Behind the Scenes in the Blogosphere:

Nora Barnes, Chancellor Professor of Marketing and Director of the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has just posted an insightful blog study "Behind the Scenes in the Blogosphere: Advice From Established Bloggers"

The key conclusion - it's hard work and takes a lot of time to be a successful blogger - I guess I've failed that test as my recent postings  have been very sparse. Too much travel.

Blogging takes time, commitment, and honesty. In return connections are made that are personal and strong. Blogs are not a fad. They are no longer even an option. Those businesses that choose to remain outside this online conversation, will be sidelined. Eventually they will become extinct.

Consumers will move about the wired world in search of products and services that meet their needs. Every serious business needs to have a presence in this electronic global marketplace. But there is more. Businesses need to listen to other conversations that are happening around them. This includes responding to other blog posts and comments.

The blogosphere itself is a provider of more and better research than off line businesses are getting now. A true competitive analysis takes place when one searches blogs to see who your competitors are in the minds of your target market.

Blogs act as huge, ongoing focus groups providing feedback and ideas. Some of the most brilliant people in the world are blogging. Talk to them. Let them help you become more successful. Move
your business forward in a way that is new, exciting, a bit scary, and ultimately necessary.

Comments

[Rick van Dijk]

As an initial skeptic to the entire blogging phenomenon I have recently become a convert. IDG Netherlands has recently started an 'open' company weblog, http://blog.idg.nl/wordpress/.
To my surprise it has been picked up by the outside world but not only that, it also turns out to be a valuable internal communications tool as well. Some postings on the blog have already resulted in new and renewed discussions about activities and ideas.
By the way, the link in your post doesn't work ;)

[Rick van Dijk]

I tried again, and the link does work after all, so nevermind my last comment.

[Jerry Tarasofsky]

Am just catching up on my “must read” blogs of which yours is one and am taking your advice and responding to this blog posting by inviting you to visit “Turn Up The Silence”, our corporate blog. It is refreshing to see more and more thought leaders accepting what we at iPerceptions have known for a long time – “Businesses need to listen not only to their customers but to other conversations that are happening around them”. I agree with your comment that blogs act as huge, ongoing focus groups providing feedback and ideas and that some of the most brilliant people in the world are blogging. I think the real issue though for most businesses is how to accurately listen to what is being said out there and accurately interpret what is being said by the many voices in the marketplace. That’s the real challenge that our clients are facing. Keep the great ideas coming.