eureka…

Recently I have been introduced to the world of social media, via blogging. Honestly, I’m not really sure where to start. However, I have been given a few questions about blogging to use as a guide to become a savvy blogger.

First, what makes a blog a blog? In my opinion a blog can be used as a tool to generate social commentary about any subject. Although this platform may seem similar to that of an internet chat room, I believe they are different. In a chat room, there may not be a set subject to discuss. It’s basically an open forum for people to discuss whatever they want. However, the blog is a bit more organized. Generally,the administrator can tailor the discussions to specific topic areas. Also, the administrator can use the blog to focus on one organization, product, client, etc. This option is not readily available with a chat room.

How does corporate blogging fit into a PR plan? The blog can be a valuable promotional tool to use in a PR plan. Our society has become permanently affixed to computers. What better way to generate buzz about your client or product than by creating an online site that allows the public to discuss your client/product. This technology allows your client to have an international audience very easily.

Blogs can be a great tool for key stakeholders to use. The blog instantly provides them with both positive and negative feedback about their product/organization. This is a luxury that has not always been easy to come by. The stakeholders can then make necessary changes based off of the commentary from their publics.

How can the company measure the return on investment that is put into blog technology? Well, I would think that once the blog is set, you can follow the blog posts. Here you can see the volume of posts. This will indicate wether or not people are interested in your client. Also, blogs often create buzz in other media outlets. You can follow the amount of media coverage your blog has generated.

Blogs, whether you love them or hate them, can have a great impact on public relations. You can find more of the questions that helped me at http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com.