|
A new report from ComScore promises to track the readership for blogs, both popular and obscure. The report, entitled Conversational Media Report, according to ComScore comes from working with Federated Media Publishing, which sells advertising on many existing blogs.
The report could go a long way toward validating the use of advertising on blogs. But is advertising the best way to promote your company via the blogosphere?
Recently Chris Brogan posted about how he loves Saturn automobiles. He made no apologies for being an evangelist for Saturn, and talked about how he would happily promote the company. A representative from Saturn was smart enough to find Chris' post, and leave his input. The rep then asked Chris to contact him, and returned to answer additional comments.
But then, something interesting happened. Other bloggers (including myself) noticed that Saturn had reached out to Chris via his blog, and we then blogged about Chris' post, and Saturn's response.
The simple fact that Saturn had reached out to Chris became the story. A few minutes that one rep from one company took to reply to one blogger had netted the company over a dozen positive blog posts. The combined daily readership for these blogs likely numbered several thousand, at least.
So which method is more effective? Should Saturn (or any other company) approach Federated or another blog-ad network and buy ads on the highest-trafficked blogs in its industry? Or should the company actively monitor the blogosphere and engage bloggers in their own space by reaching out and responding to them?
Of course so much would depend on the execution, but I definitely know which method would be cheaper.
Bonus link: How to launch a successful blogger-outreach program in one day, for free.
|
Comments
Mack - I agree what Saturn did was smart, but I wonder if we're not looking at this too narrowly. Is it just marketing bloggers who are talking about what a great thing it is that Saturn bothered to contact the blogger, or is it the rest of the world?
I'll happily rescind my skepticism if more than marketers are talking about it. I just figured you would be the guy who knows. :)
Posted by: Cam Beck | 09.20.07
Cam from what I can gather it's mostly marketing bloggers.
Or to look at it another way, it's mostly bloggers that read Chris Brogan's blog.
That's why I think it's important for companies to make a genuine effort to monitor the blogosphere and engage and talk to bloggers that are talking about them. Take Chris' post: A couple of comments left by one Saturn rep led to at last count around 15 other bloggers linking to Chris' post.
Now what if that same Saturn rep spent an entire day doing this? What if Chris' blog was one of only say....25 blogs that the Saturn rep commented on in a day? Could we then expect 100 or 200 or even 300 total blogs to link to all the posts that the Saturn rep commented on? Possibly.
I think the 'big idea' here is that when companies talk to bloggers, it creates online ripples. The more interaction a company has with bloggers, the more ripples, and over time, those ripples can crash into each other and create waves of bloggers promoting that company.
But it all starts with a company that's smart enough to listen to the existing conversation, and to then play a role in advancing it.
Posted by: Mack Collier | 09.20.07
Bloggers can be influencers. In my experience, the reason I bother blogging, making media of any kind like podcasts and videoblogs, is because I learned from my own business experience that podcasts had information that my coworkers weren't privy to, and weren't using for their advantage.
My take is that finding the conversation is the big new thing. Why advertise ONLY when you can drive thought awareness to real conversations that quite often will sell better than any picture of a car driving fast on a closed course.
Thanks for the post.
Posted by: Chris Brogan... | 09.20.07
Completely agreed, Chris. It's the human connection that counts, and the fact that a Saturn rep took the time to contact you, speaks volumes.
The fact is, when you buy your next car, will you consider Saturn? Maybe more than you did before.
Social media is not about not about control, it's about influence. That's a nasty word to some, but it's the most non-threatening word I could think of.
----
Michael E. Rubin
Posted by: Michael Rubin, Arment Dietrich | 09.20.07
I think this raises an interesting topic. Advertising on blogs is a great way to reach a niche market but in order to really create buzz, having a blogger write a compelling post will do the trick. A couple years back we were the first to run a "pay-to-blog" campaign that really got people talking. Negative or Positive, when people are talking about your company, it's a good thing.
Posted by: Roland Poulin, Marqui | 09.26.07
Marqui, when you guys ran a "pay-to-blog" campaign, did you require disclosure on the part of the blogger? I sincerely hope so. Disclosing the relationship you have with the blogger is rule number one of ethical marketing in the blogosphere.
Posted by: Michael Rubin, Arment Dietrich | 10.02.07