To Pay or Not To Pay an Influencer
To pay or not to pay an influencer – this is one of the most difficult questions to answer as the start of an influencer outreach campaign. Most luxury brands have trouble understanding whether or not it is acceptable to pay an influencer. These are two sides to the coin; and as a luxury brand it is important that you understand the importance of the work done by influencers. Gaining digital popularity is not as easy as 1-2-3. Influencers often spend years building their own brand as a digital influencer in their marketplace. Obviously the decision depends on your marketing strategy and budget, but to help you make the choice whether to pay or not to pay an influencer, read on.
Say Yes
Studies show that nearly half of all influencers expect money, and less than a quarter of them expect product discounts and freebies. Surprise? You shouldn't be. If you accept the fact that purchasing ad space in a luxury magazine, on a highway billboard or even on a bus is acceptable, then so should paying a digital influencer. The main difference will be the costs. A luxury magazine will likely request a payment of tens of thousands of dollars for an ad on the cover, while a luxury blogger will request a few hundred dollars.
Although many influencers anticipate to be rewarded for their efforts, most of the time, it is not just about the money. There are different ways to reward your influencers – compensate their efforts with money, spend time on their social media outlets, offer them free products and discounts.
Say No
Influencer’s opinions should be unbiased and original therefore buying influence might not always work for your luxury brand. Giving away your luxury products to your influencers as a token of appreciation for their work and effort seems like a blatant effort at buying their word. Giving product discounts and freebies might seem like influencing their comments and opinions about your brand.
Make the Decision
While some influencers have come to expect to be paid for their services, there are many others who might look down on you and might even get a little offended if you offered them rewards for something they do voluntarily. To pay or not to pay an influencer is a tough decision every luxury brand has to make sooner than later. Need help deciding if you should pay or not pay an influencer? Reach out to us for a complimentary consultation.
Finding Your Ideal Influencers
The word, ‘influence’ means having the ability to alter the manner in which others act or even think. In a digital world, although the social graph and the number of followers a person has goes on to show their popularity, it does not necessarily mean that they can wield the kind of influence that is useful to promote your luxury brand. Rather than focusing on the sheer number of social media fans or even the average monthly visitors to a website, focus instead on the quality of the audience.
For a luxury brand wishing to gain exposure in the affluent community, the ideal influencer would be someone who has the ability to drive action through their words, change the behavior and opinions of others through their action. The right influencers for your luxury brand are those whose word resonates among their followers, who have a relevance to both the products and the audience and are able to reach crowds easily.
It is possible to best amplify the brand’s content by identifying the right influencer on the basis of several factors such as demography, size, and engagement of audience and the quality of the content produced by the influencer.
When finding your ideal influencer, you process should include the following steps:
• Social Listening: Listen to the social interactions on myriad social media channels. You might notice that some influencers are influent not only within the affluent community but within the influencer community as well. Once you have identified a small group of influencers that seem to target your coveted audience, start engaging their communities.
• Google Alerts: Keeping tab on Google Alerts is another way to finding your ideal influencer for your luxury brand. Look at the people who are actively participating in discussions about your product. You should set keyword alerts on Google; make sure that you use various keyword combinations that are related to your product.
• Use Hashtags: Hashtags are another great tool to identify the right influencers to suit your luxury brand’s target audience. Keep an eye out for those used most by your target audiences; then identify the most active in the conversations. Add these influencers is a Twitter list or Google + group to easily connect with them on a regular basis.
• Rank them: Finally, rank these influencers based on their social media Klout, their reach, and their relevance to your luxury brand.
To find the ideal influencer, it is important to understand that influence comes in various shapes and sizes and varies from product to product and campaign to campaign. The ideal influencers should be able to convert some of their loyal fans into potential customers for your luxury brand.
When The Relationship Between Brand And Influencer Suffers
Creating an initial buzz around your brand might simply require you to pay a few key influencers to spread your message. But apart from a short term influx of traffic, and maybe a few sales, will this tactic really bring tangible value to your brand's overall digital presence? If a blogger or social media star is paid a lump sum to either publish a blog, tweet and/or post a link on their Facebook wall, one has to wonder if they will ever work with that brand again for free? Will they provide the relationship between brand and influencer? Will the influencer provide more value then what is stated in the agreement? Will they create a long-lasting social synergy to stay true to their original recommendation? Maybe, maybe not.
We once consulted with this digital brand that used this technique to drive new members to join their newsletter. The brand paid a notable blogger over $4,000 to tweet to her 100 000+ fans about this great new website. The results was a sudden influx of new sign-ups, but then... nothing much happened. This campaign didn't have a lasting effect because it fell short on a few things.
First, the blogger had to be convinced with money (a lot of it) that the brand was one she should tweet about. Since she had no emotional connection to the brand itself she didn't feel the need to provide additional value to the brand other than what was stated in her agreement.
Second, she simply didn't have the right audience. She had hundreds of thousands of fans but if the brand had paid attention they would have noticed that her tweeter feed did not have the right type of followers. The brand sold luxury products in excess of $500 but when you looked at the blogger's fan base, you could easily notice that her fans were young adults who, although longed for these types of products, could, more than likely, never truly afford them.
We also came across a similar situation when we managed the social media channels and blog of a famous Canadian personality. She was under contract with a dairy brand to tweet sporadically about the products. We were actually shocked when we read her agreement: every one of her tweets was pre-planned by the brand months in advance! She didn't even have the authority to create her own tweets! We know for a fact that her tweets resulted in very little results. She barely wanted to send them out; her fans, who followed her every move, noticed the "fake factor" of every one of these tweets. It was obvious they weren't really hers. A real shame.
An influencer campaign can be successful if done the right way. Paying bloggers and social media influencers to share your message can work, if you identity the right influencers and create the right campaign. You should then ask them to create engaging content that fits their audience. Give them the tools and the leeway to come up with the campaign with you. They understand their audience better than you; they know what works and what doesn't; and they sincerely hope for your success. These influencers have usually achieved the social success you are longing for, so you might as well listen to their tips and recommendations.
If you need to find influencers in the luxury travel niche, check out our blog on the top 145 Luxury travel social media channels to follow in 2014. Or even better, contact one of the luxury bloggers we have interviewed in our Blogger Spotlight series.
Blogger Spotlight: Damon Banks of LuxeGetaways.com
Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.
Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.
Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.
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Today’s blogger is Damon Banks of LuxeGetaways.com, a travel writer's blog. With over 15 years of experience in the travel and lifestyle industry, Damon’s involvement on multiple levels within the travel, hospitality, business and lifestyle industries allow him to provide a unique perspective as an editorial contributor, freelance journalist and industry expert to a variety of international print publications, online media and news outlets. Damon regularly contributes to the Huffington Post, The Examiner and several high-end luxury magazines such as Upscale Magazine, Montage Magazine, Global Living and Upscale Living.
Read below to learn more about Damon Banks, a man who seems to know everyone in the luxury travel industry.
Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?
"The word ”Blogger” has certainly evolved over the years, becoming a much more accepted and trendy term. With my background of media, along with a growing amount of international travel writing assignments, the opportunity to also maintain a Blog (LuxeGetaways.com) has simply been a place where I could write about something I had a personal connection with, or simply wanted to write about and explore further, as time allows."
Like most successful bloggers, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
"Fortunately, between my writing for magazines and online outlets, if there’s a brand that I personally know, appreciate and want to feature, it’s nice to have options when finding a place to feature the brand. It might take several months, but if it’s meant to me, there will always be a way to collaborate."
What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?
"I think a good press release can be very helpful. Of course, there are a lot of bad press releases out there, but a good one can provide a quick snapshot of the brand or project, and enough information to decide if it’s something that is a good fit for what is currently needed."
If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
"Email is always the best and most direct, however, I do have a lot of people that reach out to me via social media, which is always a quick way to exchange contact information and make the initial connection.
Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why? I find that all the social media options today have advantages and disadvantages. For everyday outreach, Facebook and Twitter remain important; and when it comes to a number of great industry connections, Linked-In is also a great asset."
Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?
"Klout, Kred and others are interesting, but I certainly don’t put a lot of merit into these ratings. I’m interested in how much the number fluctuates, so I will check it every few weeks, but don’t stress out if it’s dropped a few points."
Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?
"I know my position is a bit unique since I contribute to a variety of outlets. Also, due to my media background, I have also worked with a number of luxury brands on their promotional and marketing endeavors. However, with my schedule these days, most of my work is simply based around developing stories and then promoting them via my personal social media channels."
Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?
"I think most brands today see writers and Bloggers in a much more positive light than just a few years ago, and understand that it is a business. In my case, I am writing full time, but still enjoy being able to Blog with outlets such as Huffington Post, or my own Blog, LuxeGetaways.com. Unfortunately, each industry (Bloggers, writers, travel agents, etc.) has a few “bad apples in the bunch,” which always discredits those of us legitimately working in the industry. However, that’s a part of business, and most brands can differentiate between the legitimate writers and Bloggers, verses the “bad apples.” "
If you want to get a glimpse of a travel writer with a great social media following, connect with Damon Banks on LuxeGetaways.com, on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and YouTube. If you are to shy to connect with Damon directly and want an introduction, reach out to us. We consider Damon as among one of our favorite digital friends.
Blogger Spotlight: Karen Schaler From TravelTherapyTrips.com
Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.
Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.
Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.
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Today’s blogger is Karen Schaler from TravelTherapyTrips.com. You might have seen Karen on the Travel Therapy TV show traveling the world and making us dream of the ultimate escape. This three time Emmy award-winner and lifestyle and travel expert hopes to inspire even the most discerning traveler to take empowering trips based on what they are going through in life. Whether you are stressed out or looking for romance, check out her online series for tips on where to go next.
You can also follow Karen on her adventures through her articles on such prominent publications such as The New Yorker, The Boston Globe, New York Daily News, Travel+Leisure, Town & Country Travel, Elite Traveler, Islands, abcnews.com, Delta Sky, Hemispheres, US Airways Magazine, SilverKris-Singapore Airlines Magazine.
Read on to learn more about Karen Schaler, a woman with a passion for sharing her tips with her fans.
Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?
"I got started blogging to launch my new website, www.traveltherapytrips.com, as I was getting ready for my book Travel Therapy: Where Do You Need to Go?, to come out because I wanted people looking for the right trips to take to have a place to go where they could continue the journey, after the book, and get updated information on the best destinations, resorts, spas, culinary trips and travel adventures from around the world."
Like most successful blogger, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
:Because I’m the creator and host of Travel Therapy TV, airing in New York City and nationally, my blog is focused on a lot of videos highlighting the different Travel Therapy trips I’ve taken for my TV segments and ongoing online video syndication. Since all of my reporting is ”first person” meaning I have to actually travel to a place and experience it before I will write about it, I work with people who are able to help me get the editorial I need and understand what it takes to shoot and produce a television segment. I tend to work with the same publicists over and over again that ”get it” because I know when they pitch me a story they know my Travel Therapy brand and what I do and they don’t waste my time and we know how to work together quickly and efficiently.
That said I always love meeting new publicists who have taken the time to know the kind of editorial I’m doing and ask smart questions about what I’m looking for. For those publicist who blindly email me how their story is perfect for my ”readers” when I work in TV and have viewers, their pitches go into the trash. If they don’t take the time to know the medium I’m working in I don’t take the time to read any further."
What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?
"I rarely read a press release beyond the title and will only read on if the title is fantastic and makes me curious to read more. I prefer targeted pitches to what I do with my editorial, ideally one or two lines to ”hook” me into wanting more. I work in TV, we’re very fast paced. I decide in the first line if I’m interested so they have to make it good."
What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?
"The only time I’ll work with a give-a-way campaign is if I’ve covered the place doing the give-a-way and can recommend that place personally and it makes good editorial sense to offer the give-a-way."
If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
"Always email, please. I don’t take calls. You can also send me a tweet @traveltherapy but I get so many it might get lost so email is still always the safest and again a catchy personalized subject line will get it read faster."
Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?
"I like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter as my top choices. They each offer a unique way to help me share my editorial content and stay connected and researched on potential stories I’m interested in covering in the future."
In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?
"To be successful in social media you have to check in daily, be engaged, share information, be authentic and honest and respond to those who are interacting with you as much as you possibly can. You also can’t just shamelessly self-promote your own project you have to give back and share unique ideas, tips, things that will help another person, that’s how you build a loyal following."
Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?
"Right now I’m not monitoring my Klout score as I haven’t seen it have much impact or be relevant to what I do at this point."
If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?
"Pay it forward! Find something to say that is unique, inspiring and empowering and help people live their best lives. That’s how you can build a loyal following and do your small part to help make someone else’s life a little better. Whether that be through travel, fashion, health and wellness, sports, you name it, the key is just to be genuine and to give something back not just take, take, take. Everyone has something to say so just choose your words wisely so people will want to listen."
Get inspired by Karen Schaler on TravelTherapyTrips.com, on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Pinterest, YouTube, Delicious and StumbleUpon. If you are to shy to connect with her directly and want an introduction, reach out to us.
Engaging Influencers Beyond The Campaign
Most luxury brand marketers reach out to popular and influential bloggers for a one-time outreach campaign that is aimed at boosting popularity and spiking interest during product launch. However, these same luxury brands will stop the relationship with the bloggers immediately after the campaign gets over, and only reach out when they need another spike in interest. This is where most of the luxury brands falter.
Influencers have the ability to drive action and shape the buying behavior of others. They can help the business establish authority, increase brand awareness, drive interest towards the brand's products and keep the trust levels high. Keeping the doors of communication and engagement open and real is important; think about incorporating some of these strategies into your marketing mix.
• Reciprocate – Any relationship demands reciprocation and appreciation. If you want to maintain a healthy and long-term relationship with your brand advocates, you should be ready to be involved, and be willing to offer benefits beyond the campaign. Offer regular gifts; give discounts, and deals so that your brand advocates are willing to give you back more in return.
• Surprise to Satisfy – Everybody likes a good little surprise; why don’t you use it to your advantage? Surprise your brand advocates simply mentioning their name on your Tweeter feed or in a blog post – at a time when they are not expecting a reward. The surprise element can work wonders to your brand image, it will create an additional buzz within your brand advocate's fan base. Your pleasantly delighted advocates might share their experiences with others, making it easier for your brand to garner more exposure.
• Let Them Be The First To Know – When you keep your brand advocates in the loop, by informing them about any company change, new product launches, new offers and new events to attend, you are letting them know that they matter. They deserve the right to know about your company and your products before it is launched to the general public. Think about reaching out to them on a one by one basis rather than with a copy/paste press release. If you want them to work with you on an ongoing basis, you need to let them know you care.
• Be in Touch – Everything is about maintaining relationships. So, it is important to continue building rapport to keep the conversation going. It is rude to contact them when you need a favor and then forget all about them once the work is done. Be in touch, check on them every now and then, send them an email, ask about their work, leave a comment on their blogs, and appreciate their work - anything to keep the conversation smooth.
• Show your Appreciation – Everyone likes to be appreciated and recognized. Your brand advocates deserve appreciation and recognition for the work they do. Make sure they know that their efforts at spreading word about your brand are duly appreciated. Plan events specifically to celebrate them and their efforts.
At LuxeInACity, we have seen brands go out of their way to make us feel special and be our friend for years to come; others seem to be only in it for the short term. We strongly recommend you engage influencers beyond the campaign.
Blogger Spotlight: Ana Silva O’Reilly From Mrs. O Around The World
Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.
Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.
Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.
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Today's blogger is Ana Silva O'Reilly from Mrs. O Around the World, a luxury travel blogger who seems to be constantly traveling the world in search of the best experiences. Yes, you can be jealous, Ana Silva O'Reilly, is living the life. Since 2011, she has been inspiring travelers to follow her adventures and to share their personal experience with her on social media. Mrs. O Around the World currently reaches over 30 000 monthly fans and has a great following on social media, especially on Twitter where she has over 13,500 loyal fans.
Read below to get to know the woman behind Mrs. O Around the World.
Photo Credit: Flytographer
Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?
Mine was a complete accident! I have been travelling my whole life for both work and pleasure and in 2011, as I was finishing my MBA, I decided to explore social media further as a marketing professional. I actually went to New York and attended one of the first academically certified and recognised social media strategy courses at NYU and I had to create a twitter account – Mrs. O was born there and then. The blog came a few months later (in November 2011) because I was being constantly asked (and offering) for advice on where to go in specific places. Sharing a URL was easier than emailing people all the time. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Like most successful blogger, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
The love test. I am a consumer first and foremost (and the lifestyle I depict on the website and through my online persona is my real life) – so I know most brands ’from the other side’. I tend always to work with brands that I love – brands that I know well, as I have paid for their services over and over again.
Photo Credit: Flytographer
What is the best pitch you have received from a luxury brand? What is the worst?
This one from PRCo, a leading PR agency in the UK, on behalf of the Four Seasons - http://mrsoaroundtheworld.com/2013/08/14/my-hotel-four-seasons-hampshire-uk-fshampshire/
I had worked with PRCo and Four Seasons on many occasions, but I loved the tone and the pitch – it was just for me and absolutely spot on. So much so, I actually shared it with my readers. The worst? Where do I start? I get really bad ones on a weekly basis and it makes me sad. Usually they come from digital agencies on behalf of top clients, who have no idea what is being done on their behalf. I usually take the time and contact the client to let them know – there have been some surprises! I will always remember being invited to review camping equipment. I kid you not.
What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?
I don't write from press releases and I really don't like receiving them – especially if they have been unsolicited. I love when (few) PR agencies actually bother to ask me. I really don't like when they just add my email address, which happens too often. Social media allows you to be on top of news and developments on any industry and if it is something good, I will hear about it.
If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
I love when some brands approach me via Twitter and build a rapport over time – I like to get a feel of who is behind the social activity, tone of voice etc. Those are the brands that I then tend to work with on projects. I don't like ’cold’ projects, or purely transactional ones. And most brands I have worked with, have been repeat projects – true partnerships.
Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?
Interestingly, the community I have built around Mrs O is somewhat fragmented – which makes things more interesting. My Twitter followers are not the same as the people who like my Facebook page. Instagram is a bit of a mix bag, but also have Instagram only followers. Those different audience groups are looking for a different experience, and I provide content according to the platform.
Do you sometime receive compensation from luxury brands, whether it's in the form of cash or incentives, to blog about them?
I am very clear about any compensation I receive, if any. I also disclose any free services/product, which most people don't, but I believe it is very important - needless to say, the whole point of writing a review is if one can be honest and add real value. Otherwise, what is the point? When something isn't good, I have no issues with telling my readers - how disappointed would you be if I told you that hotel x had great rooms and you went there and found out it was not the case?
I can work on an editorial basis which is free of charge or I can work on a branding campaign basis with a sponsor. Both work very well and have different types of reach – it depends on what the brand is looking to achieve.
Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?
Yes, I have worked on numerous brand awareness programmes and social media campaigns, where I take the readers with me, live, on a particular trip. It is always clear where I am staying and what I am doing. I also offer consultancy services on the marketing and social media arenas.
If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?
Think why you are doing this – if there is a genuine passion, and this is really your life, by all means, use these platforms to inspire others, if that is what you want to do. The goal is to find other people who think and act in a similar way that you do – and you will find a lot of common ground. If you are thinking about starting a blog to brag, or to get freebies that you would not otherwise be able to afford, I honestly don't think it is going to work (and sadly too many people see that as a goal. I find it morally wrong). Having a story to tell is the only way that others can listen to you. It is a crowded space, with low barriers to entry, but like in any industry, not every one can get to the top (I am not saying I am or aspire to be). In my other career, it took me 15 years, a business studies degree and an MBA from top schools and a lot of hard work to get me to where I am – I would not expect 2 years in blogging to take me to the same place. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have been given as a blogger (because I found my space, my voice), but would never expect this to become my number one professional occupation.
Connect with Mrs. O on MrsOaroundTheWorld, on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram. Yes, the woman is everywhere! If you are to shy to connect with her directly and want an introduction, reach out to us.
How To Sever Your Relationship With A Luxury Blogger In One Step
Today is a day where I vent a little as it seems like one luxury travel brand we have been promoting for nearly a year has completely lost their way. To put you in context, let me explain the nature of our relationship.
The brand is a reputable luxury travel brand that became one of our monthly contributors on LuxeInACity, our luxury travel magazine. Since we value the opinions of travel experts, we published 10 original blog posts from them that included several SEO links back to their website. We even took it a step further and shared everything on our social media channels and randomly interacted with them throughout the year.
Last night, my partner/sister Maxine mentioned that she felt the relationship was unidirectional and that the content received was extremely generic. She had been noticing for a while that this luxury travel brand never took any initiative to share our own content with their fans. Unless we promoted them, they never interacted with us. It was always about them. So we decided to do a test.
I adapted one of our blog posts to include several links back to LuxeInACity's content and asked Maxine to sent them a request to publish it on their blog as a gesture of reciprocity. Remember that we have been promoted them on a complimentary basis for nearly a year and have never asked for anything in return. This was their response:
"Hi Maxine
Thank you for posting our April blog – looks brilliant. I love the tulip picture. I’ve got the May blog ready to send over to you next week but let me know if you want it any earlier than that.
Regarding posting on our blog, unfortunately we don’t feature reciprocal guest blogs. As I’m sure you are aware, Google places no value in a reciprocal link so this isn’t something we would do. I will always retweet anything you put out that mentions @brandname so I hope that is of some help to you.
Please do let me know if you have any queries at all
Best wishes"
Seriously.... If this is how they act with their friends, I wonder how they actually threat their clients... Our response was simple... Delete, Delete, Delete. Yes, I deleted the last 10 blog posts they sent us and all those beautiful SEO backlinks we gave them over the year.
The reasons are simple:
1- We only promote brands we love.
2- We only promote brands we value the friendship.
3- We only promote brands we recommend to our fans.
SEO is not about building random backlinks for Google but about building strong relationships with influencers that can give you traction. Maxine and I are not vindictive but enough if enough.
Lesson learned: Be friendly and give back some love! Build a real relationship with a luxury blogger.
Note: I am certain that this luxury travel brand is very happy we decided not to give them an SEO backlink from this post ;)
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UPDATE: In case you wanted to know Maxine's reply:
"Hi "Name"
Thank you for following up. I am sad to see that "Brand Name" doesn't consider us a strategic partner. Since we are in the same field but offer different services, it does make sense that we help each other out. Not all reciprocal link are bad according to Google. If you were a dentist and I was a construction worker than it would definitely be considered black SEO to exchange links for the simple matter of a link exchange but since our content is relevant to each other and our readers, reciprocal links are still valuable when done right and and the links would be considered helpful additional resources on both our end, offering our readers more insight into the luxury travel world.
This isn’t a strategy to employ as an easy SEO tool to build lots of inbound links. If the link seems forced, unnatural, or out of place, it probably is and shouldn’t be used such as the example above.
This is a strategy to use to not only gain visibility for your brand and business in a new group of ideal clients and customers, but to also help your audience connect with and benefit from other relevant service providers, businesses, and retailers.
You see, there are still instances when reciprocal linking is smart for business, especially when it’s used as an online business strategy to gain visibility in front of new audiences. Our network in the luxury world is quite extensive and since we only link to businesses and websites that are trusted and authorities in their field, we have gained our authority by working and using reciprocal links that benefit both parties. We have never engaged in any purely SEO tactics since we have been online and purely gained our authority by getting involved in smart strategic partnerships so we have to believe that our tactic is working. We often even refuse linking to websites that are willing to pay as we believe our reputation is more important that a quick buck. Matt Cutts actually states that guest blogging purely for SEO purposes is not recommended but instead he says that "There are still many good reasons to do some guest blogging such as exposure, branding, increased reach, community, etc"
Having said that, last year, we used to accept guest posts from trusted websites for the opportunity to gain access to free quality content. However, our business has grown tremendously in the last year and we no longer need free content, now being able to produce our own. We now only accept guest posts if it's from strategic partnerships beneficial to both parties. Every guest blogger in our repertoire has agreed to continue working with us as strategic partners at one point or another. A simple retweet mentioning your company is not beneficial in any way to us since the focus is still on "Brand Name" and the links in the article still redirect everyone to your website. We can no longer justify the administrative costs if we are not getting anything in return. I hope you understand. I am sad to have to part ways but I see no other choices. I have to also mention at this time that we have removed all previous articles from our blog. We are strong believers in building real relationships and feel a little bit like we have been taken advantage of. If "Brand Name" is still interested in getting featured on LuxeInACity or would wishes for us to republish past content, I can provide you with a pricing list for a sponsored posts.
Have a great day!
Maxine Genier"
Blogger Spotlight: Lorre White The Luxury Guru
Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, our luxury travel magazine, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.
Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.
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Today's blogger is Lorre White, often nicknamed The Luxury Guru. As you will read below, Lorre is considered an expert in luxury among her peers. She is often asked to share her opinion on TV, radio, and everywhere in digital media. Apart from rubbing shoulders with UHNWI, Lorre blogs on a regular basis to share her insider knowledge with those who seek valuable advice on how to attract and connect with luxury consumers. The Luxury Guru also provides a range of service such as consulting and marketing through White Light Consulting, her luxury consulting company.
Get to know Lorre White The Luxury Guru, learn from her and hopefully, you will find an innovative way to collaborate with her.
Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?
"I started blogging in 2004/05 when I was on consulting project for NetJets/Marquis Jets as the head of their global marketing and sales for their BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) program. (At the time, their BBJ, which commercially seats 200, was configured for 18 with 3 marble bathrooms with showers, two bedrooms, etc. Back then, just fuel was $19,000 an hour for this jet. That is not including use of the jet itself, catering, regulatory fees, taxes etc.) These were NetJets wealthiest clients. Although they had great financial resources, they often asked me where to go, where did I like to stay, my favorite restaurants, what international events like Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Ball, Grand Prix, Art Basel, etc., were most fun, and where were the insiders hot parties. Basically they wanted the inside scoop, as they do not like to travel as tourists. They need to know they will be on the right side of the velvet rope.
These are people that can afford every luxury, and have an insatiable desire for more information regarding all aspects of the luxury sector. Luxury is fun ,and these people can afford to live fully exhilarated lives. As a luxury marketing consultant, I get information about the newest luxury products, where to buy them first, etc., and so I just start blogging as a way to better serve my NetJets clients and stay in touch with them after my project was completed. From there it just grew by word of mouth to their peers, and through my new consulting clients, and international media work.
I also share luxury industry articles from other sources that are of interest to my fan base. They know that I weed through the junk and post only those articles that actually have something relevant to say. This saves them time. Because of my luxury marketing training I know how to reach the UHNW and I know what they want, so it is not really surprising that it has grown organically. As Forbes say "Lorre's followers include Billionaires and Royals"
When a company contacts me and asks how many subscribers.....I know immediately I am dealing with someone that is not experienced in the elite end of the luxury sector! In Luxury Marketing it is about WHO, not How MANY. One person that can afford your product or service is more valuable than a million that cannot. I do not seek the aspirational follower. If they want to follow me, it does not hurt me, but it does not help me either. My content stays true to my specific demographic and has now for a decade. But everyone wants to keep up with the Jones, (or in this case the Buffetts, Gates, Pinaults, Arnaults) and so not surprisingly, others started to follow. These people maybe cannot own a jet, but can afford a jet card with hours of flying time, or to charter a jet on occasion, or lower down still, only fly first class commercially. They can participate in some of the products and services and are aiming to increase their wealth to afford them all.
Also, trust is a very important factor in reaching the UHNW. Many of them know me personally, or I was recommended by one of their peers. My consistency of blogging material has proven reliable. The TRUST factor really goes back to the time factor. They do not want to waste their time on travel, stay in a hotel, eating in a restaurant, shopping at stores that were recommended by someone who perception of luxury may not match their own. I have worked extensively in the luxury sector for over two decades as an international luxury marketing expert. My followers TRUST me not to waste their TIME. Also, I have had several luxury brand recommend that their employees follow my work, as it serves as an educational source for them to learn from, and see what is relevant to their potential clients.
As the media became aware of who many of my followers were, they started wanting me to appear on TV, radio and such to speak about different luxuries to their audience. The financial means is much lower for the TV audience, so I cover lower priced luxuries that the "aspirationals" can afford, like fashion, foods, wines, some travel. As this aspect of my media work grew, the networks need a place to have information about items I covered posted, so I added it to my luxury blog that shares my name "Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru". I was dubbed this by the media, "The Luxury Guru", because they needed a title to flash on screen under my name, and each time I was at the network, it was on a different subject, one time yachts, the next time perfumes, next travel. This somewhat humorous name was all encompassing in the luxury sector, and it just stuck."
Like most successful blogger, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
"I simply ask myself, "Is this a match to my target UHNW followers? Is this information appropriate and of interest to my fan base, or will this seem frivolous and a waste of their time to read?" I started this blog with personal knowledge of the readers and what they requested. I just stay true to what their luxury market interests are.
Only 200,000 people control over 50% of the global wealth and there are really very few sources the serve this group. There are thousands of media sources that use the word luxury, but they target an aspirational group. The tastemakers are not interested in the lipstick du jour, how to finagle discounts, or how to dress like a celebrity. Celebrities follow these people. The motivations of the truly rich are very different than the masses. The aspirational will spend time waiting in line, cutting coupons, changing dates to try and experience things beyond their means. They are willing to spend time for money, but the uber-rich are the opposite. To them time is the single rarest commodity and they are happy to pay three times the price if they can get it fast, when and where they want. Convenience and good service is really built around saving them time. Sites that carry celebrity gossip, and the hand bag of the month, just waste the precious time of the UHNW and thus they won't follow. What they can afford to do differs from the masses, and what is only a dream for others, is their reality."
What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?
"It really depends. Companies that do not understand the luxury market and are really targeting aspirational are the biggest waste of my time. But concise releases from the private, jets, yachts, and elite car industry, I do find beneficial."
What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?
"Lorre: Appropriateness to my UHNW client base and blog following. Does it offer something this my readers want, and distinguish me as offering something special to my base that they can't get anywhere else."
If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
"I prefer email. I want something more than going to their website that everyone can do. Email is the most efficient way to get information; that amount of information does not fit in 140 characters tweet."
In your mind, what makes a successful blogger outreach program? Is it the incentive, the brand itself or the relationship you already have with the brand?
"Well with brands I already a good relationship with , it is easier to reach me. For brands that do not have a relationship they need to create one, and thus incentive. I have at least two full time jobs in the luxury sector besides blogging, and they need to get my attention and give me a reason to focus in their direction. They need to build the trust with me.
I think one of the largest limiting factors that luxury brands have, is that the location of the bloggers is global, and bloggers have neither the time, nor often the resources, to fly to every brands headquarters to get educated more extensively on a brand and build relationships. The smarter brands will have to learn a way around this and host cross promotional events for the bloggers much like they do for the clients, where several non-competitive brands can access specific bloggers with a particular following. If they do not, they will be stuck with the same regional bloggers over and over again. Their reach is really limited. If a brand is in Paris but wants to reach the US or UAE markets, they may need a farther blogger reach then the greater Paris area allows."
Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why? Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?
"Research shows that statistically the social media that is most active with the UHNW is FaceBook. I think that I enjoy this one the most because it is the one the does not have to stay on point. I do post my articles and blog postings there too, but it is only part of the content. My brand is a person and so those that follow me on FaceBook feel that they know me because of the more social aspects and non-business interaction that happens there. On my other social media I tend to stay on point of pure work related topics."
In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?
"As a marketing consultant and blogger, I say it is consistency of content for a specific audience. Do not try to be all things to all people or you will wind up with nobody. Pick and audience and be true to them. If you are consistent you will develop a following. Be knowledgeable and trustworthy, or just entertaining depending, on the subject of the blog, and offer something different. For me there are very few sources that have a reach to this UHNW group and my competitors use a company name, there is no personality. Readers do not fall in love/trust with a building, but they do the right person. My brand is a person and so my readers feel that they know me, which cannot be said of just a magazine or newspaper name. As I said before many of my original blog followers were private jet clients that knew me. It does require the right person, I have seen some luxury brands try to adopt this, but have does so unsuccessfully. I have a proven track record of success."
Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?
"NO, I think Klout is a very poor measure. Firstly, they include only one page on a site, they do not include fan pages and/or group pages, or second profile pages on FaceBook or LinkedIn. They limit the number of social media sites that can be included in the score. They do not include the many private social media networks. They do not include your following on other sources of media. For example I had a monthly column under my name, in Portugal's number 1 rated luxury magazine with over 1.2 million subscribers, and this is not included in in Klout scores. I make TV appearances or web shows and that is not included. It does not include the number of subscribers that use RSS feed on my blog and get it sent directly to their in box. There is more, but I think your probably starting to see how very incomplete and thus irrelevant Klout is. I think it is a toy for non-professionals."
What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?
"Business, but I love the luxury business."
Do you sometime receive compensation from luxury brands, whether it's in the form of cash or incentives, to blog about them?
"Yes, appropriate brands can purchase a feature story/interview. This is something much more in-depth. Not every business/product/service/person qualifies for a feature. I maintains a very exclusive fan base by never abusing their time. If a subject is not deemed of interest to my readers, a posting will not be made.
As the only internationally recognized luxury media personality, my work is also followed by the global luxury media. Often my posts and features article get republished into luxury magazines globally. For example when Rolls-Royce chose me to do their first personal (not just cars) interview with their global CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, it got republished both in print magazines and web based ones, multiple times in many countries! When I wrote a feature on Steve Case's (founder of AOL) Virginia Winery, it got picked up and reprinted in a UK Luxury magazine giving the Virginia wine industry their first international media exposure. That is bang for your buck! I do not just have individuals that follow my work, but a whole host of global business and luxury media that does too."
Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?
"Lorre: I am an internationally recognized luxury marketing expert. I own White Light Consulting. I work with luxury brands that need to reach the world's wealthiest because of the price point of their product or service, companies that sell yachts, jets, racehorses, elite properties, jewelry, watches, 5 star hotels and private banks.
I have frequently written articles about problems that I find in companies. Luxury Marketing is very different than mass marketing taught at most universities. The use of mass marketing is the number 1 cause of failure in luxury businesses. There is even a separate LUXURY MBA offered at many international Universities. There are very few real luxury marketers. I get letters all the time from people thanking me for these articles and how my luxury industry articles helped them change their way of thinking and greatly improved their business. It gives potential new consulting clients the chance to see the type of work I have done. The UHNW like to read about themselves and they enjoy it, not to mention many are investors in luxury businesses and they are looking for information both as an investor, as well as a consumer.
I also am an international keynote speaker for luxury industry events, and the only internationally recognized luxury media personality with a following of the world's wealthiest consumers. I have a recognized name in the industry, with both inside the luxury industry professionals and outside the industry to the end user. I bring credibility to brands and events through my attendance. As one journalist wrote, "If you don't know of Lorre White, you're probably not UHNW." I am also the ONLY internationally recognized luxury media personality (TV, Web, radio, magazines etc.,) and a keynote speaker for the luxury industry. It allows fans to know where I will be speaking and helps to promote those events/shows/magazines all of these are other ways I work with brands besides the obvious benefit is that when I cover luxury items that it goes out to a group of people that are very hard and expensive to reach. It I write about my personal experience with the hotel, jet, designer etc. that bring credibility to whatever I cover, because I have built trust with the UHNW. It is more important who says it, as what is said in reporting to this group because they know that their standards exceed what is the reality for most individuals. Unless someone has been trained, they are probably bring their more middle class perspectives into play. The WSJ is a trusted source, but an article written by a regular journalist, will lack the trust and not have the influence, and will cost a whole lot more."
Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?
"Absolutely, everybody has to eat, and the brands that realize that they need to help put food on the table, in order for the source to not dry up, will be the ones that more successfully move forward in the ever advancing social media world. Some bloggers rely entirely on their blogging as a means to support themselves."
What would you say is the best thing about being a luxury blogger?
"Always having a podium, a worldwide platform from which to speak, and in my particular case....to a very powerful global group that are the shapers of the globe."
Do you rub shoulders with the rich and famous through your work as a luxury blogger?
"I have often "rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous" but that is mostly through my other work. Unless, you count that daily, many of this rich and famous globally, get a direct email from me with my daily luxury blog updates."
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Lorre White The Luxury Guru on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google + or if you want an introduction, reach out to us.
Blogger Spotlight: Regitse Cecillie Rosenvinge Of Byrosenvinge.com
Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.
Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves - they tend to talk about everyone else instead - we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.
Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.
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Today's blogger is Regitse Cecillie Rosenvinge of Byrosenvinge.com, a Danish luxury blog with a focus on travel, beauty and of course, lifestyle. Apart from being a successful luxury blogger, Regitse expresses her creativity by creating lovely jewelry. A girl with many talents. Read below to get a few tips from the woman behind Byrosenvinge.com.
Like most successful bloggers, you probably receive hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
It’s very important for me to stay true to myself and the theme of my blog, so yes, I’m quite choosy when it comes to promotion of brands and services. When I choose to write an article or a review about something, it’s because it has a little more to offer than other related products or services. I work with hotels quite a lot, and here it’s important that the hotel stands out with exquisite facilities, customer service, cuisine or whatever it might be. The reader needs to feel that this is pure luxury for all senses and not just an average review of something next door.
What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?
If I feel the brand can add a spark of luxury to my site or if it’s a unique product that could make a difference in the life of either myself or my readers. I’m a fan of everyday luxury, so i’m definitely keen on luxury services or products that can add value to the everyday life.
If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
I’d prefer to communicate through e-mail, but we’re very active on the social media platforms as well.
What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in a blogger outreach program?
On the account of my blog I’ve travelled a lot through all parts of Europe. So far the most extraordinary experience has been a long weekend in Piemonte in Italy, where I went to visit several vineyards and follow the procedure from grape to finished product. We went to eat a Michelin-restaurants and I experienced true Italian culture. I couldn't help but fall even more in love with Italy!
In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?
I believe it’s important to stay updated all the time and commit to social medias as it’s part of your everyday job. Don’t spam – nobody likes to receive news all the time, but select and post relevant stories and info.
What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?
Apart from Byrosenvinge.com I run a jewellery company as well, Regitse Rosenvinge Jewellery, so unfortunately I don’t get to spend as much time with my blog as I’d like, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a very personal thing to me. I literally care about my blog and we’ve come a long way since the beginning. So yes – it’s for pleasure and I don’t believe one could do it if only interested in business. It shines through very quickly.
Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?
Yes. We offer multiple services to companies who wish to work with us. It’s all part of the experience and sometimes it’s even necessary to offer more than just an article about a brand. Especially if we have to commit to a longer collaboration and truly get to know the brand. For example, we offer advertorial space and coverage through our social medias.
Do you manage more than one blog? If so, which ones?
I used to manage a beauty blog as well, but now it’s all about luxury lifestyle at Byrosenvinge.com. Plus my jewellery webshop: www.regitserosenvinge.com.
What would you say is the best thing about being a luxury blogger?
I’ve always loved to surround myself with beautiful things and I love to be able to work with my true hobby and passion; travelling and hotels. I think luxury bloggers are a growing segment and they should stick together in order to maintain good quality content and beautiful layouts.
Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous through your work as a luxury blogger?
Not in particular famous, but let’s just say that things are going in the right direction. It was never a goal for me to meet famous people, I just want to do what I love the most. But every now and then fun things happen and it’s all part of the game.
If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?
Stay focused, be passionate, work hard, strive for the stars.
Don't hesitate to reach out to Regitse Cecillie Rosenvinge of Byrosenvinge.com on Facebook, Twitter, or if you want an introduction, reach out to us.