Do's and Don'ts in Blogger Relations

Nowadays, much news is generated and disseminated from the blogosphere. According to comScore, there are more than 77 million blog visitors in the U.S., a number greater than the total audience of Facebook or MySpace. While some of these visits are casual or entertainment-oriented, 50% of all readers report that blogs influence their purchase decisions, and the majority report that online reviews are often more helpful than speaking with a sales associate.

With such a captive blog audience, organizations need to be ready to cultivate positive relationship with the relevant bloggers to interact on content, image and influence. I've come up with a very short list of do's and don'ts when organizations approach and communicate with bloggers.

Don'ts --
1. Don't spam bloggers with irrelevant information to influence stories.
It’s easy for bloggers to spot who reads them and who doesn’t, and guess who gets the welcome?

2. Don't try to pay to get your products/service favorably blogged.
90% of bloggers claim that they talk about brands in an unpaid manner. Exchanging content for cash is not widely accepted. Tapping into this existing behavior is really important.

Do's --
1. Know your bloggers, and know them really well.
Dedicating time to read and interact with the target blogs. Think in their shoes; help make their work easier; be the kind of blog participants you wish to have with your own blog.

2. Respect bloggers' decisions.
If your target bloggers decide not to review your products, you'll need to be able to respect the decision and continue cultivating relationship with them. After all, the power of the blogosphere lies in its truth and authenticity - bloggers' decisions are part of it, so embrace it.

What do you think organizations should/can (not) do in terms of blogger relations?