"This research brief offers companies necessary and vital information, will help them make a decision about the use of weblogs in marketing and public relations. The study explains what stands behind the word weblogs, outlines the characteristics and special features and also shows the potential for the use in marketing and public relations. The study gives an idea of possible challenges and how they can be overcome. To better evaluate the importance of weblogs, this research brief analyzes the current knowledge about and usage of weblogs in Germany based, among other things, on a survey we conducted."
"Although Weblogs (blogs) are currently used by only a small number of online consumers, they've garnered a great deal of corporate attention because their readers and writers are highly influential. Forrester believes that blogging will grow in importance, and at a minimum, companies should monitor blogs to learn what is being said about their products and services. Companies that plan to create their own public blogs should already feel comfortable having a close, two-way relationship with users. In this document we recommend best practices, including a blogging code of ethics, and metrics that will show the impact of blogs on business goals."
What Could Your Company Do With A Blog? How Smart Companies Use Blogs for Marketing and PR Success and How You Can Too, by B.L. Ochman (Oct. 2004; PDF; 105 pages; $97)
"B.L. Ochman, noted Internet strategist, PR guru and influential blogger gives you straight talk about blogging. She gives you scores of examples of successful business blogs, advice on what to blog about and why, plus dozens of resources you can use immediately."
Includes best practice advice on the following: * How press releases can be used to optimise your search engine rankings * Paid-search and crisis management (or how AdWords? can limit the damage from bad press) * The power of blogs and how they can be used for PR * Reputation monitoring * Community monitoring * Seeding * Trust and credibility
Features insights and information on the growing healthcare blogosphere, including: * Who is blogging about healthcare and why? * Why healthcare organizations fear blogs and reasons why they shouldn't * Guidance for developing a successful organzational or individual healthcare blog
