Out of shape? Like computers? Can't get a girlfriend? You must be a blogger. It wasn't long ago that this was the stereotypical view of internet users devoted to keeping blogs. But such cyber-snobbery didn't last long. The power wielded by bloggers soon became clear. Look no further than Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, news of which was first posted by US blogger Matt Drudge. Or ask brands such as GM and Cillit Bang, which saw their reputations go untarnished for years before disgruntled bloggers came along and ruined everything.
Few doubt the power of the blogosphere now. Between 2007 and 2008, the number of internet users reading blogs at least on a monthly basis ballooned from 25 per cent to 37 per cent. Indeed, today instead of repudiating bloggers, many brands maintain their own blogs or are adapting marketing strategies to tap into conversations already taking place online. In the current economic climate, paying bloggers to write about your brand can also work out cheaper than display advertising, acting as a further incentive for marketers to get involved.
A 'making of' blogumentary
Sony is among the brands to have led the charge into the relatively untapped paid-for blogging space. Recognising the power and influence bloggers wield, it took the unprecedented step in 2006 of inviting three bloggers to the TV shoot of 'Paint' for Sony Bravia in Glasgow, equipping them with cameras and giving them behind-the-scenes access months before the TV ad aired.
This strategy marked a significant milestone that would eventually lead to scores of brands actively seeking participation from the blogosphere, rather than subserviently waiting to be written about. 'Foam City', Sony's 2007 follow-up to the 'Paint' commercial, saw influential bloggers invited to a shoot in Miami and given free rein to blog from the set, resulting in a wave of online publicity that fuelled anticipation ahead of the TV ad's launch.
Now, as marketing budgets shrink, social media explodes and microblogging comes of age, advertisers are increasingly drawn to the online space, where many attempt to influence those conversations in even more audacious ways. It has resulted in an increasing number of initiatives where brands tap up bloggers, either by providing content or product samples, in the hope of creating noise in the blogosphere. This is increasingly prevalent in the US, where the phenomenon has resulted in a crisis of ethics, as well as questions over where objectivity stops and the job of PR begins.
Brands contributing to the trend include Mercedes, which allowed a mother that blogged on momadvice.com to trial its GLK Model ahead of its launch, and Nokia, whose blogger-related program saw 50 of the most influential tech bloggers given the N95 handset to critique. Here in the UK, Remington challenged market-leader GHD by launching a series of haircare products. It targeted some of the most influential hair-and-beauty bloggers by distributing samples for review (see Casebook). "No money changed hands and there was no expectation on them to say anything other than the honest truth," says Robin Grant, managing director of We Are Social, which handled the campaign. "What we actually ended up with was a plethora of reviews that sprawled across the net. Of course, these included some criticisms but, by and large, they were overwhelmingly positive."
Splashing the cash
Yet there is growing evidence to suggest that, rather than rely on the strength of a product, some companies are resorting to outright cash incentives. Indeed, a recent report from Forrester advocates this method of communication, promoting 'sponsored conversation' as 'a guaranteed review of the marketer's brand in the blogger's own voice'. Forrester argues that although cash or merchandise changes hands, sponsored conversation will only work 'if bloggers disclose the payment and can write whatever they truly feel'.
But the practice is widely recognised as highly controversial with many adamant that it is at odds with the openly democratic evolution of the web.
This issue was inflamed last December when Kmart sponsored US blogger Chris Brogan, among a number of influential online writers, to spend a $500 (£340) gift card it donated in a bid to figure out 'what was cool to buy at Kmart'. The retailer subsequently threw open the offer to readers, who were asked to post comments on blogs with their Kmart 'holiday wish list' as well as a pre-composed Kmart tweet to all their respective followers.
On the whole, Brogan's article praised Kmart and solicited heavy criticism for succumbing to a corporate initiative and compromising objectivity. Later rebutting these criticisms, Brogan argued that the traditional advertiser/editorial dichotomy is not as clearly defined in the digital space. "As a publisher, I have all the jobs of the newspaper. I am both the editorial staff and also the business side of the house," he wrote. His most valid line of defence was the fact that the blog post, like a print advertorial, clearly stated the article was sponsored, though the opinions were the author's own.
For some companies, there is little need to argue over the ethics of blogs, as the commercial premise is stated outright. Among them is Pay Per Post, which matches brands to bloggers, who get paid for their work, and Review Me, which promises bloggers $20 (£14) to $200 (£140) for each review posted on their sites. "It is no coincidence many of the brands that use this form of advertising are at the end of the market that reputable brands would not wish to touch," says We Are Social's Grant.
Quality check
But how far are these forms of blogging polluting the integrity of the digital space, and what's behind their success? Katy Howell, managing director of Immediate Future, believes the decision of many brands to use them is often connected with the prospect of improving their search rankings. "Brands are largely being duped into this by their SEO agencies, which often convince them that the answer to organic search is either having their own blog or generating reams of positive coverage."
Howell insists that paid-for blogs tend to be the one-stop solution for marketers who either lack imagination or an understanding of the web. "It's a bit like prostitution," she says. "Brands are paying for what they need rather than earning it. Digital audiences are built on authenticity, and content that creates advocacy and evokes a reader's passion points. Doing this online requires a far more subtle and long-term approach than paying for reviews in the hope that you'll be noticed."
Instead, many experts believe brands that want to be noticed online need to ditch the 'ivory tower' attitude prevalent in traditional marketing. But the most common mistake brands can make is trying to fake a 'hygienic' presence online. Walmart felt an extreme case of this in 2006 when it set up a blog featuring the musings of a couple who drove across the US, writing positive reviews of its employees and working conditions. It gradually transpired the 'bloggers' were in fact a freelance writer and a member of the US Treasury Department who were being generously compensated for their efforts.
Little wonder that rather than risking this tightrope, brands are dipping their toe into spaces via their own blogs. One such is Absolute Radio, which last year changed ownership when Times of India bought Virgin Radio. Its http://onegoldensquare.com blog has been largely recognised for its transparency. "We've posted everything from Ofcom Complaints to resignation letters," says Absolute Radio's brand director, Chris Lawson. This honesty is not only respected but projects a confidence that has resonated in the blogosphere generating traffic from media, fan sites and even its stakeholders.
But cultural benefits arising from transparency are difficult to communicate, particularly among brands that are new to online media. "Even if the client understands the benefits of blogging, it is usually a battle for them to sell on to their internal stakeholders, simply because it's less measurable in many ways than other forms of digital advertising," says Immediate Future's Howell.
Keeping pace with change
One thing is certain: demand for real content that provides social currency is going to surge in 2009. And don't be surprised if payment systems start to enter the equation. Last month, Glam Media pilot-launched Tinker, a micro-blogging tracker that allows people to track topics on Facebook and Twitter. It has also finalised a micropayment model that it hopes will incentivise bloggers to contribute with the reward of sharing revenue from advertising.
And if the payment issue can't be cracked online, expect companies to try their luck elsewhere. Last month, AQA launched the first mobile phone-publishing platform, which it hopes will incentivise people to publish content by letting them generate revenue from their subscribers. "Unlike the online space, mobile audiences have been entirely comfortable with a monetary proposition," says Colly Myers, chief executive of the AQA2U service.
The old days of blogging as the free hobby horse of the geeky or disenfranchised are behind us. Now if brands can be open, honest and play to the passions of their audience its rewards may be more than social currency: it could be financial, too.
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