As I mentioned in my previous post, two different articles on blogging appeared in my in-box just as WIC was preparing to launch its new blog. One was from RainToday.com, covered in Part I of “To Blog or Not to Blog;” and the other came from the Silicon Valley WebGuild, the topic of this posting.
Americans Expect Companies to Have a Presence in Social Media
The WebGuild’s article focuses on a new survey conducted by Cone, a strategy and communications agency. Among other things, the survey showed that:
- 93 percent of respondents believe a company should have a presence in social media
- An overwhelming 85 percent believe a company should not only be present but also interact with its consumers via social media
- 56 percent of respondents feel both a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they interact with them in a social media environment
So What Does this Mean for Consultants? Get Blogging…
…or at least be aware of its impact. You may not be a big company, but chances are, your clients are every bit as influenced by genuine, open communication — the bread and butter of the blogosphere — as the people Cone surveyed. A blog may be the best way to reach your clients and keep you top of mind.
One way to know for sure, is to take Michael W. McLaughlin’s advice (Part I of “To Blog or Not to Blog”), and “ask your clients if they read blogs and, if so, what content they prefer to see. You’ll find some clients don’t read blogs at all and have zero interest in them, [while] others have RSS newsfeeds for all their favorite blogs.” From there, you can decide if blogging is right for you.
And even if you don’t want to join the conversation, your clients may be forced to do so — whether or not they actually want to participate. So, it behooves you to educate yourself on the ins and outs of blogging, and even connect with other consultants who specialize in this area — two things that WIC is well-known for helping consultants to do. That way, you can help your clients decide their next steps and maybe even find them a good resource, if it’s not something you yourself will handle.
Check out “Do You Have a Web 2.0 Marketing Strategy” (WIC’s September Teleseminar)
Hi Avery,
These statistics seem a bit high. I want to know more about the background of the respondents because if you include the baby boomer generation, there are still many folks who don’t use computers, or are in the dark about some of these new tools. I’ll check into that.
Nonetheless, I plan to share the statistics and the benefits of blogging and social media with my small business clients. It’s been said that if you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward. Might as well get started now!
Yes, Kathy, they do seem high, and the total respondents, 1,092, isn’t very much–which is why I changed “93% of americans believe…” to “93% of respondents believe…” That said, I thought it interesting information that at least shows a trend (at least amongst the group who particpated) towards people preferring companies who blog, and that companies should explore the impact blogging might have on their business. It was more to spur conversation–which is what’s happening here. 😉