Transcript Managing Relations with Influencer/Maven Bloggers

Managing Relations with
Tech-fluential Bloggers
December, 2005
Who are E-fluentials?
E-fluentials frequently:
 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
Who are Tech-fluentials?
They are e-fluentials who are also:
This in turn makes them:
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2.
3.
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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
Chief opinion leaders
Information spreaders
Highly active and engaged
Internet users
4.
Knowledge hunters and
gatherers
5.
Futurists
6.
Fast and mobile
7.
Accessible online and
offline
8.
Design-conscious
9.
Function- and qualityfocused shoppers
10. Community-oriented
citizens
Tech-fluentials Use New Technologies
To Spread Messages
• 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-fluential Bloggers
Tech-fluential Bloggers
Publish Online and Offline
• 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
Tech-fluential non-bloggers
I feel I make a
difference by
sharing
information
Wrote an article
or a book in the
past year
85%
71%
39%
29%
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tell A Positive
Experience Through…
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more likely than their counterparts to spread positive word of mouth
through IM and discussion boards.
Tech-fluential Bloggers
Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
E-mail or forward information
84%
83%
Tell someone in-person or on the phone
76%
83%
IM
37%
Post a message to a discussion board
34%
37%
33%
Contribute to an opinion Web site
Write a note or a letter
51%
47%
40%
Contribute to a company's Web site
Tell people in a chat room
54%
21%
19%
15%
12%
Tech-fluential Bloggers Tell A Negative
Experience Through…
• 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
Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
79%
79%
E-mail or forward information
77%
83%
Tell someone in-person or on the phone
63%
58%
Contribute to a company's Web site
Post a message to a discussion board
48%
Contribute to an opinion Web site
39%
IM
Tell people in a chat room
Write a note or a letter
35%
20%
22%
22%
25%
58%
53%
46%
Tech-fluential Bloggers Will Pay
Premium Price for Quality & Function
Tech-fluential Bloggers
Tech-fluential Non-bloggers
Quality
99%
96%
Function
98%
98%
76%
73%
Price
65%
60%
Style/Design
55%
56%
Brand
43%
42%
Uniqueness
Popularity
17%
17%
*Most important when buying technology products.
Tech-fluential Bloggers Note
Corporate Social Responsibility
Tech-fluential bloggers
Tech-fluential non-bloggers
Inform friends, family and colleagues about
CSR efforts
57%
48%
46%
Purchase company's products/services
40%
Recommend purchasing company's
products/services to friends and family
Buy company's stock
Recommend purchasing company’s stock to
friends and family
50%
41%
16%
19%
20%
18%
Tech-fluential Bloggers Are
Politically Aware
• Tech-fluential bloggers are more than twice as likely as their counterparts to e-mail politicians.
Tech-fluential bloggers
Tech-fluential non-bloggers
19%
8%
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.
How To Identify Tech-fluential Bloggers
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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
Communicating with
Tech-fluential Bloggers
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Monitor blogging and other usergenerated media activity.
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Admit mistakes and correct
misstatements.
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Contact bloggers individually.
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Avoid being cast as blog spam. Email bloggers, rather than posting
comments to their entries.
Understand that they may post the
information in your e-mail.
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.
•
Be candid.
•
Note your corporate affiliation.
•
State what you cannot disclose
publicly.
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Provide clear and well-founded
facts. Refer to independent, thirdparty sources.
•
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
Thank You!
Idil Cakim
Director, Knowledge Development
[email protected]