In Mia’s latest column, she wrote about the importance of engaging with your brand’s online influencers.

“Scoring positive media coverage has long been one of the key indicators of a strong public relations campaign but, for the past few years, marketing and communications professionals have been balancing their efforts to include a new powerhouse of influencers: bloggers. In the early days of blogging, many were hesitant to give these writers the “cred” they deserve: They often weren’t perceived as journalists, which, in many cases, meant they were not taken seriously. Even more important, many businesses did not expect the audiences these writers spoke to would grow as large and committed as they have.”

“But today, good marketers know the value of a popular blogger that speaks to a brand’s subject of interest,” Mia continues. “A nod from an online influencer offers something you simply can’t get anywhere else: authenticity.”

In conversation with Rob Ostfield, CEO of Canadian pop culture site andPOP, he hits the nail on the head: “When people are writing blogs, the subject they are writing about are their passion,” he says. “They’re not always doing it because it is their jobs, they are doing it because they are genuinely excited about what they’re writing about.”

Mia then offers five key tips for brands interested in getting connected with their online influencers:

1. Do your research;
2. Be unique in how you reach out;
3. Provide something of value;
4. Work together; and,
5. Have reasonable expectations.

“The great thing about online influencers: With their passion and talents, they have already done a lot of the work for you,” Mia writes. “They have established a connection to a loyal following that just might be your exact target audience.”

Click here to read the full article and expanded tips from Mia. Her column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.