Survey : Blogs work for PR, influence public and media

A new study conducted by Euro RSCG Magnet and Columbia University shows that more than 51 percent of journalists use blogs regularly, and 28 percent rely on them to help in their day-to-day reporting duties.

As CEO of Euro RSCG Magnet says “The fact that the media are using blogs for reporting and research… demonstrates that blogs have an enormous potential to not only influence the general public, but to influence the influencers — journalists and the media — as well.”

The study further found journalists mostly used blogs for finding story ideas (53 percent), researching and referencing facts (43 percent) and finding sources (36 percent). And 33 percent said they used blogs to uncover breaking news or scandals. Not surprisingly, even though journalists relied heavily for blogs for stories only 1 percent of journalists found blogs credible. That may be because of blogs perceived threat to the mainstream media.

The influence of blogs is only growing. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed believe that blogs will become a more popular tool for corporations seeking to inform consumers.

Law firms would be well served to have someone on board who is well versed on the use of blogs for PR or at a minimum to be using a PR firm with such knowledge. This is not the time for law firm marketing professionals and communications people serving them to be blog contrarians. Blogs may only play a role in PR, but is an effective and growing role.

Source for post: Pamela Parker of ClickZ Network