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PR 2.0 Tactics

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One of the oft-discussed challenges of PR 2.0 is determining WHO to talk to, and HOW to approach them. Most folks call this "Blogger Relations." It's an emerging field, which means it's wild-n-woolly; too new for rules. And thanks to that "newness," thus far we've been spared from asking, "HOW LONG should a 'conversation' last?"

We PR types talk enthusiastically about being part of an on-line discussion, for ourselves and our clients. But this dialogue is not easy to create or sustain.

“Instant pundits” --- bloggers who labor in obscurity until one of their ideas unexpectedly light up the mediasphere --– don’t appear on any MediaMap database. So it's sometimes hard to find them, in order to listen and engage 'em, prior to their notoriety.

But let's say that you do successfully engage them --- "mission accomplished." Whereas after "the hit" appears a professional journalist doesn't expect to hear from the PR pro again for a while, you can't assume as much when you're in a "conversation" with a blogger.

Let's say their hot streak ends within a few months, and that their notoriety is unlikely to ever again achieve "influencer" levels... The PR pro must ultimately decide whether to use precious time & energy to continue a dialogue that may never yield further fruit for their clients.

It’s a judgment call: allow a "pregnant pause" to enter the conversation and you risk the wrath of a blogger scorned... or, continue the dialogue forever (with 101 bloggers) and risk losing your sanity due to continuous bandwidth pressures.

One of my personal fear factors in this 2.0 age is how PR practitioners can possibly find the time & energy to create, monitor, nurture and/or sever the hundreds of relationships that might (or might not) aid their clients.

Hat-tip to Kami Huyse, who once blogged about "The Rule of 150" (i.e., social networks break down at about 150 connections). I couldn't find your original post, Kami, but thought you'd want to know that you inspired me, those many moons ago.

Tags: blogger+relations, blogs, marketing, public+relations, social+networking