Although I exclaimed in a earlier post that you don’t need a blog, a recent study by BuzzLogic shows that blogs have a more powerful influence in customers’ purchase decisions then social media networks. The report states that with the exploding growth of blog readers, blogs are playing an ever increasing role in leading customers to the point of purchase.
Another interesting point in the study is that blog readers are using blog links to find new information and content as opposed to traditional search engines. According to the study, 38 percent of the blog readers surveyed said that blog links are their primary method for finding new blog content as compared to 34 percent using search engines. At the same time, most blog readers said that they rarely use blog search engines such as Technorati.
It’s all about trust
When a reader clicks a blog link or is influenced to make a purchase (or not) based on a blog, it is because they have established a certain level of trust with the blogger. The blogger has created a relationship with the reader on some level and the reader is responding to that relationship. The personal style of most blogs create the ever important conversation and the blog style, combined with compelling content can form the basis of an online community.
A blog in and of itself also carries a certain level of authority. The fact that the blogger has taken the time to establish the blog, post on a regular basis and manage all of the aspects that go into a blog in and of itself creates a level of authority. Blogs are a very effective means of establishing oneself as an expert in a particular niche.
Who Controls the Conversation?
The biggest difference between the blog and the social networking site is who controls the conversation. A blogger sets the topic, creates the discussion and the discussion revolves around the post of the moment. On a social networking site or forum, the community creates the discussion.
When using forums for marketing, it is possible to provide a much more customized response to your potential clients needs. The potential client has a question, you provide a valuable answer. No Google, no search engines, a quick and easy process.
Likewise, a well developed question draws potential clients into the conversation and builds relationships with those clients.
So, do you need a blog?
So, the question becomes, do you need a blog?. It depends. It comes down to your objectives. Yes, positive recommendation on a premier blog can have a huge impact. At the same time, a negative post on a premier blog can also be devestating.
Keep in mind however that blogging is not for everyone. To put it simply, it takes a fair amount of work. At the same time, it can be a very valuable tool to bring in customers.
The most important thing to take from the BuzzLogic study is the power of the third-party recommendation.
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