What is a PR Friendly Blog?
PR means Public Relations
You may have seen blogs with a note that they are "PR friendly" blogs. The PR stands for public relations, but the meaning is a bit different when referring to a PR friendly blog.
According to Wikipedia, public relations means, "the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and the public." In the case of a PR friendly blog, the public is obviously the readership of the blog. But what is the organization? It is not the blog itself but other organizations, namely companies that have products or services to sell.
In short, a PR friendly blog is a blog that accepts paid advertising.
PR Friendly Means Advertising Friendly
A PR friendly blog is a blog that accepts monetary compensation for promoting a company's product or service through means such as
- ad space in sidebars
- text links or ads within posts
- ads placed in feed footers
- sponsored posts
- compensated reviews (possibly coordinated with a giveaway)
The bottom line is that a PR friendly blog is run by a blogger who desires to have a professional blog, one that is earning money by cooperating with companies.
And Do You Have One?
Do you consider YOUR blog a PR friendly blog?
Why Would a Blogger Want to Cooperate with Companies?
Blogging is more than just a hobby for some bloggers. They desire to go a step farther and actually earn a living (or a partial living) from their efforts at writing, social networking, and SEO. Although there are many ways to monetize a blog, working directly with a company cuts out the middleman which exists in many of them.
Furthermore, working with a company can be a rewarding experience, especially if the company is something a blogger really believes in. The relationship can move beyond a product review and ad placement to something deeper -- conference sponsorships or ongoing project sponsorships.
Your Ad Here
How Can I Have a PR Friendly Blog?
If you are ready to move to a PR friendly blog, there are some steps to take. It may be possible to achieve partnerships with companies without all of these elements, but having them in place will make the negotiation process a smooth one.
A Page Explaining Your Ad Details
If you want to place ads, let everyone know by creating a page on your blog, devoted to your ad policies. Include the size of ads you will place, your ad rates, how to contact you, the length of the ad placement.
Consider including screenshots of your blog that show exactly where the ads would be located. You can even label the sizes of the ads. Some smaller companies are not as familiar with ad sizes as you probably are. Help them to see their ad on your blog with clear images that show how large and where it will be.
A Media Kit
To attract advertisers, you need some data to share with them. You don't necessarily need astounding amounts of traffic to nail advertising dollars, but you do need to look professional.
- Who is your audience?
- What is your purpose for blogging?
- What are your traffic numbers?
- What is you social networking influence?
Gather all of your data and put it in an attractive layout that complements your blog's color scheme and style. Be sure to include contact information in your media kit. Have it in PDF for easy sharing with potential advertisers.
A Pitch
Actually, you will need multiple pitches because each company deserves its own specific pitch that explains what you can do for it (not what the company can do for you). Outline clearly how your blog is a good match for that particular company. Refer to your blog's niche and your readership demographics to demonstrate that you can offer a targeted audience for that company's products.
A company doesn't want to merely get its name in front of as many people as possible. It wants as many potential customers to see its ad. There is a difference. Demonstrate that your readers are interested in that company's service or merchandise, and you are on your way to becoming a PR friendly blog.
