In Public Relations, it is very important to develop strong media relations skills. Online PR is a little bit different, and you may want to think about Blogging Relations. The popular Blogs are getting many pitches from companies or people who want to get included in the Blog, to generate buzz and get more links. But you need to be careful when pitching a Blog – the rules are different to traditional media relations.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Don’t send a press release – Bloggers, especially popular ones, are not going to spend the time it takes to read the whole thing, and they almost never put whole press releases in a post. They are more likely to link to one, so send a short summary and a link to the release.

2. Make sure your pitch is relevant by reading the Blog (not just the title or most recent post, but skimming through the categories and archives as well). It is a good idea to read the Blog for a while and comment. You are not going to get any favours of a Blogger who knows you don’t read their Blog.

3. Personalise – use the Blogger’s name and demonstrate your knowledge of their work.

4. Be polite – you are asking a stranger for a favour here – and remember to thank them if they do include your pitch. They will then be more likely to consider any future pitches.

If you succeed in getting a post on a quality Blog, it will be great for your image, your SEO efforts and your self-esteem – assuming the post is positive, which, if you follow the etiquette, is much more likely.