Using Blogs to Spread Buzz
The Internet provides tons of ways to spread and build buzz, but the topic of this book is how to create buzz using blogs. So how can blogs be used to create or facilitate buzz? I'm glad you asked.
Blogs represent a critically important Internet trend today. They are reinventing the way consumers and other influencers express themselves, as well as the way companies and consumers communicate with one another. They have the power to facilitate the spread of a message faster than any other form of Internet communication.
You can use the blogosphere in two ways to generate or spread buzz:
^ Create a blog for a brand, company, product, service, event, or new initiative. By posting useful information frequently and letting your target audience know the blog is there, you can generate readership and buzz.
^ Look for blogs or bloggers that might be interested in your products and services. With the right approach, you may be able to offer bloggers free trials or demo products that turn into postings and conversations in the blogosphere.
Blogs have innate qualities that make them indigenous buzz-marketing tools:
1 Blog activity is measurable and quantifiable. Blog postings leave a digital information "trail" that exponentially extends the reach of a given message.
1 Through the use of built-in comment technology, blogs encourage conversation between blogger and reader. Very often a conversation that begins on a blog is continued in comments, on other blogs, and via e-mail.
1 They are excellent tools for obtaining feedback. For example, if you want to gauge consumer confidence in a particular product, you can ask your customers via a blog post. You can be sure to get honest and candid responses; no bones about it!
1 Thanks to a companion technology called RSS, blog postings can be spread more instantaneously. RSS syndicates blog postings to other Web sites and newsreader software, which you find more about in Chapter 13.
1 Blogs are search engine magnets. The leading search engine, Google, loves them. The net result is higher rankings in search returns. From an ROI (Return on Investment) perspective, they help the marketer tap into a potentially lucrative pool of traffic.
i Blogs are a grass-roots medium that allows direct contact with the consumer.
1 The "personal" feel of blogs tends to create trust among readers, which leads to a loyal niche following. The blogger becomes the virtual center of influence and thought-leader. According to Intelliseek CEO Pete Blackshaw, "Blogs are tailor-made for 'influencers' and serve as pace-setting devices to other influencers."
And the list could go on . . . . The fact is, blogs are word-of-mouth marketing taken to a happy extreme.
Bloggers with marketing expertise
If you want to find more about how marketing and blogging can work together, a good place to start is with the blogs of marketing professionals who use blogs. The companion blog to this book, Buzz Marketing with Blogs (shown in the figure), is designed to do just that. Visit www.buzzmarketingwithblogs.com to keep abreast of blog-marketing happenings, blogging awards, opportunities, tips, and tools.
You can check out other great blogs as well, all of which are linked from Buzz Marketing with Blogs. I find these blogs and bloggers extremely helpful:
Blog Business World, by Wayne Hurlbert: Discover about blogs in business, marketing, public relations, and search engine optimization issues.
blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com
The Blog Herald, edited by Duncan Riley: A portal of individual and corporate blogging news. www.blogherald.com
Business Blog Consulting, by Rick E. Bruner and others: A site devoted to demonstrating how Web logs help you communicate with customers (and prospective customers). www. businessblogconsulting.com
Common Craft, by Lee LeFever: The focus of Common Craft is innovative uses of social software in business. www.commoncraft.com
CorporateBlogging.Info, by Fredrik Wacka: This blog is designed to help you get started with corporate blogging. www.corporate blogging.info
Diva Marketing Blog, by Toby Bloomberg: Matching your brand with the opportunities of the blogosphere. bloombergmarketing. blogs.com
Easy Bake Weblogs, by Andy Wibbels: Find out about blog publishing and Internet marketing for entrepreneurs and small businesses. easy bakeweblogs.com
Lip-Sticking, by Yvonne DiVita: Marketing issues with a focus on women and the Internet.
windsormedia.blogs.com
Micro Persuasion, by Steve Rubel: Steve Rubel on how blogs and participatory journalism are impacting the practice of public relations. www. micropersuasion.com
Radiant Marketing Group, by Paul Chaney: Find out how to engage and interact with customers and clients via blogs, RSS, and e-mail. www. radiantmarketinggroup.com
Continue reading here: Buzz Marketing with Blogs for Dummies
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