Social Media Blog

The popularity of blogs indicates how Social Media has drastically changed the world, and how even the most established institutions are adjusting to fight the effects and the changes it has caused. A few years ago, it was impossible for anyone to express their opinion on the most important issues and be heard or read by millions. It was difficult for anyone to be part of the entertainment industry, an already saturated industry. However, thanks to blogging, the dividing line between the personal and the public has been blurred. And it has ultimately changed media and how people consume news and similar information.

Blogs—or web logs—were first meant to be personal journal entries. They contain thoughts, pictures, and links – and the content found in blogs is user-generated. Blogs were previously only meant for written entries, as a sort of public diary where one can write his or her thoughts (just like in a private journal). But with blogs, anyone and everyone can read your entries; they can even leave comments on the blog’s comment page. As the names of the first blogging services imply, blogs were meant to be personal. But the nature of blogs turned it into something much bigger; people now use blogs to air commentaries on the most important issues. Now, due to advancements in technology, bloggers are able to use videos and pictures in their “posts” (hence the existence of podcasts, and video blogs).

In a survey done in 2007, it was learned that 25 percent of online consumers in America read blogs; a significant segment considering that many online adults are not actively participating in online activities. Furthermore, 11 percent of online consumers in America are bloggers, while 14 percent comment on blogs. A more overwhelming 29 percent watch videos on blogs or on sites such as YouTube, while a less overwhelming but still formidable 11 percent listen to podcasts. The figures are different in Japan and South Korea, with its more aggressive online population. More than half of Japan’s online adults read blogs, while South Korea has the most bloggers compared to any other country in terms of percentage. However, podcasts are most popular in America; it has not gained a huge following in other countries. Everywhere else, video watching is the most popular online activity.

More than being dry facts, these figures show the people involved in blogs and how popular it has become, proving that the number behind this phenomenon is to be reckoned with. These numbers show that blogs and bloggers indeed have the power to revolutionize media, commerce, and other industries.

The fact that blogs became very popular is not surprising; its appeal lies in the fact that people generally want to be heard. Anyone with an Internet connection can go to sites providing free blog service such as Blogger and Livejournal (even social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, or the less popular Multiply or Friendster have blog services). No one is restricting anyone from creating blogs - there are blogs dedicated to a number of interests and topics, from the common (poetry, literature, food, music) to the specialized (a blog against movie critic Ben Lyons, or a blog dedicated to hilarious pictures of kittens, among others). Anyone who has anything to say can create a blog. And depending on how she maintains and markets it, the blog can even become influential in certain fields or industries.

Another appeal of blogs is how it gives bloggers a sense of belongingness. Since bloggers can link to each other, comment on each other’s entries and videos, each and everyone in this field are connected (hence the term blogsphere). They cite each other and make reference to each other. They can comment on each other’s blogs and content. Sometimes, there are certain topics that become prevalent in the blogsphere and several blogs tend to discuss the same topic, with bloggers arguing and agreeing with one another. Bloggers are connected by this process, making them part of a virtual community.

But the power of blogs is not limited to this. For one, due to the interconnectedness of blogs, it is possible for them to discuss the same topic. This can be a boon or a bane for those being discussed, since such discussions can have power over the readers. After all, those speaking are real people, narrating what presumably are real experiences. And bloggers recommending a good product is more effective than a television advertisement.

Blogs have also changed media, specifically news and journalism. Bloggers are often regarded as the new journalists of this age, since a number of bloggers report on various current events the way reporters do. However, unlike journalists, bloggers can fix facts and opinions the way most journalists can’t. This combination is more appealing to many. Furthermore, bloggers are not hindered by time, since they can publish their reports in real time. Of course, bloggers, unlike journalists, do not have gatekeepers (such as editors or proofreaders), so the audience cannot be sure if the information they provide is accurate. But in any case, the popularity of the likes of Perez Hilton, among others, has proven that blogs and bloggers can crossover. And the fact that esteemed publications maintain blogs is a proof that even the mainstream is affected by the blogging revolution.

You can use blogs for your brand, of course, provided that you enter the process carefully. First, you have to read blogs. Familiarize yourself with the blogs that are talking about your brand or your business to learn what people are saying. Blog search engines such as Technorati and Google Blog Search would be your most effective tool here as they can determine the blogs with the most influence.

Nielsen BuzzMetrics and TNS Cymfony, on the other hand, can monitor online content that mentions your company, your competitors, as well as gauge the general sentiment of people regarding your brand.

Lastly, you have to participate and be part of the blogsphere. Create a blog and upload relevant content. Many campaigns used blogs are their main centerpiece, and they produced sterling results. Blogs can be most useful when you use them to garner information about your customers and when you use them to communicate with your target market. Many companies have used blogs to test certain products, to see how their market would respond to it. In the end, blogs have indeed changed the way you will do business, but you can also use blogs to change how your consumers decide and act.