Each day in the U.S. nearly 4 million mommy bloggers share tips on raising kids, saving money and reviewing brands they love. In addition, many host giveaways to give their readers a chance to win the products they review and to increase traffic to their blog and to your website.
A typical mommy blogger who considers blogging her full-time job can average anywhere between 1,000 to 1,000,000-plus unique visitors to her site each month. This is in addition to the thousands of fans a mommy blogger can have on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social platforms she uses to spread messages about your products.
In spite of this, many retailers don't plan and budget for mommy blogger outreach simply because they regard the task as overwhelming, costly or time consuming. It need not be, however. Here are five tips to become a champion among mommy bloggers:
1. Honor thy mommy bloggers. When it comes to mommy bloggers, almost all retailers have a distinct advantage. Mommy bloggers want to be your brand ambassador. They want to review your products. They want to get to know you. Share the love! Treat mommy bloggers with the same respect as you would the editors of Ladies Home Journal.
The next time a mommy blogger sends an email requesting to work with you, take a few minutes to visit her website. Do you like what you see? Is it well designed? Easy to navigate? Are her reviews well written? Does she get sufficient traffic? Do you want her to review your product?
Even if she doesn't measure up to your criteria, reply to her email. Acknowledge and be appreciative of her interest, and keep her name on file. She may be at an early stage in her mommy blogging career and her skills and traffic may increase in the months ahead.
2. Incorporate mommy blogger outreach in all your marketing efforts. Whether you're launching a new line or need buzz about an existing product, appoint at least a few mommy bloggers to enhance your efforts.
Do the math: 10 productive mommy bloggers who each generate at least 15,000 unique monthly visitors, 18,000 page views, and each have 12,000-plus fans on the leading social sites can garner a minimum of 450,000 impressions.
3. Encourage mommy bloggers to contact you. Don't have the time to search the web for mommy bloggers? Find one you'd like to work with and ask her to recommend other mommy bloggers. She will most likely be delighted to comply.
Mommy bloggers have a real sense of community and like to support their fellow mommy bloggers. But buyer beware: You'll still need to review each recommended website to make sure it measures up to your standards.
4. Provide fair compensation. Blogging is an occupation for many mommy bloggers, not a hobby. According to Lisa Sokolowski, owner of DrugstoreDivas.net, "This is how we pay our rent, buy our groceries and keep our household going. Mommy bloggers shouldn't be expected to work for free or for a chance to win a prize."
So what's fair compensation? Most mommy bloggers post the minimum amount of the retail value in goods they expect in exchange for them to review your products and host a giveaway. This is usually included in her advertising or PR efforts.
A good mommy blogger — i.e., one who attracts a minimum of 5,000 unique monthly visitors and has the ability to craft well-written reviews — will command anywhere between $50 to $150.
Leslie Mayorga, owner of LeslieLovesVeggies.com, says that many brands will add an incentive to a review and giveaway by adding a gift card to the mix. The mommy blogger and the giveaway winner may each receive a $25, $50 or even $100 gift card along with the review item. "'Kinda sweetens the pot," says Mayorga.
5. Create a set of guidelines for mommy bloggers. Whenever you work with mommy bloggers, create guidelines to ensure that they're clear on what you expect. Mommy bloggers will appreciate receiving this information in a well-organized email.
These are some other factors to consider when working with mommy bloggers:
- Timing: Allow three weeks to four weeks for the mommy blogger to post her review and giveaway from the time she receives your product. Allow another two weeks to three weeks for the review and giveaway to remain live on her website.
- Giveaway winners: Let your mommy bloggers know if the giveaways are open only to U.S.-based winners. You'll be responsible for shipping prizes to the giveaway winners, so consider that the rates to ship goods internationally are much higher.
- Inclusions: Provide mommy bloggers with the link to your website, professional product shots, video links, your logo and key messages you'd like them to include in their reviews.
- FTC guidelines: Mommy bloggers have FTC guidelines that they must follow, chief among them is full disclosure. Mommy bloggers must let their readers know that you sent her a free product and that she wasn't required to write a positive review. And speaking of positive reviews, never, ever mess with a mommy blogger's opinion. It's always her own.
Wendy Hirschhorn, "The Mommy Blogger Whisperer," is CEO of Wendy's Bloggers, a bridge for brands to create valuable relationships with influential mommy bloggers and their followers. Wendy can be reached at wendy@wendysbloggers.com.
- Companies:
- Amazon.com
- American Express
- Places:
- U.S.