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There was a time when consumers based their choices on brand loyalty, price, self-image and convenience. However, since the growth in environmental awareness and concerns over climate change, purchasing decisions are becoming even more complex and consumer expectations of products and brands are changing. ‘It’s no longer about self image or simply what you can afford. It’s about the impact of choices on others and the carbon footprint generated.

Green issues are now emerging as mainstream considerations, with average consumers becoming increasingly interested in what’s available to help them "do their bit". And thanks to social media networks such as blogging, the environmental voice is also becoming louder than it has ever been using technologies that enable word-of-mouth to spread faster than a gossip over a garden fence ever could. With so many products from which to choose, the internet-savvy consumer is relying more than ever on the experience, knowledge and enthusiasm of bloggers to help guide the way.

It is therefore natural that businesses are now engaging with bloggers as a fundamental part of PR strategies, especially because sufficient investment of time can offer fee-free advertising to effectively promote a brand or product.

After all, what motivates many individuals on the environmental blog scene is simply a passion for sharing relevant and timely information amongst readers as well as the responsibility for taking action to promote sustainable choices. With total editorial control over content, their reward is the respect of readers and the social dialogue that follows as well as the increase in visitors who value their ideas. My personal motivation is to inspire and empower consumers to reduce their waste by changing shopping habits or adopting better recycling routines and I proactively support brands, manufacturers and retailers who can help make this change possible.

Some bloggers will happily provide reviews of products for free, especially if their blog is fairly new or supported by advertising elsewhere, whereas others may seek a small fee or freebies\discounts for their visitors. Whatever the deal, there is an unspoken code of conduct that a blogger with integrity will always be clear that they have been approached by the company whose products they are promoting. Independent eco-bloggers can now be found liaising with a wide range of businesses and organisations.

It is clear that Tetra Pak has been working hard across the social media scene by promoting the company’s sustainable practices, resulting in increased awareness of opportunities for recycling cartons.

Establishing such an effective presence offers benefits to blog owners and businesses alike. Bloggers are able to provide fresh, authoritative and sometimes unique content for their readers, while companies are able to communicate directly with the end consumer who otherwise may be impossible to reach. Unlike traditional media, it also allows for immediate feedback and responsive action. Also, unlike print, there are opportunities for ideas to spread throughout other blogs, as experienced by WRAP’s Recycle Week campaign that took place last year.

Elsewhere, Nestlé is busy actively engaging blogs to raise awareness of efforts to reduce packaging, which holds significant interest to consumers who support the emerging trend for zero waste. From a retailer’s perspective, Abel & Cole is an example of a business that has developed close relationships with bloggers to promote its produce delivery service, often using special offers for blog readers as well as freebies for the writer, but also providing interesting material in more ways than one.

Although independent bloggers are becoming an established element of PR practice, there are still lessons to be learned. Engaging influential eco-bloggers is most effective when communications are based on relationship marketing rather than direct marketing models, which could be considered as intrusive spam especially by bloggers who hold a high value on their time.

And it’s not just blogs that provide the opportunity for promoting your message. There’s also the emerging power of Twitter that allows content to reach the modern day chattering classes within minutes. So if you happen to find the support of an eco-blogger who is also well established on Twitter, you could have a much wider audience at your fingertips.

Karen Cannard

The Rubbish Diet

www.therubbishdiet.co.uk

Finalist: 2009 MediaGuardian Awards for Innovation.

Independent Media Category

Useful sources:

Best Green Blogs directory: www.bestgreenblogs.com

Twitter www.twitter.com

We follow, Eco twitter directory:

http://wefollow.com/twitter/eco