A European survey of blogs in PR and communications management will be published tomorrow by Euprera. The survey Euroblog 2006 shows that 68% of PR professionals read or write blogs, but only 36% do it regularly each week. 42% are planning to start a blog within a year, while 32% do not. The survey suggests there is a divide between “converts and sceptics”.
“It reveals a clear divergence between enthusiasts who see wide-ranging benefits from weblogs, from tracking competitors and monitoring industry trends to communicating their own messages directly, bypassing journalists, and “anti-bloggers” who fail to see benefits for their companies or clients.”
The most enthusiastic users came from Austria, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Germany.
According to the survey, the primary reasons to use blogs are
– to be regarded as being cutting edge in terms of using new technologies;
– that the blog is a cheap and simple communication platform; and
– that it creates commitment among employees.
The most important factors limiting the use of weblogs are the inablity to control the communication content, integrating blogs into communication strategy and creating content.
587 PR professionals from 33 countries participated in the survey. Full results will be online tomorrow.
Sources: SPRA, Mediations.
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