Over and over again our plans for media outreach to bloggers – a part of nearly every rollout strategy we put together – is met by confusion or incredulity by other public relations professionals. They seem to think we are suggesting that we do the communications equivalent of tossing their filet mignon program, study, or information to a pack of starving pit bulls.

We explain that our understanding of what is media has to expand because the way members of our target audience define media is expanding. For many of the people we want to reach, their personal view of media very much includes blogs. We explain that we can’t start with how we want to disseminate a message (that is, the same old same old), but instead by asking who we want to get our message and how they will get it. For many, they will get it through blogs.

Nearly every audience we want to reach – cut very narrowly – has one or more serious bloggers serving that audience. They deserve to be treated like any member of the traditional media – understanding what they cover and personalizing the pitch. Giving them the respect we afford other members of the media, makes it more likely we will get our message and information to people who will be interested.

Of course, we’re not ignoring more traditional media. We’re simply expanding our definition of media. It makes for a more robust and effective rollout strategy. It also makes for some really enjoyable reactions from other PR professionals.

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