managing relations with tech-fluential bloggers december, 2005
TRANSCRIPT
Managing Relations withTech-fluential Bloggers
December, 2005
Who are E-fluentials?
Send e-mails to companies Send e-mails to politicians Send e-mails to well-known news and media
companies Make friends online Make business contacts online Provide feedback to Web sites Forward news and Web site information to others Participate in chat rooms Post to bulletin boards Post to newsgroups Post to listservs
Note: Cluster analysis--RoperASW/Burson-Marsteller surveys, 1999, 2001 Also analyzed in Burson-Marsteller 2003 surveys
E-fluentials frequently:
Who are Tech-fluentials?
They are e-fluentials who are also:
Product purchase influencers Technology explorers and
enthusiasts Peer advisors Seamless work and family
connectors Information transmitters Trend-setters Heavy Internet users Super-connected home
owners Home-entertainment
enthusiasts Bloggers
This in turn makes them:
1. Chief opinion leaders2. Information spreaders3. Highly active and engaged
Internet users4. Knowledge hunters and
gatherers5. Futurists6. Fast and mobile7. Accessible online and
offline 8. Design-conscious 9. Function- and quality-
focused shoppers10. Community-oriented
citizens
• Tech-fluentials express themselves online and solicit feedback from others.
• 33% of tech-fluentials have blogs.
“Between 2 and 7% of U.S. Internet users have their own blogs.” (Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2004)
Tech-fluentials Use New Technologies To Spread Messages
Tech-fluential Bloggers
Tech-fluential Bloggers Publish Online and Offline
85%
39%
71%
29%
I feel I make adifference by
sharinginformation
Wrote an articleor a book in the
past year
Tech-fluential bloggers Tech-fluential non-bloggers
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more likely to feel they make a difference by sharing information. They are also more inclined to share their expertise by publishing.
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tell A Positive Experience Through…
84%
76%
54%
51%
47%
37%
21%
15%
83%
83%
37%
34%
40%
33%
19%
12%
E-mail or forward information
Tell someone in-person or on the phone
IM
Post a message to a discussion board
Contribute to a company's Web site
Contribute to an opinion Web site
Tell people in a chat room
Write a note or a letter
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more likely than their counterparts to spread positive word of mouth through IM and discussion boards.
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tell A Negative Experience Through…
79%
77%
63%
58%
53%
46%
20%
22%
79%
83%
58%
48%
39%
35%
22%
25%
E-mail or forward information
Tell someone in-person or on the phone
Contribute to a company's Web site
Post a message to a discussion board
Contribute to an opinion Web site
IM
Tell people in a chat room
Write a note or a letter
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more likely than their counterparts to spread negative word of mouth through IM, discussion boards and opinion Web sites.
Tech-fluential Bloggers Will Pay Premium Price for Quality & Function
99%
98%
76%
65%
55%
43%
17%
96%
98%
73%
60%
56%
42%
17%
Quality
Function
Price
Style/Design
Brand
Uniqueness
Popularity
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
*Most important when buying technology products.
Tech-fluential Bloggers NoteCorporate Social Responsibility
57%
46%
50%
16%
20%
48%
40%
41%
19%
18%
Inform friends, family and colleagues aboutCSR efforts
Purchase company's products/services
Recommend purchasing company'sproducts/services to friends and family
Buy company's stock
Recommend purchasing company’s stock tofriends and family
Tech-fluential bloggers Tech-fluential non-bloggers
Tech-fluential Bloggers Are Politically Aware
19%
8%
E-mail politicians
Tech-fluential bloggers Tech-fluential non-bloggers
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more than twice as likely as their counterparts to e-mail politicians.
Why Communicate with Tech-fluential Bloggers?
• They are perceived as credible sources.
• They fuel word-of-mouth organically.
• They are conscientious citizens who set the political/social agenda for others.
• They will write about your new products and comment on your brand.
• They will visit your company Web site to get more information.
• Review your stakeholder groups:– Who are your key audiences internally, externally?– How do you communicate with them?– Do you have contact information for them? Opt-in lists?– Who visits your Web site? Links to your company blog?
• Research your audience:– Consider surveying those stakeholders who receive your newsletters, read your
brochures or attend your conferences. Invite them to focus groups. Interview them in-person.
– Develop questions that capture social influence.– Probe respondents on their use of technology and reliance on word-of-mouth.– Ask them about their communication habits: Do they write/read blogs?
• Use multiple blog search engines:– Create smart search terms and use Technorati, Google Blogsearch, Blogpulse to
see who is already talking about your company.• Listen to those who click on “contact-us” sections:
– Follow up with personal, detailed responses– Do not delay your response
How To Identify Tech-fluential Bloggers
Communicating with Tech-fluential Bloggers
• Monitor blogging and other user-generated media activity.
• Contact bloggers individually.
• Avoid being cast as blog spam. E-mail bloggers, rather than posting comments to their entries. Understand that they may post the information in your e-mail.
• Be candid.
• Note your corporate affiliation.
• Provide clear and well-founded facts. Refer to independent, third-party sources.
• Admit mistakes and correct misstatements.
• Respect those that do not agree with your point of view.
• If the topic cannot be fully addressed in an e-mail or a post, then devote a special section on company Web site and refer audiences to this area.
• State what you cannot disclose publicly.
• For employee blogs, devise a policy defining the rules of communication.
Check List for Tech-fluential Communications
______ Identify
______ Monitor
______ Solicit feedback
______ Feed information
______ Maintain relationships online/offline
