Caroline is a food and drink blogger in the North West, and is the author of Yummy Food Makes Me Happy . She has written a guest blog for JAM, sharing her experiences of working with PRs…
With the rise in social media, the advance in technology and new ways of reaching the consumer, blogging has become a very important part of today’s fast paced society.
For businesses, the art of blogging is a very important marketing tool. It is less expensive, more influential and is much more effective than a static advertisement in a magazine, newspaper or billboard alone.
I started blogging as a hobby during the middle of this year. As I love eating out with my family and friends, I decided to focus my blog on food, drink and restaurants.
Blogging has opened my eyes to new experiences and has provided me with new food writing opportunities. I have attended a secret supper experience and luckily have been invited to numerous VIP launches and new restaurant opening parties. It has been incredibly fun, enjoyable and memorable attending these events then writing about them.
More and more eateries, coffee shops, bars and restaurants are hiring the professional services of external PR companies to handle the marketing for their business.
One of the roles of a PR company is to create, develop and maintain brand awareness between the business and its target consumers. The PR company may undertake tasks and responsibilities including any of the following:
•Writing websites
•Engaging in social media
•Devising marketing campaigns
•Working with the press
•Writing press releases
Some PR companies often work with bloggers to help develop the brand of a business, generate and maximise product interest and increase sales revenue and profits overall.
To maximise the effectiveness of blogging, I personally would like PR companies to interact more often with bloggers like myself.
I think it is important to like, favourite, re-tweet or share our posts on social media channels and to participate in our online conversations. This creates attention, builds up hype and generates interest. Consumers are more likely to seek further information when everyone is talking about it.
PR companies should consider arranging quarterly events whereby they invite a variety of influential bloggers for an informal group discussion. It would be a wonderful opportunity for bloggers to submit ideas, brainstorm and provide useful feedback on what they like and what they do not like.
It would also be nice for PR companies to meet bloggers in person so they can put a face against a name. I believe this will help to build, develop and strengthen the working relationships between the different parties involved.
Every blogger has their own writing style, individuality and unique personality. However, I think it would be particularly useful if PR companies provide bloggers (particularly those who are less experienced) with bullet points, set guidelines or summarise content that they would like bloggers to include when writing a blog post. This will ensure that vital information about a business, product or service is detailed.
Overall, with the changing consumer habits and new trends, blogging performs a vital role in business. Bloggers and reputable PR companies working closely together can help to support businesses in achieving their marketing goals and long term objectives. I truly believe it is the way forward and can contribute towards the overall success of a growing or thriving business.
To read my latest blog posts, please visit:
www.yummyfoodmakesmehappy.wordpress.com
