You probably heard about the movie Snakes on a Plane before New Line began its marketing campaign. Why? The movie’s high-concept premise delighted bloggers who sparked a year of online anticipation. The free publicity thrilled New Line, which cooperated with prominent citizen marketers and invited some to the movie’s premiere.

Although box office receipts fell short of expectations, the Snakes on a Plane phenomenon helped put bloggers on the marketing map. This illustrates the pros and cons of including the blogosphere in your marketing strategy: Bloggers may build incredible buzz for your product or service, but there’s no way to control their methods or the outcome.

Don’t let the sheer number of blogs out there (Technorati claims to track 71 million) intimidate you. You can start small with a few simple rules:

• Get personal. Reach out to established bloggers who cover your industry. Cultivate up-and-coming unknowns who contact you. It requires little effort and costs nothing.
• Don’t fudge the facts. Bloggers take a dim view of equivocation. Tell it like it is, or prepare for a swift and public rebuke.
• Be realistic. A blogger’s agenda is entirely his or her own. Set your expectations accordingly.

The Po!nt: Taking steps to harness the power of the blogosphere can yield terrific results, but there aren’t any guarantees.

MarketingProfs members participating in a recent book club discussion brainstormed on this subject. Click here to see what they had to say.

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