In what significant ways do bloggers differ from conventional journalists? Why are these differences crucial to a company's marketing effort?

What will be an ideal response?

Marketers used to interacting with conventional journalists sometimes find it challenging to classify the work of such non-media connectors as citizen marketers and bloggers. Bloggers tend to be - but not always - independent of formal news organizations. Blog posts can also act like instantaneous media mentions, quickly generating word-of-mouth and spurring product sales. Marketers need a full understanding of the ways blogs can benefit their activities and should pay attention to blogs.

However, many bloggers are not professional journalists, although they may appear to be so. MPR professionals need to appreciate the distinction. The primary difference between the two types of connectors is in their background and training. Journalists tend to be trained writers and have extensive experience either in broadcast or print media. Bloggers usually are untrained writers who report on a very narrow range of topics. As a result, journalists and bloggers react to bloggers differently. Journalists typically expect a certain protocol from marketers during the pitch process. Moreover, journalists are held to specific ethical, professional and procedural standards by their industry. Bloggers, however, may not show any concern for well-established protocols and may not feel bound by any particular set of standards. Some bloggers welcome pitches, but others may treat marketers' pitches with indifference or even hostility. Yet because traditional journalists may blog and bloggers may be a source of information for media organizations, the rules for how to work with bloggers may at times appear fuzzy.