Marketers often have demographics to fulfill when pulling together a campaign and they’ll want to include bloggers in or around specific towns and states.
Additionally, some campaigns will target parents with children in specific age ranges or the campaign will be gender-specific. For this reason, it’s recommended that you include a family picture or basic information about your children.
Adapting pseudonyms for your kids is fine (mine are the very uncreative Big, Middle and Little, while another blogger calls her three kids Peanut, Pumpkin and Purple Pea) what’s more important than their names is that the marketer will have an easy understanding of the kids and their age range.
Afterall, if you’re a mom of 12-year-old boy twins, chances are you aren’t likely to join an American Girl Tea Party with your daughter and probably don’t want an invitation in your inbox. (However, if you do accept guest posts and queries that you’ll forward to your writers, make sure to include that in your About or Work with Me area of your site.)
And for those of you who are non-parents, tell a bit about you. Obviously, you have a blog and interesting things to share that will attract certain brands to you. Identify them, making it easy for brand marketers to get to know exactly who you are.
Be Friendly
Just because your site says “PR friendly” doesn’t mean that you are. Your site design should be easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. And your response to emails, tweets, and any other forms of communication should always bear in mind that you represent you, 24/7. (Ironically, I originally typed 23/7 and needed to edit. I suppose that hour in your bed each night you can be unfriendly if you so choose.) If you’re having a rough day or feeling stressed, turn off the email and don’t respond until the next day. With a clear head, you’ll represent yourself as you know you should, and you’ll be better thought of than a rough response would.
You only have one opportunity to make a first impression. Use that opportunity wisely.
For more tips for bloggers on blogging and social media, see my post: Dear Bloggers, Please…
Julie Meyers Pron has been called a “Momcyclopedia” and a “real life Google.” A mom to three, wife, educator, marketer, cheerleader, budding organizer, and me-time enthusiast, Julie shares her knowledge, lifestyle tips, business-savvy suggestions and real life stories helping you to parent confidently while remaining your stylish self. Founder, owner and producer of #VlogMom and lead-everything at Julieverse, Julie has been working in Social Media since her marketing agency-boss shook his head and told her “you’ll never buy pizza from a webpage” in 1997. (She left that job about 2 weeks later.) In addition to parenting, education and lifestyle suggestions for moms, Julie includes Social Media tips regularly on her blog. Follow her on twitter and YouTube, and, go ahead, “like” her facebook page.
Momcomm gives blogging chicks practical, can-do tips for writing, blogging and using social media (and sometimes a snarky rant).
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I'm a mom who loves marketing, photography and all things social media. I have two boys whose claim to fame is that they were born on the same day... three years apart.
With regards to displaying your whole name, I’m a little hesitant because I hold a public office (minor) position and also work in the medical field. Do you have any suggestions about that? I do display my first name, but not my last name.
Shannon recently posted..Make Your Own Restaurant Bag
Twitter: justprecious
says:
Hmm. That’s a good point, but if you are active in the local social media scene, attend events, any of that, are you really able to keep your identity a secret? Perhaps it would be better for you to be an anonymous blogger?
I’d come right out and express your situation on your blog then. The fact that you hold public office also makes you fit a different niche, so that may work for you. But if you are concerned about holding a public office and being public on your blog, you might have more trouble working with PR in a larger capacity… eventually, a brand will want to work with YOU and you won’t be able to because they’ll need your face or your name on their site, at their events, etc.
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
Twitter: myafwifelife
says:
Excellent advice, thanks!
Kathryn recently posted..Winner of the Rendi Style Giveaway
Twitter: justprecious
says:
you bet!
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
Twitter: MommieDaze
says:
Love getting advice right from some people in the PR industry!
MommieDaze recently posted..Motherhood – The Ultimate Pride Smack Down
This is a fantastic post! Such great tips, although there were some things that I have already gone in and changed because of this post. I have been anxiously waiting for you to post this after your tweets the other day.
Kate recently posted..Spry Young Cub No More
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
says:
As a former PR girl, I love these tips!
Alison recently posted..Intrinsic Goodness
Twitter: scentednights
says:
Fantastic article with some really great suggestions!
Ellen Christian recently posted..Gift ideas that don’t break the bank and Pumpkin-Headed Turkey Claus sweepstakes
Twitter: Hi_its_jilly
says:
Great article! I had been seeing the “PR friendly” thing everywhere and was wondering about it. Thanks for giving us some info from actual PR people!
Jillian
Hi! It’s Jilly
Jillian @ Hi! It’s Jilly recently posted..Halloween Costume Planning- It’s About Time!
Great advice! Thank you for bringing us this insight!!! Off to fix my blog….
Christine @ Let’s Get Crafty! recently posted..Losing My Marbles { Part Deux }
Twitter: artchootwit
says:
This is awesome, Julie! I love reading this behind the scenes stuff – I feel like I’m getting top secret information… And I always wondered about the “PR friendly” stuff, too. I think it looks sort of tacky, so it was interesting to hear real life responses to it.
Artchoo! recently posted..Mosaic Art With Kids
Twitter: blogathon2
says:
Great advice! It used to be that PR Friendly meant something but as you said, so many blogs use it now and don’t provide good content or reviews or act professionally so it has less meaning. Going to edit my blog now…
Kathleen recently posted..GIVEAWAY: Fall Fashionista Event–Thousands in Prizes #FashionistaEvents
Excellent article, thank you so much! I’ve been waiting on a final graphic before updating my blog & can’t wait to edit my Contact section now too. So glad you shared!
Rachel H recently posted..The Ode of Motherhood
Twitter: justprecious
says:
how exciting that you’re updating your blog. I love doing that.
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
Enjoyed this post. I had often wondered about the “PR Friendly” moniker. I have been thinking about putting readership statistics into a media kit. I have about 30,000 new visitors a month. What is the magic number of viewers from a PR perspective to be considered to be a site worth working with? I am sure this differs from client to client but is there a starting point? or is social sharing just as important? Would love to read more, so I just subscribed…
Lori Felix recently posted..Pinkberry: Free Yogurt with PinkCard
Twitter: justprecious
says:
I don’t think there is a magic number because, you’re right, client to client–they’re looking for different things. Additionally, different anaylitics give different stats. If you feel confident about your stats, add them.
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
As a fellow publicist, I can agree 100% with the information that Julie has posted here, especially having an actual email address where a publicist can reach you. Thank you for the wise advice!
- Jennifer @imPRessmedia
Twitter: justprecious
says:
thanks Jennifer!
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
This is brilliance! I have evolved over time to become more authentically PR friendly but I think it has come out of working with truly great PR people and learning from the experience. Love that you shared why to be specific with your “about” page. That makes a lot of sense to me and that is what I need to work on next. Thanks for sharing this great advice!! Kristin
Kristin recently posted..31 Days to Becoming an Organized Mom: Day 11- Planning Ahead
Twitter: justprecious
says:
that’s great, Kristin. The about page is a VERY important page and what’s really important is that people are true and realistic there.
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
This was a great read for me. I’ve had my blog for about a year now, and I always thought “PR Friendly” was what companies wanted to see, but this makes so much sense. I feel foolish for never thinking about it this way, but I’m glad that now I’m aware of it. Thank you so much for the information!
Danielle S recently posted..September Natural Beauty Box Review
Twitter: Yourdailydance
says:
Great perspecive. The name and picture are a challenge for me – mainly because it would be easy to track my daughter and myself down at dance competitions etc. Plus, I don’t really want to become the “face” of her dance studio – afterall, they did not ask me to start a blog. It is something I have been trying to figure out how to approach for a while now – everything I read about an About page says you need a picture.
Any suggestions?
Angie recently posted..Fundraising Ideas
Twitter: justprecious
says:
Will the average user be able to identify the studio? I suppose that’s the biggest question. Also, does the studio not know you are blogging? For me, I always think of my blog as telling my store and my experience. I know that my schools know about my blog and that there’s a lot that I write about that I get from my school. But to me, that doesn’t mean that I am not going to be a realistic me on my blog.
This is one of those cases where you have to decide if you are blogging for you, to turn it into a profession, or for your studio. If you’re blogging for you and you want to make it about you, then, by all means, share more about you so that the agencies/marketers/brands will want to work more with you.
julie recently posted..Every woman needs a navy dress
Twitter: Yourdailydance
says:
Thank you Julie. Those questions have given me something to think about. I read your about page and noticed you are a fellow Chi Omega! Always good to make those connections too.
Angie recently posted..Fundraising Ideas
This is really really helpful! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much, I don’t even have an about me page, just a little blurb on my main page, guess what I will be working on today?
Amber (Metro Detroit Mommy) recently posted..Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Fully ChargedSM Giveaway
What a great post! I’ve always wondered if “PR Friendly” was just a made-up label or if it was a real thing. I made a few minor changes to my About/Contact pages after reading this, some things I kept forgetting to do.
Thank you! I do have two specific questions:
1) If “PR-Friendly” is a turn-off, do you have a suggestion for alternative wording to use for that menu item on my blog? I assumed that term was what PR reps were looking for, to know *where* on a blog to look for relevant information. (I do have “about” and “contact” sections of my site, as well.)
2) What exactly are PR reps looking for in a blogger’s media kit, and how does it differ from what is already on the blog?
Thank you!!
Rachel Ramey recently posted..Quick Pinterest Tip(s) for New Users #3
Twitter: MerryMessyLife
says:
Hi Melissa! So, one question I have for a PR person is when I contact a company by email to request a review or giveaway, what should I put in the subject line so it doesn’t sound like I’m asking for free stuff?
Sara – My Merry Messy Life recently posted..Christmas Felt Wreath Craft with Kids
Twitter: personalaccent1
says:
Sponsors and advertising wasn’t really in the plan for my blog but as I am finding that there are more companies with DIY products, I am inclined to offer those types of opportunities to my readers. I think the tips about your full name, indirect info about your family and the media kits are really valuable information. I think I am going to add that information.
Angela – My Personal Accent recently posted..15 Eclectic Wreaths
Twitter: Farbrent
says:
AWESOME. I just went and changed my whole “My Secrets’ page. THANK YOU!!!
Heather Novak recently posted..Nice Kids in Nice Stores: 3 TIps To Help Toddlers Behave Well
Twitter: andersonann48
says:
I am going to work on some of these errors on my blog. I never knew things as simple as this could make or break a blog.
Thanks so much for the info!
Annette