The results of my 2005 1-Minute Blogging & RSS Survey emphasized that “Time” was the top fear factor holding folks back from creating and maintaining a corporate blog. [PDF summary of 2005 survey – 708 respondents]
This year’s results are not dramatically different. “Time” is still a concern. “What to write about” is an equal concern. In addition, the non-adoption rate of RSS continues. 59 percent say they have downloaded an RSS newsreader but only 42 percent are using one to read blogs via RSS.
In reponse to the Corporate Blogging is Dead meme…
73.3 percent said they have considered launching a corporate blog (up from 68 percent in last year’s survey).
There were just under 450 responses this year, from a mix of small business and corporate types. Most, presumably, are readers of WordBiz Report, where I advertised the survey. [PDF summary of 2006 survey – 449 respondents]
Update: PR blogger Kami Huyse’s excellent round-up of recent blogging surveys is required reading. Her point is that there are lies, damn lies and, er, reports about blogging. She comments on:
- Pew Internet’s new report on bloggers: the Internet’s storytellers
- Onalytica’s new report on influential authorities on “blog marketing”
- Cymfony and Porter Novell’s study of “corporate blog owners”
Baseline questions
– 96% of respondents know what a blog is
– 85% know what a podcast is
– 64% know what a wiki is
– 57% are familiar with the term social mediaNote: these stats make perfect sense, don’t they?
– 59% have downloaded an RSS newsreader
– but only 42% are reading blogs via a newsreaderNote: this corresponds to the non-adoption rate of RSS newsreaders in last year’s survey.
Most important concerns about launching & maintaining a corporate blog
59% – Time it would take to write [in 2005 this number was 65%]
57% – What to write about [up from 51% last year]
35% – Who in their company should write the blog
34% – Whether blog entries would need to be pre-approved
Is blogging a fad?
85% – Blogging is *not* a fad
67% – Blogging will become a must-have corporate marketing & communications toolLast year’s responses: In 2005, 80% said blogging was not a fad. 55% said blogs would become a must-have corporate marketing tool.
So the needle is shifting slightly, but noticeably…
Sampling of comments left by respondents
“Isn’t the word ‘Corporate Blogging’ an oxmoron? Corporate means
limiting or confining while blogging means the free flow of ideas &
information.”
“I’m convinced of the need (for a corporate blog). It’s just a question of time and resources.”
“We’ve considered it, but I’m getting a lot of resistance because no
one else is doing it in our industry and our marketing department is
always hesitant to be the first with anything. Sigh!”
“Planning to launch a CEO blog shortly.”
“I don’t want to talk to the guy who sells me a vacuum cleaner…
Blogs are going to be useful only to businesses that need to and fro
communication.”
“[Corporate blogs could become a way to] spew out more propaganda
and yet make it seem cogent and real-time. Sorry to be so pragmatic or
sarcastic… too many years in Corp. America.”
“Just another tool in the quiver. Nothing will ever replace face to face.”
“Companies like mine [has 3,000 employees] will struggle with who
will do the writing, editing and posting and how to show tangible
results from the effort.”