‘Sponsorship disclosure should be on the blog’ Susan K. Mann

In the run up to Mother’s Day, Cision spotlighted Susan K. Mann, author of Once Upon a Time…, one of the UK’s top mummy blogs. Susan spoke to us about some of the best practices PR should follow when working with bloggers, her thoughts on sponsorship disclosure on blogs and how she uses social media to share and promote content. 

What’s new in your blog? I have been trying to include more personal posts and ones I feel will help others. I want other parents to feel that they aren’t alone with the lows of parenting as well and the many highs.

Give us an example of successful brand collaboration. What did you learn from it? I think one of my favourite collaborations with a brand was working with LPG. I learnt a lot about different types of cars and took it on a road trip to London from Glasgow and back. It was a lot of fun and I tweeted about the road trip along the way. LPG came out to the house and explained all about the car, their policies and why they do what they do. I felt supported in something that I didn’t have a lot of knowledge in at the start and had a lot of fun doing it.

How do you use social media to promote/share content? What are the challenges? Social media sharing plays a huge part in blog promotion. I try to spread it across Twitter, Facebook and Google+. I use twitter a lot so that’s easy, I chat on it for hours. My challenge is trying to find the time to schedule between working, spending quality time with the kids and life in general. I try to be organised.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog? I would tell them to go for it. Write a few posts to begin with and plan what you’d like to write about. Go with something you are passionate about and have lots to say on the matter. But, you don’t have to stick with the one subject. I blog about all aspects of my life, I have yet to run out of things to talk about. It takes time to build up a blog, look at other blogs on the subject you’ve chosen, pick a theme and go for it. You will make some wonderful friends along the way I know I have. Always be yourself, blog for yourself and don’t try to be anyone else, you are the best you.

How do you work with PR’s? I work with PR’s on reviews, blog posts, talking about brands or items, google+ hangouts and sometimes face to face meeting. Living just outside Glasgow it makes it difficult to get to London often. The internet world makes it easier to keep in touch.

Do you feel bloggers need to be compensated for the work they do? I think this is a personal preference and each item is different.

What do you feel about sponsorship disclosure? I think that a disclosure should be on the blog. I have a disclaimer on my pages and a disclosure policy. I feel this should be the case.

List three best practices PRs need to follow for better blogger outreach? Don’t send emails to everyone and their dog. Use a personal approach and appreciate the work bloggers put in to their posts. If I can’t do things, because I have a lot on at present, it’s nothing personal, but please don’t try to guilt me into it. We have a lot on our plates and juggle best we can.

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months? I have nothing major planned as yet. But, that’s one of the great things about blogging, you never know what’s coming up. I do have a blog revamp which about to go live in the near future with a lovely shiny new header.