Encouraging Travel Bloggers To Write About Your Hotel (The Insider’s Guide To Pitching A Story)

Getting covered in a popular travel blog is one of the best ways to increase your internet visibility.  Because of the way the internet works, one mention in a high-profile website will give you long-term benefits – perhaps even more than traditional media coverage.

• The blog post will be archived and searchable for future potential guests
• A link to your website will improve your search engine ranking for years to come
• The coverage will increase awareness of your story with other bloggers and writers

With all this to gain, how do you encourage travel bloggers to write about your hotel?  Depending on the amount of commitment you have to this form of marketing, your hotel can take one of two approaches:

The pitch-from-a-distance approach

Sending bloggers stories by email or mail is certainly the easiest (and fastest) approach.  From your desk, you can connect with dozens of top writers and present your story idea.

If you choose this method, be sure to follow these steps:

• First, find relevant bloggers.  Directories such as BlogCatalog can help you with this.
• Second, take some time to read the blogs you plan to pitch.  Get to know the author, and the topics he likes to write about.  Look beyond the blog’s title and see if the blog would even be a good fit for your story.  Pitching a story that is not relevant is a sure way to fail.
• Third, send a personal note to the blog’s author.  (Do NOT copy and paste generic messages – you’re not trying to spam anyone.)  Briefly explain your story, and how you think it would benefit the blog’s readers and more the site a more valuable resource.
• Fourth, make it easy to blog your story.   Include any support materials that would help, such as photos and video that can be embedded into the post.
• Fifth, be persistent.  If you’re absolutely certain that the blog is a good fit for your message, don’t be afraid to followup with new story ideas.  Writers need good content, and by providing them with information, you’re being a resource.  (Just make sure you’re actually being helpful – and not just annoying.)

The come-see-it-for-yourself approach

With this method, you invite the blogger to experience your facility for herself.  You can offer everything from a coupon for free drinks to check out new hotel technology, all the way up to offering an all-expenses-paid stay at your hotel.

While this approach clearly costs you more, it is far more effective because it allows you to personally connect with a blogger, and introduce him to your hotel.  For a grand opening or introduction of a significant new feature, an investment of this level can kick-start the media coverage you need.

Even more than with the first approach, you’ll need to locate the very top bloggers if you plan to invest in this type of PR coverage.  Follow the steps mentioned above, and you’ll be able to accurately locate these writers.