Engaging Bloggers 101 - Don't give them fake food or numbers
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 9:53 PM 
According to Wikipedia, "a blog is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog."
The following is an excerpt from Sysomos, a social media analytics firm, on Blogging guidelines:
We’re living in a world in which newsrooms are shrinking while bloggers are filling the content void, along with people “reporting” on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Either ConAgra got some very bad advice, they don’t understand bloggers, or they just screwed up.
As the world changes very slowly towards online networks,
1. Treat bloggers the same way you would treat a reporter. Some bloggers have large audiences and some have a small readership but most bloggers are serious and passionate about what they write about. In that way, they are just as credible as a reporter.
2. Do your homework. Not every blogger is the same. Some are serious, some are crazy, some write a lot, some offer thought-provoking columns, some rant, some want to make money, and some do it for fun. The key consideration for companies getting a good handle on the blogging ecosystem, and then identifying the bloggers that matter most to them. After that, they should embrace rule #1.
3. Provide bloggers with the same kind of resources and access as reporters. In other words, bring them inside the tent rather than on the outside looking in. Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be all of them. Just like not every reporter will get an interview with the CEO or an invite to a press conference, bloggers should be treated the same way. While many bloggers aren’t looking to make money from blogging, their “compensation” can simply be a recognition of their efforts.
4. Don’t be afraid of bloggers. It is surprising to hear corporate executives still talk about how blogging is the Wild West and how bloggers are unruly gunslingers that can’t be managed or trusted. If you do your homework and treat bloggers with respect, they’ll probably respect you right back.
5. Recognize that bloggers can help your company just as much as you can help them. They can help you spread the word, provide feedback, evangelize and solid editorial coverage. If bloggers are treated as a potential asset, it increases the chance of them providing a good return on investment.
6. Remember most bloggers don’t make money from blogging. The compensation consists of other things: respect, vanity, access, recognition, invitations, etc.