Friday, November 25, 2005
Where do we go from here?
There is still uncertainty among CEO-types about the value of blogging. Joe Queenan, in an October issue of Chief Executive writes that since there is little monetary value in blogging, a CEO has better things to do with his (or her) time. A recent survey by Burson-Marsteller revealed that only 7% of CEOs surveyed actually blog, though CEOs do see the value in blogs for promoting internal communication and for communicating with external audiences. A recent Harris/PRSA survey "finds that majorities of general consumers, executives and congressional staffers are more likely to think traditional marketing methods are acceptable practices over non- traditional techniques."
An Edelman survey found that employee blogs are more credible than corporate blogs, and bloggers unassociated with a company would prefer to interact with employee bloggers over other company representatives. One of their key findings is that even though 51% of bloggers are blogging about company products, they are not often contacted by that company.
Who else is experimenting with blogs and blogads?
Budget
The Budget Scavenger Hunt includes both blogs and blogads
Business Week Magazine
An article in Folio describes the blogs BW has started in their Tech Beat and Deal Flow sections
Hasbro
Hasbro is using blogads to promote is new 70th edition of Monopoly
Microsoft
The WSJ even has their favorites...
I decided to do my own sleuthing among the top 25 brands, as ranked in the Top 100 Global Brands by InterBrand, thinking that the brands with the most brand equity would be most likely to utilize every channel possible to promote their brands, including blogging or online communities. Out of those top 25 brands, only six had employee blogs and five had pr type customer-focused blogs. Those brands with employee blogs include Microsoft, IBM, GE, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Ford. Notice that five of those six are technical firms. Interesting... The firms with customer blogs include Coca-Cola, Intel, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco.
The remaining question is, will other brands think of blogging and creating online communities as a fad, or will they take it seriously and "get on the cluetrain?"
An Edelman survey found that employee blogs are more credible than corporate blogs, and bloggers unassociated with a company would prefer to interact with employee bloggers over other company representatives. One of their key findings is that even though 51% of bloggers are blogging about company products, they are not often contacted by that company.
Who else is experimenting with blogs and blogads?
Budget
The Budget Scavenger Hunt includes both blogs and blogads
Business Week Magazine
An article in Folio describes the blogs BW has started in their Tech Beat and Deal Flow sections
Hasbro
Hasbro is using blogads to promote is new 70th edition of Monopoly
Microsoft
The WSJ even has their favorites...
I decided to do my own sleuthing among the top 25 brands, as ranked in the Top 100 Global Brands by InterBrand, thinking that the brands with the most brand equity would be most likely to utilize every channel possible to promote their brands, including blogging or online communities. Out of those top 25 brands, only six had employee blogs and five had pr type customer-focused blogs. Those brands with employee blogs include Microsoft, IBM, GE, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Ford. Notice that five of those six are technical firms. Interesting... The firms with customer blogs include Coca-Cola, Intel, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco.
The remaining question is, will other brands think of blogging and creating online communities as a fad, or will they take it seriously and "get on the cluetrain?"
# posted by Karen Mishra @ 11:38 AM 
