Came across some numbers by Forrester Research and it says corporate blogs and social networking sites from a company or brand have very low trust ratings. You can find the article here, Report: Corporate Blogs are not trusted.
I think this solves one of my biggest dilemmas whereby i always wondered why people would trust a company who talks about itself on a blog. Who would read it when we already had Wal-Mart. It’s a push communications whereby the blog goes on yapping about the company and its products/services…
Josh Bernoff provides an insightful post to the data. And to address how and when to start a corporate blog, it’s back to basics.
Blogs exclusively about companies and products are what I think generate these low trust ratings. So don’t do a blog like that.Instead, adjust your strategy based on your objectives. (Sound familiar?)If you want to be a thought leader and helper for your customers, and you blog frequently about those customers’ problems and solutions, then you can generate trust.
I also like the part whereby Josh Bernoff mentions each companies’ branding position allows it to adopt a different communications online strategy. For example, Google manages to provide great apps and services for the online community, that’s why ppl are interested in Google’s blogs.
MacDonald on the other hand has their McDonald’s mom campaign. Basically letting moms know what is the process of how the fries are made, trying to make their foods more appealing to the health conscious society. Do you believe it even if you aren’t a parent?Would you read thier blog and believe them if they told you their fries provide health benefits?
So corporate blogs aren’t trusted and companies using them should consider taking it down unless it’s generating a community building effect. Get involved with your consumers, provide a service/product that answers those problems. Win that trust whilst enhancing your reputation.
So when it comes to the end of the year and answering the questions on ROI, show how your ‘new’ corporate blog has enhanced reputation and gained potential sales.
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