How to work with bloggers

@Ayngelina BaconIsMagic.ca

….and keep your sanity

Who am I?

• Former advertising agency director turned travel blogger with an emphasis on culture – Foundation of any culture is food

• I play on both sides– Freelance marketer and professional blogger

– Founding member of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association

I eat all around the world

I don’t write restaurant reviews but I do write about restaurants

• My readers want the story behind the My readers want the story behind the My readers want the story behind the My readers want the story behind the restaurantrestaurantrestaurantrestaurant

–WhatWhatWhatWhat’’’’s the deal with the s the deal with the s the deal with the s the deal with the chefchefchefchef????

– What makes this restaurant different?What makes this restaurant different?What makes this restaurant different?What makes this restaurant different?

– Why Why Why Why shouldshouldshouldshould theytheytheythey go there?go there?go there?go there?

Enough about me.What about other food bloggers?

There are many types of blogs

• Information and news-style blogs(Swallow,Torontoist)

• Restaurant review blogs(Spotlight TO, BlogTO)

• Personality-based blogs

(Family Feedbag, Sweet Sugarbean, Near Afar, The Art of Doing Stuff)

What do bloggers bring?

• Storytelling and personality – Beyond news and information

• Trust

• Evergreen content

• Social media– Need Twitter, Facebook or Instagram followers?

Blogging is still the wild west

– There are some great bloggers who really want to help the community

• Well Preserved

• Joel Solish

• Mardi Michels

– There are some bloggers who just want a free meal

• Cheating Twitter and Facebook numbers

• Sense of entitlement with 800 Twitter fans

• Will blog about anything

If a blogger walks into your restaurant

and demands a free meal…

Kick them out!

But not all bloggers are bad

How do you know?

• Read the site

– Do you like it?

– Are they interesting?

– Are people asking questions or commenting?

• Take a look at who follows them on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram

– is it your demographic?

• How have they approached you?

– Did they tell you what they could bring you or just want something for free?

– How was the tone?

• Ask around, if they have worked with others make a call to see what happened

– Did they bring 4 friends and take advantage

– Did they order 5 bottles of wine

– Did they tip their server on the free meal

Separating the good from the bad

Be prepared to ask a blogger

• Statistics– Who reads them?– Google Analytics only

• What they hope to write

• Example of previous posts

• Social media support– If you are running a fundraiser will they put an ad on their site?

• References?

Help a blogger out

Biggest stress as a blogger:

– Having a kind host but nothing to write. I eat a lovely meal but nothing interesting about it that is worth people reading or commenting

Help me help you!Help me help you!Help me help you!Help me help you!

Meals can be difficult to write about

Interesting new chefs or restaurants help build interest.

Is there a focus on local or traditional?

Hotel restaurant with new cookbook – focusing on diversity of immigrants on Maui

Unusual food with recipe

What do you stand for?

Do you offer a unique experience?

Partner to do a guide?

Key takeaways

Know your bloggers– some can do straight releases about upcoming events others need to experience it

– Determine the value to bring a blogger to an event their reader cannot experience (can you do a preview?)

Be proactive– What is your story? – Can you partner with others (e.g. Beer and Bacon Tour, 48h of Food, Farm Features)

Good bloggers are all about honest, respect and responsibilityThey cannot guarantee they will write and content must remain independent but discuss ideas with them first

You can say no to any blogger – do not be afraid

When in doubt ask around.

Questions?

Ask away or find me here:

BaconIsMagic.ca

Ayngelina@baconismagic.ca

Twitter: @Ayngelina