When most people discuss social media, they typically bring up Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter or YouTube. Although these channels are important, there is one very promising, yet underutilized, online resource that is missing from this list – the Blogosphere!

I’m not here to talk about writing a blog, but instead to discuss the importance of outreach. Blogger outreach, better known as the PR side of social media, involves creating, building and maintaining relationships with the most influential bloggers within your industry. You may not be aware of it, but these valuable interactions can help you expand your reach and build awareness. Of course each blog ranges in daily visits, but the blogosphere is one of the primary destinations for users looking for news, information, and reviews.

People Read Blogs
With the Internet becoming such an integral element of the public’s everyday lives, businesses are constantly trying to find new ways to reach their desired customer base through this platform. And with this change, PR of today has moved beyond magazines, newspapers and television, and into the online world of blogs, social networks and lifestyle websites. According to an eMarketer study from 2010, 50% of U.S. Internet users read blogs, and this number is expected to increase to 60% by 2014. As seen through these stats, the general public is slowly moving away from traditional print for their news to online resources, particularly blogs.

If you’re wondering how outreach can help, there are already a number of businesses that have formed valuable relationships with popular bloggers within their industry and utilized their influence to help build awareness and boost business. For example, the BALSAMS Grand Resort Hotel in New Hampshire ran a winter campaign with two well known Canadian social media travel stars, Alex & Luke. The travelers used their own website, along with the property’s social channels to share their stories, mishaps and adventures at the resort. As a result of the publicity received through the campaign and outreach, the hotel nearly sold out during their opening week of the winter season for the first time in years and now receive two times the amount of traffic to their website compared to before.

Be Real. Bloggers will know when you’re not.
Keep in mind that bloggers are real people just like you and me, so don’t treat them like billboard space in Times Square. That being said, there are a few things to remember when venturing into the ever evolving blogosphere. First, it’s important to perform in-depth research into the writers that provide the most opportunity for your business. The less relevant a blogger is to your brand, the lower the chances are that they’ll be interested in promoting your business. Makes sense, right? Second, you want to make sure you abide by any rules set by the FTC or any other governing body because getting in trouble is hardly ever fun. And most importantly, be real! Bloggers will know when you’re faking it and it is unlikely that they’ll use their influence to promote a person, business or product that they do not believe in themselves.

By no means am I saying that the blogosphere is the only place to be. If anything, I think that blogger outreach should be mixed within an integrated social media and/or PR campaign because it is a powerful resource for almost any brand looking to find the best places to reach their customer base.