Blogs In Business

18.11.2009

Blogs in Business Silvia Angerbauer, Angela Sipos, Silke Schröckmair, Rene Hörwertner IMM / IT23ILV, Information Technology / Mark A. M. Kramer

Agenda User and Target Group What is a Weblog? Types of Blogs Corporate Blog Success Factors Examples Conclusion

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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User & Target Group •Some Figures: 68 % of households have internet access 3 % of all Austrians write blogs 6 % read blogs

•Types of media consumption as per Kaumanns, a study of IBM

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Definition and Characteristics Definition Online-diary or Journal Contains entries, comments and notes (chronologically)

Charachteristics Active contribution Dynamic Pseudonyms of users Simply connected with each other by Permalinks Subscription by RSS-Feeds Ping for accessibility of target destination Possibility to set tags IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Types of Blogs Private Blogs Motives as per Zerfaß and Bogoyan

Civil Society Blogs

18,5% 4,9%

18,0%

4,9%

26,8% 7,5%

20%

26,5%

40%

3,7%

29,3% 18,7%

66,8%

66,8%

User Motives

19,4%

60%

56,6%

80%

68,3%

Corporate Blogs

64,4%

Opinion Leaders: Unions, political parties, organizations on nature protection, etc.

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

Blogger

Blog Reader

to enlighten people

to meet new people

to get rid of anger and cirtique

to gain product information

because classical media does not fulfill my requirements

because I h ave someth ing to contribute and I like to write

to communicate with oth ers or exchange opinions

to learn more about a subject, other media does not discuss

0%

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Corporate Blogs Motive: The Factor of Differentiation

Types of Blogs (Zerfaß and Boelter 127) IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Types of Corporate Blogs (1) Knowledge Blogs Mainly used internally Exchange of information Possibility of documenting communication

Service Blogs For customer requiring additional support Eg. Extended FAQs Organizations gathers informations that are usually not provided by customer

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Types of Corporate Blogs (2) Campaign Blogs Timely limited Support product launch or are part of marketing activities

CEO Blogs Internal and external communication Attention to employees as anonymous stakeholder on external use

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Types of Corporate Blogs (3) Product and Brand Blogs Establish products or brands on the market Target group: usually heavy internet users To improve commitment to brands

CRM Blogs Communication with customer in the known sense of CRM Communication about sales, marketing and gerneral business Interesting for existing as well as new customer

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Types of Corporate Blogs (4) Collaboration and Project Blogs Global orientation of corporations requires international collaborations Creation of project networks (data bases, wikis, blogs)

Crisis Blogs Timely limited Communication with public on a specific problem

Subject Blogs Publications for interested audience to discuss IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Success Factors (1) Creation of sensitivity towards goals and target group Authenticity Do not promise something you can‘t keep!

REPUTATION

Athmosphere of Communication & Guidlines Enter the Blogsphere Employee‘s responsibility for posting Exclusion of corporations‘ liability

Trust in Content Depending on age Sources known offline vs. those controlled by internet users only Blog in addition to existing communication mix

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Success Factors (2) Actuality of Information Nothing worse than to present old information … Risk to loose audience

Importance of Blogs within the Marketing Mix Blogs are used additionally Blogs are not effective until they are known With the later effective promotion in reversed direction

Cross-Linking Relevant for search engines: similar blogs, explanatory names

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Examples in Austria http://www.blogverzeichnis.at/ http://www.blogmax.at/ http://www.hannestreichl.com/ Blog for the Federal Armed Service Young target group, easy to reach An obligatory service strong polarization of opinions? provocation?

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Conclusion Useful instrument for corporate communication, BUT will not replace exixting tools Trend towards online communication strategic planning required Depending on branch and industry, meaning and significance to audience differs considerably!

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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Any further questions? Feel free to ask!

IMM / IT23ILV / Blogs in Business / SASR

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