OAKLAND, CA--(Marketwire - July 2, 2009) - PR and marketing professionals who want to learn best blogger-pitching practices and how to become a blog relations expert will discover proven techniques at a new audio conference from Bulldog Reporter's PR University: "Blog Pitching Update for PR: Influential Bloggers Tell PR How to Build Relationships and Trust Online." Attendees will come away with valuable insights on how to actively drive results and messaging, while avoiding blogger faux pas for their company's service, brand or product.

This exclusive, dial-in PR University audio conference takes place on Thursday, July 16th, at 1PM EDT (noon CDT, 11AM MDT; 10AM PDT). The panel of top bloggers will provide answers to critical questions designed to break down today's best blogger-relations practices and pitfalls:

-- Rob Malda, Founder, "Slashdot"; Columnist, "Computer Power User"

-- Eric Alterman, Editor, "Altercation"; Author, "Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Most Important Ideals," "What Liberal Media? The Truth About Bias and the News," "The Book on Bush: How George W. (Mis)leads America"; Professor of Journalism, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism

-- Sam Diaz, Senior Editor, ZDNet, CBS Interactive; Lead Blogger, "Between the Lines"

-- Justin Moresco, Contributor, "Earth2Tech," "Renewable Energy World," Sustainable Industries, "Red Herring"

This 90-minute interactive call will give communications professionals practical tips and techniques on which traditional media relations practices to abandon when it comes to working with bloggers -- and which still work. It will also address best ways to find, monitor, and analyze online influencers in the market -- and what to do with them once they're on the radar. Here are some of the immediately applicable techniques attendees will cover in this audio conference:

--  Targeting Essentials: How each of our panelists view their editorial
    missions, the stories they blog about and how to make sure your ideas match
    their pitch preferences
--  Monitoring Blogs: Best ways to find, monitor and analyze online
    influencers in your market... and what to do with them once they're on your
    radar
--  The Truth about Twitter and Twit Pitches: Top micro-blogging tools and
    how online influencers are using them -- plus how PR can (and can't) join
    the conversation
--  Crucial differences between online media and traditional media -- and
    how to ensure your responses to comments match the medium
--  New rules for crafting irresistible blog pitches -- the story elements
    and exclusive pegs that resonate with bloggers and how to use them to
    generate wide coverage
--  Multimedia to Pitch Now: Online video, multimedia, podcasts -- the new
    media assets
    

Attendance at Bulldog Reporter's PR University audio conference costs $299 per telephone site. Participants in the 90-minute call will be able to pose specific questions for the panelists at several junctures during the discussion. Attendees of PR University conferences receive one credit toward PRSA accreditation maintenance. Registration also includes an up-to-the-minute conference manual and a full transcript. For more information on taking part in the event, go to our conference home page or phone toll free: 1-800-959-1059.