How to Start Working with Bloggers to Build Campaigns That Get Results

Katie Hammel Content Marketing Manager, Viator

Manages Viator’s blog network, special content projects, and blogger ambassador program. Works with bloggers to produce content about Viator tours for use on the blogs and on Viator.com.

Alexandra BaackesDigital Influencer, Alex in Wanderland

Blogging and traveling since 2009. Works with top travel brands and DMOs to create beautifully branded content. Reaches a loyal audience of 150,000 unique visitors and 300,000 page views per month, with over 40% of readers making bookings or purchases based on endorsements.

Who this session will benefit: Travel brands and tourism boards who want to build successful campaigns with travel bloggers.  

What we’ll tell you:

How to select bloggers, how to build and execute a campaign, and how to measure results, with perspectives from both the brand and blogger point of view.

What are your goals from brand collaborations?

• Content you own? • Brand awareness? • Site traffic? • SEO?• Increase in social followers? • Reaching a niche audience?• Sales/revenue?• Lead generation?  • Choose bloggers that best help you achieve your goals.

Things to Consider

Types of Campaigns… –

SocialCampaign

BrandedContent

PressTrip

Brand Ambassadorship

SocialTakeover

ContentProduction

On The Blogger’s Platform

On The Brand’s Platform

Viator Brand Ambassadors: 7 bloggers• Chosen based on location, strengths (photography, social media),

audience diversity, travel niche (solo, female, adventure, family)• Create blog post on blogger site and for Viator.com, with photos• Provide customer review and photos• Social media promotion

Case Study: Brand Ambassadorship

Case Study 1: brand Ambassadorship

• The Campaign: A year-long ambassador program.• Why I Said Yes: I’d been working with Viator for years, making it a natural

progression of our relationship. • Results: My announcement post received overwhelmingly positive

comments, my readers consistently give great feedback, and the program was renewed for a second year.

Case Study 2: Instagram CAmpaign• The Campaign: #PursueYourPassions, a campaign designed to get digital

influencers out on the road promoting the brand’s new Plus Your Points promotion. • Why I Said Yes: I love road trips and I love Instagram!• Results: Seven Instagram posts, three Facebook posts, and a blog post.

Case Study 3: paid press trip• The Campaign: An individualized press trip to promote the $90 million dollar

renovations to the Hamilton Princess.• Why I Said Yes: The personalized aspect of the trip allowed me to incorporate

diving and other interests and create unique content. The hotel fit my design aesthetic and travel style.

• Results: My Instagram takeover for the hotel resulted in the highest number of likes the account had ever received. I wrote four blog posts and dozens of pieces of social content.

Case Study 4: Branded post• The Campaign: A single branded post promoting Kayak’s new search features.• Why I Said Yes: I’m a longtime user of Kayak and was given the freedom to create

a post I knew my readers would love.• Results: A popular piece of content already excelling on social shares and organic

search. Happy clients and happy readers… and a happy blogger.

Case Study 5: Unpaid Promotions• The Reality: Most bloggers work with brands who have a small or nonexistent

budget occasionally• Why I Might Say Yes: A perfect fit, a personal experience, and a flexible and

welcoming offer• What to Expect: No guarantees, less control over the resulting content, a media

relationship versus a client one

• Does the blogger already work with any of  your competitors? Is there any conflict with brands the blogger has previously aligned with?

• Does the blogger’s audience fit your product? • Do you enjoy the blogger’s content? • How do you feel about the blogger? Trust your 6th sense! • Ask for details on stats and reach.

Choose Your Partners Wisely

• Does he/she represent the customers you want? • It’s not about the biggest numbers (but numbers matter). What

audience numbers does the blogger have? • How much influence does he/she have? • Is he/she an expert in a smaller niche (big fish, small pond)? • Does he/she have syndication opportunities on bigger sites? • Can he/she offer other content services (writing, photo, video) or

consulting?

What Does the Blogger Have to Offer

How to get a bloggers’ attention…

• Be familiar with their content • Know what they love & target your pitch• Give plenty of lead time• Pay, or keep pressure low• Be transparent• Be open to ideas and inspiration

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?

1. Search2. Social

• Follow on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, etc

• Enlist the help of your social team and PR team. • Who is posting

about you on social?

• Use google alerts to see who is talking about you

Where to Find Bloggers3. Travel groups and resources online

• Travel Bloggers Facebook Group• Media Kitty• TravMedia.com

4. Conferences and Tradeshows

• TBEX• IBT• Adventure Travel Summit• SATW • Women in Travel Summit

• Consumption metrics - Views per post• Engagement - Real likes and comments (not just comments from friends

and other bloggers)• Social media engagement - Likes, comments, RTs, shares • Readers and demographic • Successful referrals from past campaigns • Audience growth

Blogger Metrics: What Numbers Matter

DO • Your research - see what others in your industry are paying, learn

as much as you can about the blogger you are targeting  • Be realistic in what you are asking for and what you expect • Expect to negotiate and... be prepared to not get what you want• Get everything in writing, even if it’s an informal contract • Be transparent• Be creative

DON’T • Take it personally• Be afraid to walk away

Negotiating Fees and Deliverables

List exactly what you will provide:• tour/trip dates or product delivery• any payment• special offers to blogger’s readers ie. discount code• include requested AID/pub code, linking instructions, and social

handles

List exactly what blogger will provide: • number of blog posts, number of social media posts, number of videos• any content to be delivered to you for use on your site• deadlines for delivery and post-campaign wrap-up requirements • preapproval on content, if applicable

Contracts and Expectations

• Don’t panic over constructive criticism • Apologize sincerely • Explain why it happened and what steps you are taking to correct it • Escalate to someone with the authority to do so • Resolve the issue • Make good with the blogger, if possible

What to Do When Things Go Wrong

As part of contract, ask blogger to send a post-campaign report with: • links to published work and stats of readers, comments, likes, shares• links to social media posts and number of likes, shares, comments, RTs• any “wow” metrics

Look at your own metrics• How many people came to your site through the blogger’s (AID/pub code)• How much revenue was generated? • How many social followers did you gain? • How many people used a discount code? • How many people listed the blogger as a referrer?

Measuring Success

“Your post inspired me to set up flight alerts from NYC! Love that it’s a short flight away and that the island’s so small. Had no idea; hope to visit soon!” – Melissa

“I had no idea Bermuda was so easy to get to – or that Marcus Samuelsson had opened a restaurant! It’s always been in an “eventually we’ll get there” spot on my bucket list, but it just moved way up!” – Kristin

“Bermuda is definitely on my bucket list now! It’s so beautiful and I love that the hotel has a very fresh feel and not that tacky tropical décor.” – Danielle

Examples of a wow metric

Website alexinwanderland.comInstagram @alexinwanderlandTwitter @wanderlandalexFacebook /wanderlandalex

Website viator.comInstagram @katiehammel55Twitter @katiehammelEmail katieh@viator.com

Where To Find US