Top-ranked blogs vs long-tail: PR strategies

The question of targeting large-traffic blogs vs smaller bloggers has often been raised in the PR community. Do you want to hit high and wide, or slowly build a grassroots buzz?

Well personally, I would recommend anyone out there to go for the grassroots solution. Here's a few reasons for that:
1. Top-ranked blogs are saturated with incoming emails. They prioritize by selecting the news that will bring traffic. They don't cover innovation from unknown (or unfunded) startups, simply because it is too risky audience-wise.
2. Writers of top-ranked blogs are not loyal users of your service. They cover so many different topics, that you'd be lucky if they try out your service. Most of the time, they just go by the press release, and jump to the next story.
3. Top-ranked bloggers are all about generating a micro-bubble around your service. If you're not ready for it, you'll drown pretty fast.
4. Top-ranked blogs evolve in a business politics sphere. For example, Friendfeed would not be an ex-Googler's startup, it wouldn't get all the noise and attention it is receiving (there are far better competing services out there).
5. They won't admit it, but most top-ranked bloggers are arrogant. They get the two terms micro-celebrity and Hollywood celebrity mixed up. And they're extremely sensitive.

On the other hand, long tail bloggers - and beware of that term as some of them are very influential - are more open-minded. Here's a few advantages you will get with long-tail bloggers:
1. They usually cover a specific sub-market (niche). If your service caters to this niche, they will be really enthusiast about receiving news from you.
2. Their inbox is pretty full alright, but still they usually have the courtesy to reply to your emails, just like any individuals do (and that feels good).
3. Some niche bloggers are also professionals in the market they cover. Chances are, some of them will convert into power users of your service.
4. Rare are those who go by the press release to write a post. They gained their audience by being themselves and sharing their own experiences. If they like your service, you'll get a great personal and enthusiast review.
5. Their bloggers' network is usually bigger than you think. For example, bloggers in the real estate sphere are the best interconnected marketers I've ever seen.

Yes, I am an evangelist of the long-tail. Online PR pros say that the Social Media is about people, but they all knock on Techcrunch's door when they have a story to cover, and lick Scoble's shoes to have him use their client's service. A few PR pros I've worked with didn't even bother to write to me once I had covered their story. I couldn't care less but it helps me figure out who's a good communicant and who's not.

Now it all depends on the strategy you are looking to deploy, but seriously, remember that most top-ranked blogs are arrogant walled gardens, and most long-tail bloggers are nice open-minded enthusiast folks.