4 Ways To Reach Out To Bloggers On Pinterest

by Shelly Gustafson

Visually inclined bloggers have found a home on Pinterest - where they have an outlet to easily post their favorites photos and videos as well as interact with other like-minded bloggers and fans.

But can PR and marketing teams use Pinterest directly to effectively reach out to these influential individuals?

The answer thus far is both yes and no.

Yes, because Pinterest simply gives more insight to the blogger’s world and interests rather then simply reading their blog. Perhaps you’ll find through combing through the various pins and boards that an influential mommy blogger has a secret love for gardening or is on the search for healthy recipes for her kids.

However, reaching out to a blogger through Pinterest should be handled with extreme care. Pinterest thus far has developed as a very simple concept, much like Twitter did, and marketing and commercialism is still finding its place among the shuffle.

This, of course, does not mean you can’t utilize Pinterest to get you and your product noticed by these bloggers in a more subtle way. Below I’ve listed a few ways to slowly integrate yourself into these blogger’s world via Pinterest:

1) Get involved yourself. Join Pinterest and start your own boards with your interests and ideas on display.

2) Follow, Follow, Follow Similar to Twitter you can follow too many people on Pinterest and end up being overwhelmed by your feed. When you are starting out its incredibly important to start following the right people and for PR and marketers the right people are often the influencers in their field.

But don’t limit yourself to following a couple bloggers – look at who they follow and what interests them as well. Do they have favorite companies that they follow and interact with or perhaps other bloggers that you can add to your influencers list?

3) Repin / Like / Comment Pinterest offers three options for someone to show agreement or appreciation for another users contribution and all three of them end with you being listed in the individuals Pinterest update.

• Repin 
• This option should be used when you really like someone’s pin and want to add it to your own personal boards. It will remain there until you remove it however so use with caution.

• "Like" 
• The pinterest equivalent of the “retweet” a like on Pinterest shows a little less commitment that a repin but will still add you to the bloggers daily pinterest feed. 

• Comment
• Commenting on a pin will allow you to be associated with any repins that other individuals may do, so it can give you an even bigger reach. 

4) Contact Via Email 

Once you’ve establish yourself on Pinterest and feel you have a good feel for the bloggers style and interests reach out to them via email. Mentioning that you enjoy their boards on Pinterest can only help your cause and may even jog their memory back to some of your repins/likes/comments. 

Leverage Social Media By Knowing Which Network To Use

Wordless Wednesday Post: 

Video Boosts Brand Engagement, Study Reports

by Dave Sniadak

We've seen a dramatic shift since 2010 in how advertisers are using video campaigns - online, interactive, and through traditional media buys. Accordingly to an Adap.tv industry survey of 638 agencies, brands, publishers and ad networks, nearly three out of every four advertiser (73%) is setting out to build brand engagement with their video initiatives. This shouldn't come as a surprise to those of us who advise our clients how to utilize video in their marketing and advertising efforts. 

However, what is slightly surprising could be that in the past 24 months, the attitude towards online video has shifted so dramatically from brand awareness to brand engagement. How dramatic? In 2010, only 18% of advertisers saw value in brand engagement with video. In just two years, attitudes have spiked by 55% in favor of engagement. 

The cross-platform integration of video - thanks to the strong saturation of tablets, smart phones, and even smart TVs - allows companies to deliver their message simultaneously on a multitude of mediums. No longer are companies forced to simply buy a flight of cable spots that go out and fall flat. Now, for example, we can buy the cable time on ESPN, while coordinating buys on ESPN.com, and even ESPN's mobile app.

The ability to hammer home a message with video has never been greater than it is right now. However, do advertisers run the risk of over-delivering content to a video soaked consumer base? Fresh content is crucial to ensuring a successful campaign. Keep that in mind as you dial up your next media buy.

Mr. Bubble Does it Again!

by Natalie Bell
@nebell90


Bragging is often frowned upon, but sometimes you just have to toot your own horn.  Last month our team at Axiom was thankful for winning the PRSA Classics award for Mr. Bubble's 50th Birthday Bash. We now have received more good news about the party -- we are finalists for the PR Daily Award for Best Event Marketing!  All the hard work of our team and members with The Village Company paid off. This gives us a chance to reminisce with these highlights from the Mr. Bubble event:

• Creating Bubble Land in Water Park of America with giant bath tub and world's largest bubble bath.
• Filling the water park and lazy river with Mr. Bubble beach balls.
• Inviting Mommy bloggers from across the country to enjoy the party.
• Presenting (and savoring) the Mr. Bubble replica cake.
• Fox 9 News joining us for the event and showing live footage.

All in all, the day was a huge success and something to remember.

Mr. Bubble and his cake.

Children enjoying the giant bubble bath.

The "New" Addiction? Tablet Users Report Peace of Mind, Creative Boost, According to Viacom

by Dave Sniadak

@dsniadak

Very interesting findings were just released from Viacom this week, talking about how tablets are now the "second screen" of choice for television viewers. The media and research company calls this latest trend "Tabletomics," or the science of using tablets to consume media, technology, all while enhancing creativity. Move over laptop, there's a new screen in town. But beyond that, it seems that tablets are the new "cup of coffee" we so often need to have attached to our hands - without it, we start to get jittery and shaky.

Viacom found that tablet owners feel an emotional connection to their devices. Research findings show that more than 50% of respondents said their tablets bring peace of mind, almost half (49%) said they're managing their daily duties better, and by simply having a tablet in hand, almost 4 out of 10 people feel more creative (39%). Sound familiar? I feel the same way about my morning can of Pepsi.

This video posted on Stuart Schneiderman's blog on Viacom.com shows how consumers are using their tablets to perpetuate the consumption of media beyond simply sitting on the couch and watching their favorite shows. What it doesn't show is how our addiction to tablets is creating a divide between personal connection. I'm alarmed by the footage of the family sitting on the couch, all using a different mobile device, instead of sitting on the floor, playing with toys or board games.

Is it time we have a technological intervention? When do we pull the plug and force ourselves, as a society, to say "We've consumed enough technology for one day! Turn it off!"? I guess we'll simply have to ask our Facebook friends what they think, right after I update my calendar on iCal and finish this documentary I'm watching on my Whispersync app.