We’ve discussed the value of bloggers and why working with one can foster meaningful connections for your brand while providing an opportunity to tap into the impressive networks they’ve built. But how can you take these connections to the next level and motivate a blogger to act as an ambassador for your brand? If long-term blogger relationships are your goal, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Start with the right blogger

The first critical factor to consider when motivating a blogger is if you have chosen the right blogger. In order to inspire a blogger to act as an advocate for you, you must understand what it is that motivates them and appeals to them. Do your research! Try to understand their interests, values, and perspectives as a person, not just the interests of their audience. In doing so, you are creating the opportunity to grow a real relationship with the blogger.

With this research in hand, you can understand if your brand is right for a blogger and for their audience. Ensuring that your brand is the right fit for a blogger is an incredible motivator. Remember, you are helping a blogger by providing them with something to talk about, so give them something that truly interests and excites them! A blogger wants to appeal to their audience just as much as you do.

Foster goodwill

Before approaching a blogger with an offer to advocate for your brand, show them support and initiate a relationship. Make them feel special, valuable, and distinguished. Most importantly, make them feel that their opinion matters (because it does). Follow the blogger where they are present so that they can become familiar with your name and feel the love from your brand. By establishing a relationship between yourself and the blogger before you approach them with an offer, you foster goodwill that will build trust and enable your advocate to speak genuinely on behalf of your brand. Bonus: following these bloggers and interacting with their content will also help you better understand if they are truly the best fit for your brand!

Get to know them

Remember that when you approach a blogger with an offer to advocate for you, you are giving them the power to speak about your brand with a very loud voice. For this reason, it is important to humanize your brand in a way that allows a blogger to see you as a friend and as a supporter. Take a minute to allow them to understand you, just as you’ve worked so hard to understand them. By nature, people are motivated to help friends who have taken the time to nurture a meaningful relationship. Be a friend to your blogger, and they will be a friend to your brand.

Be prepared to compensate

Fresh produce bloggers offer a powerful opportunity for brands because they share a passion for food, health, and wellness. Like your brand, this passion has become their profession. When looking to motivate a blogger, remember to support their passion and show that you value their time and appreciate their efforts to advocate on your behalf. This means budgeting for bloggers and compensating them for the story they have shared about your brand. This support and appreciation further nurtures the relationship you’ve built and ensures that your blogger trusts and respects the connection you have.   

Give thanks

So your blogger published a post about your brand- what now?

Don’t consider this the end of your relationship. Keep in mind that motivating a blogger to continue to enrich your brand is a never ending effort.  Show that you are thankful for the advocacy they have exhibited and show them support in return. Motivate the blogger by showing your commitment to your relationship and inviting them to other opportunities in the future.  

The most important value to consider when motivating a blogger is that above compensation come an authentic connection, a genuine appreciation, and a love for the brand. It takes a great deal of understanding and compassion to build a relationship that is mutually beneficial to both a brand and a blogger. DMA Solutions is committed to forming trust, passion, and love for our brands that bloggers share with consumers from an invaluable perspective. If you are interested in building a relationship with an influential member of your audience, reach out to us to discuss how DMA might help.