Ear to the Ground: Listening and Responding to Blogs

No Internet phenomenon has exploded on such a grand scale in such a short time frame as Weblogs, or blogs. The power of blogs is that they allow millions of users to convey and share opinions and ideas.

While blogs may seem like a harmless way for people to communicate, they can wield enough influence to cause significant damage to a company’s brand and image—and that damage can be done in a minimal amount of time. One shining example of this occurred in September 2004 to Kryptonite, a lock manufacturer. A cyclist posted to an online forum that he could open his Kryptonite lock with a ballpoint pen instead of a key. The story spread like wildfire and was picked up by other bloggers, forum readers, and the mass media. Five days after the original posting, Kryptonite announced plans for a lock-exchange program. Nonetheless, the damage to Kryptonite’s brand had been done.

This example shows one indisputable truth: Companies can no longer ignore the blogosphere. But when monitored and leveraged in the correct way, the Internet can serve as a tremendous marketing tool for those companies that are strategic, creative, and most important, focused on their target audience.

There is no indication that the blogging community will stop growing anytime soon. The Pew Internet study estimates that 11% of Internet users, or about 50 million people, are regular blog readers. Based on research done by blog search portal Technorati, the blogosphere is doubling in size every five and a half months. It is now more than 60 times bigger than it was three years ago. On average, a new weblog is created every second of every day, and 13.7 million bloggers are still posting three months after they created their blogs.

One automotive manufacturer making the most of this online community is General Motors. First, GM established GMInsideNews as a branded portal offering automotive information, consumer and media-generated discussions, reviews, and advertising. In January 2005, GM launched FastLane, a blog hosted by the company’s high-profile vice chairman, Bob Lutz. The company’s rationale was that since consumers were already engaged in discussing automotive brands online via blogs and forums, it made sense to engage more directly with them and be part of the conversation, rather than just sitting on the sidelines as a member of the audience.

Because blogs are by their very nature ever-changing, marketers need to employ real-time monitoring of targeted Internet sources, based on specific search terms relevant to a brand. Search engines and standard monitoring tools fall short, however, by measuring only volume of buzz or by only providing links to relevant comments; they do not provide any analysis of the data or the scope of influence.

Marketers also need to determine both positive and negative sentiment. Companies can then analyze this content to refine their understanding of the consumer perception of their products and brands. By drilling deeper into the content found in blogs and understanding a customer’s background—age, occupation, interests—marketing managers can carefully craft messages and enhance their company’s credibility while being part of the customer dialogue. The more influence a company can wield in a targeted forum, the better for brand perception and image.

A number of online market research companies have sprung up in the wake of this new corporate demand, focusing on scanning the Internet for relevant, timely, and accurate information that can affect a client’s bottom line. These companies have not only allowed their clients to hear what the Internet communities are saying about their products and brands but also to participate, when necessary, in the discussion, thereby ensuring that the most accurate, intelligent information is being circulated.

As a valuable avenue into the mind of the consumer, the Internet is an untapped resource for marketers and advertisers looking to better refine their message and focus. In short, blogs and discussion forums have in many ways become the new focus groups of the 21st century. Companies interested in marketing and selling their products in the most effective manner must take a measured approach to creating an executable, targeted plan for listening to online consumer perception regarding their products and brands and, when necessary, react to that sentiment. Otherwise, they might become another cautionary tale still being told years later.

Bradley Silver is CEO of Brandimensions, a Toronto-based provider of Internet monitoring solutions.