How to Use Blogs for Direct Marketing

There are many new opportunities for direct marketing online. One of the most important is blogs. In terms of practical applications, blogs are just like opt-in newsletters, where readers choose to receive information on a regular basis. Readers can choose to stop reading at any time, but generally a blog's readers will be fairly loyal, as long as they feel that they are receiving information of some value.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Market Directly to Your Target Audience With Blogs

1. Develop your own blog. If you can write regularly about a topic with enough depth to be interesting to a general audience, running your own blog can be very useful. However, it can be intensely difficult and can even be damaging if your blog is not professional. You may also have issues with transparency.

2. Offer free samples for bloggers who cover relevant topics. While not all bloggers will write about any sample you may send them, many will. It depends on the blogger whether they will disclose the fact that they received a free sample.

3. Hire a blogger to write a post on their own blog about your product or service. Companies like PayPerPost acts as intermediaries for bloggers who are willing to write such posts (see Resources below). Approaching bloggers directly can generate problems because many feel that marketers try to use their relationship with their readers and they don't want to sell out their readers. Bloggers working through services such as PayPerPost have effectively announced their willingness to work with marketers.

4. Use bloggers' forums to leverage their community's interest. By commenting on blogs, as well as commenting in forums, you can market your company. To prevent having your comments deleted as spam, keep them relevant to the discussion.

5. Offer to write guest posts about your product for relevant blogs. Many bloggers are open to guest posts, but you will need to assure them that your post will have an element beyond simple marketing. Contact these bloggers via email--most list their direct email on their blogs.

Tips & Warnings

• Blogs often reach very targeted audiences, making them useful for direct marketing. For example, any reader of a blog about technological gadgets is likely to be interested in the purchase of similar gadgets.
• It can be very difficult to maintain a blog with a large audience, especially if the blog focuses on marketing a specific product.
• Use your discretion when working with bloggers. Many have no qualms about posting negative responses to your marketing or products on their blogs.

Resources

• Hire bloggers at PayPerPost.com