No surprise here, recently released survey results found that blogs are a global phenomenon with great influence, passionate creators, and loyal followings. In today’s media, they are a valid form of communication. Unfortunately, the success of bloggers has not benefited their reputations as a whole, with much of the public still dismissing the blog as a hobby, and not the valuable news source many have become. We do a disservice to bloggers, many of whom are highly intelligent and experts in their chosen subject, by not understanding who they are and how they create their content.
Thankfully, the 2014 IPREX Blogbarometer survey (get the full survey here) from IPREX and conducted by ORCA Affairs profiled the blogging community and the talented content generators that comprise it.
What characteristics define a blogger? For one, bloggers write about what they choose to write about, not what they are assigned to cover. They are experts on that topic, and their audiences know it. That means that blog subscribers come to them for news and opinions that they are already interested in. They don’t need to be marketed to with jaw-dropping headlines and lengthy ledes.
The study found that 69 percent of bloggers globally were women. In the U.S. this number grew to 92 percent of total participants surveyed. The average writer is 33 years old and produces material for a specific audience. Blogs cover a variety of topics, from fashion at 15 percent to travel with 12 percent. Foodie blogs and beauty ideas are tied for 13 percent of the content generated.
While most material comes from bloggers’ own experiences, seventy-two percent of the respondents said they look to current events for content ideas.
What does any of this mean to PR professionals? With blogs’ influence and connection to a narrow audience, the communication industry is looking for the best way to stand out in a blogger’s crowded inbox. Blogbarometer found the communication industry may be missing its mark when reaching out to these writers. The survey found many complaints that messaging was often low quality and had little to do with their blog content. These women are not only getting content they don’t care about, it is happening often —the survey found that 34 percent were contacted daily.
In other words, make sure your material is relevant to the blog. Do not approach a blogger who writes about affordable organic living and pitch her a high-end product more suited for the one-percenters. With many of these bloggers having immediate access to an average of 28,000 readers it is important to respect the blogger’s time and make every pitch count.
Share your success stories with bloggers in the comments below.
