Blogging

24. October 2008 | From Tino Kressner | Category: WebTrends

Under the operation Blogging is an online diary understood. The term was coined in 1997 by the American John Barger coined by surfing the net "logging the web" was called.

With easy to use and useful software is structured since it is possible a few years each, an Internet site to publish. If the content displayed chronologically, from weblogs, or blogs spoken. This short form dipped in 1999 first time. Weblogs have been around since the mid-1990s. Xanga 1996 was one of the first services in a simple way to create Webtagebüchern allowed. The growth was rapid. From 100 blogs once in 1997, counted 2005 Xanga have already 20 million. The blog search engine Technorati reported in April 2007 over 70 million blogs worldwide. The exciting thing is the possibility of the written content to comment on - a back channel to the transmitter to form. In the early years of such blogs, this was not in on-line newspaper, for example Spiegel.de possible. All worked on the principle, "Hugh, the journalist has spoken."

The development of the blogs attract substantial changes. In the mass medium of the Internet gets the "mass" the opportunity to talk about what moves them or know what she has. The blogger may be things to criticize, make public, it can recommend a product, what they like and discuss topics on which what he has to say. Each customer in the shop not to his satisfaction was treated with a product or do not like his dissatisfaction may announce the World. Frightening? The logical conclusion must be that customers should be treated well and to develop products with which the customer is satisfied. Then he might even be a positive experience, or the product to a friend. If the blogger a big special-interest audiences, this is a fact not to be despised. It is necessary to ensure the products are so interesting, novel, innovative or even fun to make, that it is worthwhile for bloggers to talk about it. Bloggers love to be something cool to recommend that a tip to give it to your communication needs to be satisfied or industry knowledge to prove. The passing and sharing of information and knowledge is through the blogs to a whole culture.

For producers arises with the care of their own reputation on the Internet a new task, which largely revolves around listening. Criticism has often a cause, a trigger and a carrier. The experts, brokers and sellers of the negative word of mouth is important to find and in an open dialogue with customers and critics to go - with cajole. The comment feature of blogs is the ideal setting. Problems should be openly discussed their own perspective to be represented and, where appropriate, reports on measures which have already been taken. And not only, like Kryptonite, if the entire interest to the relevant issue has resolved. Alone that a company employee takes the time and the target of criticism is received, you will be highly credited. Like the saying "The customer is king" should be "The Internet user is king" its validity. Through the Internet, every individual has a voice that thousands of people for eternity to read.

Companies say

Also the company has a voice that should be used. About a so-called corporate blog corporate communications can be operated externally. Rumors can arise when there are no stories about a company, if the few people to present more detailed information to dense. (see Langner 2005, 189 f.) are also rumors of unanswered questions and the resulting speculative answers. With a business blog can questions be answered before they occur. The Company enters into an open dialogue with its customers. It is obviously preferable to the discussions about a product or a brand on its own website to have, rather than an alien, about the man has no control. Contributions will also be read rather than the comments, plus an extra click is needed. Readers get the feeling that exclusive information from the office or from the production to get. Even the possibility of public access to a company to be included, shows that there is nothing to hide there. Prominent are so-called CEO blogs as online diaries of the CEO. Here, we know there are qualified first-hand information. As a well-known example is the German blog Evsan Ibrahim, the CEO of the video platform sevenload.de ones. In America, the blog of Jonathan Schwartz (President & CEO of SUN Microsystems) and Bob Lutz (Vice-Chairman of General Motors) read a lot. Not least by the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" with Al Gore became clear that the U.S. automaker General Motors in a crisis stage. Early 2006 was the elimination of 30,000 jobs announced, several plants were faced with the closure and the health program for employees was reduced by 15 billion U.S. dollar reduced. Before rumors were spread, Lutz wrote with an unexpected openness in the GM blog about the current situation and even asked to help:

"But the deeper issue is this question of our image, and this perception that nobody's interested in our products. We can and will do a better job of advertising and communications in the traditional sense, but we need to step up our non-traditional communications and word of mouth, and get our message directly to the people on a grassroots level. This blog is one example but we need more avenues, and bigger ideas. What do you think? "(Link)

One of the world's largest corporations asking his customers for advice in what they can improve the communication, or even admits mistake. By September 2007, 340 answers to this question posted online. Even when flying over the answer becomes clear that the commentators concerned with the issue set and partly informed the company open their honest opinion have:

"Many people will never trust your vehicle quality unless you increase your warranties! [...] You would sell more cars with a longer warranty than with rebates, and if your cars are as reliable as you say it will not cost you as much. "

Even suggestions of their own employees were informed and were appropriate:
"As a current GM employee I have to admit that you can design a nice car. The point i would like to make is that there are too many of the same car in the GM family. [...] I think if we made less twins and more individuality between the brand names we would be doing better in the market ... [...] Just an idea from an employee hoping for a future for my kids. "

A unique experiment to date in this range. One sees the needs for communication about a brand can exist. 340 people were on the image and form of communication from General Motors an opinion. These people now have at least feel listened to have been, and will probably not see any reason their displeasure publicly known otherwise to be done. End of July 2007 wrote in the online portal of ARD: "Patient General Motors back in good health. The largest U.S. carmaker General Motors surprised with a successful second quarter and return to profitability. "

Types of blogs

Corporate blogs are more than mere marketing tools. You can actively as a communication tool used. In addition to the corporate blog are the following types of blogs for corporate communications:

Campaign Blog: Temporary created blogs to accompany and support a marketing campaign. Example: International Blogger WG in Berlin during the World Cup 2006 from Coca Cola
Product Blog: communications and discussions on a specific product. Example: Schweppes
Brand Blog: Turning to the image and the communication around an existing brand. Example: Blog by General Motors
Project Blog: Provides information on a project in the development or introduction, and it offers the possibility mitzuentwickeln, alter or test. Example: blog TRND
Event Blog: Reported during an event most of the daily happenings on the ground. Example: AMI Blog
Blog Service: The focus is on information for clients and the care with problems. Example: a pioneer in this field is Frosta.
Customer Relationship Blog: Maintain customer contacts and open dialogue with stakeholder groups. Example: Weblog of the fast food chain McDonald's, when it comes to corporate responsibility goes.
Crisis Blog: For fast response to company crises. Example: With Direct2Dell Dell started in August 2006 to their blog battery crisis even before the actual recall page went online.
Topics Blog: revolves around a specific topic expert, creating a company to the outside powers can show. Example: The Fontblog FontShop Company's reports on news, trends and information about graphics and fonts.

Other reasons for using the blog

A further consideration a blog as a communication tool, is the very good Google ranking of online diaries. A blog is well networked through trackbacks or links as in the blogroll, blogs are usually much more up to date and provide searchable content. And these sites have a good structure. In search of their own brand or product should be of advantage, if also a separate page at the top posts of the first ten search hits on Google and there is no negative word of mouth.

The other change in the use of weblogs by the handling of information. People indulge in the digital exhibitionism. In all areas you have supervised and anxiety ausspioniert to be there as little as possible for private data surveys and sweepstakes price. At the same time, the online diaries of their lives to the public. Superficially, one can speak of authenticity. Only those who speak honestly and openly, will be familiar. This should include a principle of every company's blog. But even here, any company secrets, what is given up, in the vastness of the Internet is stored - and the competition with reads.