Don’t Spam Us with Press Releases say Global Bloggers

Text 100 survey of 449 bloggers from 21 countries shows the global blogosphere becoming an increasingly mainstream channel.

Hong Kong, 06/25/2009 — In what is believed to be the first global survey of its kind, Text 100 has examined the communications / PR preferences of chiefly technology, business and lifestyle bloggers across the globe. The survey indicates a “mainstreaming’ of blogging in most markets, with many bloggers reporting increased contact from PR professionals or corporate communicators. It also highlights that some of the worst practices from media relations have been exported to global blogger relations practices. Importantly for companies wanting to engage, the survey indicates there is significant opportunity for deeper relationships with this increasingly influential community.

Contact with PR People

- More than 90 percent of the 449 bloggers surveyed welcome contact by PR people

- Most report a high level of regular contact from PR people, with more than 96% of bloggers in the US being contacted once a week or more (versus 36% in APAC and 65% in Europe)

- Email is the preferred form of contact, no matter which part of the globe bloggers reside; and SMS and IM universally are the least preferred forms

- Around half of all bloggers in APAC and Europe indicate their preferred form of contact on their blogs, and as a result of this survey, a number were planning to add their preferred form of contact if they weren’t already showing this. 88% of bloggers in APAC preferred an introduction before receiving information from PR people and corporations and many of these bloggers also wanted a face-to-face meeting

- Bloggers are united in their desire for distinctive content, particularly around new product developments and reviews, feedback on content posted on their blog, and interviews with key people

Content from PR People

- Photographs are most frequently used form of supplied content, followed by charts and graphs, and video streaming

- Almost two thirds of bloggers in APAC and Europe intend to use more elements from SMRs (Social Media Releases) in the coming 12 months

Blogging Habits

- Bloggers in the US spend the most time blogging, with 63% spending 9 or more hours a week; while in APAC and Europe that time spent is less (36% and 44%)

- Microblogging is used by more than 75% of all bloggers, and those in APAC and Europe believe they are blogging more often because of microblogging

Continued bad Habits from PRs

- PR people continue to blindly send corporate press releases to bloggers

- PR professionals are failing to read the blogs and truly understand their target bloggers’ communities.

- They seem to expect bloggers to post corporate material, demonstrating a lack of understanding of the medium and the very reason why bloggers blog.

- They treat bloggers as they would journalists – not as influencers which is more appropriate.

Text 100 has analysed the results and suggests FIVE key lessons for PR and communications professionals:

1. Corporations are increasingly recognizing the influence of bloggers – The increased contact points to the “mainstreaming” of blogging as a communications channel, and the recognition by corporations that bloggers have increasing influence over their desired audiences.

2. Corporate News Releases are out - Bloggers say Social Media Releases will experience far greater usage in the coming months

3. RSS feeds are a key source of information for bloggers, second only to other bloggers – If companies aren’t making their information available via RSS feeds, then they’re failing to use one of the bloggers’ most-trusted channels. Corporate bloggers and websites are also consistently deemed more credible sources than microblogging, newspapers, social bookmarking sites and television (and magazines in Europe and Asia Pacific).

4. The majority of bloggers are still part-timers – adjust your strategies accordingly - Outside of the US, the majority of bloggers surveyed blog for less than 9 hours per week.

5. Most bloggers will acknowledge when a post is supported by a corporation - While more than 80 percent of bloggers, no matter their region, say they would acknowledge sponsorship of blog posts, North Asian bloggers in particular tend to be less likely or willing to acknowledge sponsorship.

About the Study

Global public relations consultancy Text 100 surveyed 449 bloggers from 21 countries between April 6 and May 18, 2009. The web-survey was designed to clarify bloggers’ relationships with PR people and corporations. The bloggers were approached based on pre-existing relationships with Text 100 employees or through referrals from such relationships.

Building on a similar study of APAC bloggers in 2008, Text 100 hopes the 2009 study’s findings will help the PR industry and businesses around the world understand more about how bloggers prefer to engage, where local and regional variances might exist and how to keep improving relations in the future.

YouTube:

Jeremy Woolf, presents an overview of Text 100’s Global Blogger Survey 2009 here

Jeremy Woolf outlines the lessons learned from Text 100’s Global Survey 2009 here

Images:

Jeremy Woolf,
Global Social Media Lead
Text 100

Prof. Michael Netzley, PhD
Singapore Management University
Assistant Professor of Corporate
Communication Practice

Peter Steyn
Managing Director, Aha! Research

Cecilia Chan
Regional Marketing Manager, Lenovo HK, Macau, Taiwan & Korea

Quotes:

“The bloggers have spoken – they’re sick and tired of being treated as second-string journalists. While the survey results indicate more and more businesses around the world are reaching out to bloggers, they’re still sending them inappropriate traditional press content.

“Companies recognize that a main reason why bloggers have influence within their communities is that they offer something that can’t be found elsewhere. Posts seldom if ever eventuate from spammed press releases – they come through offering unique and appropriate content.

“Successful blogger relations shares much with successful media relations. There are three basic rules of thumb: Understand the blogger and their audience, become a trusted and reliable source of information, and, most important of all, read their blogs!”

Jeremy Woolf, Global Social Media Lead, Text 100

"This is probably the most extensive global survey ever conducted among B2B bloggers to understand their relationship with PR professionals. The response in this first-round global survey was very encouraging and the high quality of feedback from these bloggers is evident of their desire to further strengthen their relationship with the PR industry"

Peter Steyn Managing Director, Aha! Research

”Very little data exists at a global level allowing us to compare blogger behaviours and preferences at both a regional and even country level. Text 100 offers what might be the most comprehensive data to date about bloggers and how they practice their trade.

“The difference between the USA, and the rest of the world, regarding popular blogging subjects is quite striking. Relative to the rest of the world, the US appears to have a more focused and tightly defined set of popular blogging topics.

“Trust seems to have a different definition in Western countries where face-to-face meetings are measurably less important before receiving information from a PR firm or corporation. Perhaps Western cultures are more willing to trust a source where in APAC trust appears to be placed more in the person or relationship.

“The SMR seems to have quite varied responses around the globe. While most positively received in USA, APAC bloggers might be experiencing a greater number of companies communicating via the SMR. Perhaps this data reveals an opportunity for PR firms and corporations to offer data in more effective formats."

Prof. Michael Netzley, PhD Singapore Management University, Assistant Professor of Corporate Communication Practice

“Bloggers have become increasingly influential in shaping discussions around Lenovo’s products and services and we’re actively working with them across the globe. Our focus is on creating and contributing to authentic discussions that are of interest to our customers and the wider public through social media channels. Survey findings such as these are invaluable in helping us better meet the needs of increasingly influential bloggers while adding value to their communities.”

Cecilia Chan, Regional Marketing Manager, Lenovo HK, Macau, Taiwan & Korea

About Text 100

Text 100 is a global public relations consultancy with a staff of 500 people and a direct presence in 30 cities worldwide. We work with many of the world’s leading technology, internet and digital lifestyle brands with a client roster that includes IBM, Cisco, Fujifilm, Lenovo, SanDisk, Skype and PayPal. We are recognised as an innovator in the field of public relations – particularly in the emerging area of social media - and for leading the PR industry in staff development. Our strong culture has been praised around the world over the past two years during which time we have been recognised as the Best Midsize Agency in Asia, the Best Midsize Agency to Work For in the US, and one of the UK’s Best Small Companies. For more information about Text 100, please visit www.text100.com.

Media Contact

Please direct all media inquiries to:

Claire Plasto
+61.2.9956.5733
Claire.plasto@text100.com.au