What PR’s Actually Look For

A large part of my job is outreach, so finding and contacting bloggers to work with. Whilst I know for some bloggers, working with brands is a big no go as it ‘compromises the blog integrity’, I know there are lots of bloggers out there who do want to work with brands so I thought I’d give you some tips on what I look for in a blog. Obviously different PR’s might be different to me but it’s always nice to have an insiders tip!

Layout

Blogs with clean, uncluttered layouts with easy to find sections are always preferable. If I can’t find your details with a quick scan, chances are I’ll leave. Having a clear about and contact page are essential, and it’s also preferable if I can find your social media and Bloglovin links easily too.

Details

You’d be surprised how many blogs I’ve found who don’t include their name, which is frustrating if I really like their blog as I don’t want to email “Dear BLOG NAME”. It’s awkward for everyone. I shouldn’t have to check out your Twitter, Instagram and whatever else to know what you’re called!

I also dislike when someone doesn’t have their email readily available. A contact form is fab for instant collaborations, but I often scout blogs and list them to work with later, so not having an email I can store puts me off saving your details if I’m truly honest.

I work with a brand that’s UK only, so not having at least the country you are located from really winds me up. I don’t want to have to email “Hi, love your blog but are you UK?”, I want to be able to know from your page.

Content

I tend to look for detailed, well written content without spelling or grammatical errors. The odd typo isn’t going to put me off if I like your blog but if there’s easy mistakes in every sentence then I’ll have my doubts. The content needs to be engaging but informational and I look for blogs with personality in too.

Whilst I do look for good pictures, I know not everyone has access to amazing cameras or editing programmes so as long as the picture is large and clear, I’m happy. Tiny, dark grainy photos always put me off though; if I’m sending you a product, I want your followers to be able to see what it is.

Followers

I won’t lie and say followers aren’t important; if I send something out to someone with 10 followers and as a result it gets no response, I get flack for it. That being said, they are not the most important thing ever. If you have a good blog, photography or writing skills and you clearly engage with your followers and bloggers well, I’m happy to contact you and build up a relationship because it’s obvious you have great blogging potential and I’d like to build a relationship up with you.

You

I normally do a social media snoop on bloggers to get a feel for the person. I want to be working with someone who is engaging and actually a nice person, and also make sure they are a good fit for the company. If your Twitter is full of you badmouthing companies or being really negative, it doesn’t paint a great picture.

Obviously these are all just what I look for in a blog and I’m sure different PR’s have different criteria they have to meet, but for me the most important things are really how accessible your information is, how good the content is and how engaging your post would be if I sent you something. When it comes to it, I’m sending out gifts because it benefits the company and also to build relationships so I want to work with someone who I know is a good fit for the company and also who I know cares about their blog and their readers.

I hope this has helped anyone who wants to work with brands!