How to choose a blogger to partner with your business: a guide for entrepreneurs

This tool of advertising still brings in a large number of clients! That is even despite the blocking of some social media in Russia. Would you like to try advertising with bloggers? We have prepared a guide for selecting bloggers for the initial seeding - the first ad placement to test it out.

Step 1: Profile analysis

You need to select bloggers by their target audience. The users who fall into your target buyer's portrait subscribe to conduct "CustDev" (Customer Development) if you can't see their subscriptions (subscriptions to accounts whose owners are in Russia don't get shown to Instagram users). Analyze the number of bloggers' subscribers and the ratio of this figure to the number of likes. Use third-party tools such as websites with ready-to-use analysis of profiles and their reach. Look at the number of views and how they vary from post to post or video to video. Ten percent of your total followers is a good indicator. Look at the comments - what does the audience write? Do they like the content? Is it loyal?

Analyse engagement. Find ten to fifteen blogger posts from different periods over the last year, and look at the response-to-follow ratio (ERP) and the response-to-views ratio (ERV).

Step 2: Ask for statistics.

Every blogger has a PR page. It is usually listed in the profile header or channel description. Go to it, see what content gets posted there, check the prices, and find a list of businesses the blogger doesn't take on advertising. After that, you can ask for statistics - coverage, number of views of stories, and geographical, age, and gender indicators of the audience. Be sure to check that the statistics are accurate!

Step 3: Check Loyalty

Check how the blogger relates to your brand or companies in your field. See what the posts and what was shared. Google if they have written anything negative about your company since they've been online. Maybe they are a loyal customer of your direct competitor or has once spoken badly about similar brands. It is essential to know before you start collaborating.

Step 4: Ask for advertising examples

Don't just research examples of ads on the blogger's pages, but also request these examples from their advertising manager. Compare what you saw yourself and what the manager suggested to you. Look at the advertising style, how the ad gets presented, and whether it is organic or how it looks to the user. Don't turn down ads from a blogger who rarely advertises anything. You can look highly organic in their stories or videos.

You didn't ask, but we'll answer

When do I pay a blogger to advertise?

The best time is after the content has got agreed upon but before it gets posted. However, this is not always possible with the Russian blogging segment, so be prepared to pay as soon as you agree on the time of posting, i.e., before you've seen the ads.

Can I place by barter?

Yes, if the blogger accepts advertising orders under such conditions. Check this out on the blogger's advertising page.

What to do if the blogger worked with your competitor a month ago?

Wait for at least another two months before you place your ad. Then, inform the blogger's manager that you want to advertise and ask them to keep this in mind and not place your competitor's advertisement. You will most likely have to pay for the ad in advance and in full.

How do you learn how to make fantastic ad pitches to make integration work?

Come and join us for a course on working with bloggers to promote your business - Lectera will tell you which tricks will bring your maximum target audience to you.

Once every how many months should you check your blogger's engagement metrics?

Preferably, every time you will be repaying for their advertising. So do not hope that the interest of your audience in the blogger will remain at the same level all the time you work with them.

Cooperation with bloggers is not only enjoyable but also profitable for businesses. So please take note of this tool. It can be a driving force in the sales of your products!