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Sponsored Conversations: How To Compensate Bloggers While Keeping It Transparent Tara Kuczykowski www.dealseekingmom.com What does sponsored conversation mean? Compensating bloggers to create content about your brand Financial or material compensation Tara Kuczykowski / dealseekingmom.com
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Sponsored Conversations:How To Compensate Bloggers While Keeping It Transparent Tara Kuczykowski www.dealseekingmom.com
What does sponsored conversation mean? • Compensating bloggers to create content about your brand • Financial or material compensation TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Benefits of working with bloggers: • Relatively low cost • Reach • Targeted audience • In the blogger's own voice • Genuine TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Challenges in working with bloggers: • Lack of message control • A positive review is not guaranteed • Targeted audience • Question of trust • Can't use traditional media tracking metrics TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
What does it mean to be transparent in compensation? • Sponsored posts clearly identified • Evangelizing, not shilling and hitting message points • Authentic and honest TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Why is this an issue? • Traditional media has policies around not keeping items reviewed • Bloggers are free of the ethical constraints placed on traditional journalists • Proposed FTC revised guidelines TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Failed attempts: • Walmarting Across America – Edelman paid bloggers without full disclosure • PayPerPost – undisclosed paid posts • Fishful Thinking – a lesson in outreach TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Ways to work with bloggers in a transparent manner: • Contests/Giveaways • Soft incentives • Compensated blogging • Consulting • Spokesperson • Advertisements TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Contests/Giveaways • What is the difference between a contest vs. a giveaway? • How are contests/giveaways a useful tool for engaging an audience? • Fees or product for review? TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Contests/Giveaways (cont.) • Making it a win for both the blogger and the brand • Clear terms and conditions TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Soft Incentives • Examples of soft incentives • Clarity in expectations • Direction vs. approval TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Compensated Blogging • Sponsored posts • Izea’s new model, Social Spark • Example – Kmart sponsored post TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Consulting • Providing companies with opinions/insider knowledge • Targeted focus group in a sense • Ongoing TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Spokesperson • Represents your company as an agent of the company • True brand advocate • Much more authentic than a celebrity endorsement TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Advertisements • Banners, badges, etc. • CPM vs. flat rate • Going rates for blogs TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Proposed FTC Revised Guidelines • Would hold companies and bloggers liable for untruthful statements made by bloggers and users of social networking sites who receive samples of their products TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Proposed FTC Revised Guidelines (cont.) • False representations vs. opinions • Is the blogger acting as an agent for the company - compensation, direction, etc.? • Disclosure statements TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com
Takeaways • Align yourself with bloggers in the proper niche • Require full disclosure • Freedom of authenticity • Encourage an ongoing partnership TaraKuczykowski/dealseekingmom.com