Global Text 100 Survey Shows Asia Pacific Blogs Are Now Mainstream Media Channels

Text 100’s global blogger survey of 449 bloggers from 21 countries compares and contrasts blogger opinion from around the globe

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 06/25/2009 — Today Text 100 announced the results of its Global Blogger Survey. Believed to be the first of its kind; this survey examines the preferred communication techniques from the point of view of technology, business and lifestyle bloggers across the globe. The survey indicates a “mainstreaming’ of blogging in most markets, with many bloggers reporting increased contact from PR professionals or corporate communicators. It also highlights that some of the worst practices from media relations have been exported directly to global blogger relations. Importantly for companies wanting to engage, the survey indicates there is significant opportunity for deeper relationships with this increasingly influential community.

Of the global survey, 229 responses came from APAC bloggers, see the complete APAC report here. Text 100 has analysed the results and suggests FIVE key lessons for the PR and communications professionals in APAC:

One - Corporations in Asia Pacific are increasingly recognising the influence of bloggers
In the past 12 months, the number of bloggers welcoming contact by PR people has increased by nearly 10% to 93%. Similarly, the frequency of contact has increased year on year demonstrating the influence many corporations believe bloggers have in key constituent communities.

Two - Only one third of bloggers in APAC spend 9 or more hours a week blogging
Bloggers in APAC continue to blog for passion (and for the most part, in their own time). It is critical that PR people wanting to work with bloggers respect their time pressures and constraints. For example, events should be scheduled out of business hours, and information should be provided in advance of announcements to allow time for review (noting 97% of bloggers surveyed said they would honour embargoes).

Three - In general, the more formal Asian business practices of introductions and face to face meetings are echoed in the blogger community
88% (up from 78% in 2008) of bloggers surveyed prefer an introduction before receiving information. Bloggers in North and South East Asia also prefer face to face meetings before interacting with PR people or corporate representatives. Given this, it is essential PR teams get to know their key bloggers personally and develop a shared agenda understanding of them and their communities.

Four - Acknowledging sponsorships or forms of compensation for posts is an area which sees division amongst APAC countries
While Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore are mostly in agreement regarding acknowledging sponsored posts, other markets – especially in North Asia -are less likely to do so. This perhaps reflects cultures where lines between free and paid for media are, in some cases, blurred. It also reinforces the point that bloggers are not journalists and can’t be expected to behave in the same fashion.

Five – Bloggers like Social Media Releases and plan to use them more
APAC bloggers – like their global counterparts – show little interest in corporate news releases. However Social Media News Releases are proving to be popular, allowing bloggers the freedom to develop unique angles for their audiences using the ‘deconstructed’ format, quotes, links and visual elements. This allows for more distinctive angle creation and helps bloggers create posts that offer something other than what can be found in traditional media. Non-English speaking countries showed a particular preference for SMRs.

For more global insights please view Text 100’s global announcement here.

Additional findings specific to APAC:

Contact:
• The majority (93%) of the APAC bloggers in this survey welcome contact from PR firms or corporations, up from 84% found in the 2008 survey. Bloggers in Japan and Greater China are slightly less willing to be contacted;
• 70% have been contacted in the past 6 months, compared with 66% in the 2008 survey;
• Across the region (except Japan) email is the preferred means of contact. Contact via SMS is least preferred in half of the countries surveyed. About half of APAC bloggers indicate their contact preference on their blogs;
• Most (88%) of the APAC bloggers prefer to be introduced before receiving information from a PR firm or corporation with whom they have not had prior contact;
• Bloggers prefer opinioned responses to their blogs, new product developments, news, products for review, and interviews with key people. Corporate news announcements are of least interest to surveyed bloggers.

Content:
• Half (48%) of APAC bloggers are aware of Social Media Releases (SMRs), an increase of 8% over last year’s study;
• Among the bloggers surveyed, computers / technology / internet are the most popular blogged about subjects, followed to a much lesser degree by gaming and science. Malaysian bloggers seem to be more interested in entertainment/arts/music and culture/community, while the latter is also most popular in Australia.

Blogging Habits
• Slightly more than a third (36%) of the bloggers surveyed spent more than 9 hours per week blogging, compared with 33% in the 2008 survey. 18% spend more than 16 hours blogging per week. The amount of blogging time is highest in Australia, Taiwan and Korea, and lowest in Singapore and New Zealand;
• 76% use a micro-blogging site (such as Twitter) and opinions on its effect on their normal blogging vary. About a third (30%) said their blogging increased due to micro-blogging (especially in Taiwan), a third (31%) said it decreased (especially in Hong Kong), while 39% said it had no effect on their blogging. Micro blogging is least used by bloggers in China and Korea;
• 75% agree that bloggers should always clearly state their employer or association if blogging on issues or topics that relate to their businesses. 100% of New Zealand bloggers support this philosophy while less than half (46%) of surveyed Chinese bloggers felt compelled to do so.

Continued bad Habits from PRs
• PR people continue to blindly send corporate press releases to bloggers
• PR professionals are failing to read the blogs and truly understand their target bloggers’ communities.
• They seem to expect bloggers to post corporate material, demonstrating a lack of understanding of the medium and the very reason why bloggers blog.
• They treat bloggers as they would journalists – not as influencers which is more appropriate.
About the Study

Global public relations consultancy Text 100 surveyed 449 bloggers from 21 countries between April 6 and May 18, 2009. The web-survey was designed to clarify bloggers’ relationships with PR people and corporations. The bloggers were approached based on pre-existing relationships with Text 100 employees or through referrals from such relationships.

Building on a similar study of APAC bloggers in 2008, Text 100 hopes the 2009 study’s findings will help the PR industry and businesses around the world understand more about how bloggers prefer to engage, where local and regional variances might exist and how to keep improving relations in the future.

YouTube:

Jeremy Woolf, presents an overview of Text 100’s Global Blogger Survey 2009 here

Jeremy Woolf outlines the lessons learned from Text 100’s Global Survey 2009 here

Images:

Jeremy Woolf,
Global Social Media Lead
Text 100

Prof. Michael Netzley, PhD
Singapore Management University
Assistant Professor of Corporate
Communication Practice

Peter Steyn
Managing Director, Aha! Research

Cecilia Chan
Regional Marketing Manager, Lenovo HK, Macau, Taiwan & Korea

Quotes:

“The bloggers have spoken – they’re sick and tired of being treated as second-string journalists. While the survey results indicate more and more businesses around the world are reaching out to bloggers, they’re still sending them inappropriate traditional press content.

“Companies recognize that a main reason why bloggers have influence within their communities is that they offer something that can’t be found elsewhere. Posts seldom if ever eventuate from spammed press releases – they come through offering unique and appropriate content.

“Successful blogger relations shares much with successful media relations. There are three basic rules of thumb: Understand the blogger and their audience, become a trusted and reliable source of information, and, most important of all, read their blogs!”

Jeremy Woolf, Global Social Media Lead, Text 100

"This is probably the most extensive global survey ever conducted among B2B bloggers to understand their relationship with PR professionals. The response in this first-round global survey was very encouraging and the high quality of feedback from these bloggers is evident of their desire to further strengthen their relationship with the PR industry"

Peter Steyn Managing Director, Aha! Research

”Very little data exists at a global level allowing us to compare blogger behaviours and preferences at both a regional and even country level. Text 100 offers what might be the most comprehensive data to date about bloggers and how they practice their trade.

“The difference between the USA, and the rest of the world, regarding popular blogging subjects is quite striking. Relative to the rest of the world, the US appears to have a more focused and tightly defined set of popular blogging topics.

“Trust seems to have a different definition in Western countries where face-to-face meetings are measurably less important before receiving information from a PR firm or corporation. Perhaps Western cultures are more willing to trust a source where in APAC trust appears to be placed more in the person or relationship.

“The SMR seems to have quite varied responses around the globe. While most positively received in USA, APAC bloggers might be experiencing a greater number of companies communicating via the SMR. Perhaps this data reveals an opportunity for PR firms and corporations to offer data in more effective formats."

Prof. Michael Netzley, PhD Singapore Management University, Assistant Professor of Corporate Communication Practice

“Bloggers have become increasingly influential in shaping discussions around Lenovo’s products and services and we’re actively working with them across the globe. Our focus is on creating and contributing to authentic discussions that are of interest to our customers and the wider public through social media channels. Survey findings such as these are invaluable in helping us better meet the needs of increasingly influential bloggers while adding value to their communities.”

Cecilia Chan, Regional Marketing Manager, Lenovo HK, Macau, Taiwan & Korea

About Text 100

Text 100 is a global public relations consultancy with a staff of 500 people and a direct presence in 30 cities worldwide. We work with many of the world’s leading technology, internet and digital lifestyle brands with a client roster that includes IBM, Cisco, Fujifilm, Lenovo, SanDisk, Skype and PayPal. We are recognised as an innovator in the field of public relations – particularly in the emerging area of social media - and for leading the PR industry in staff development. Our strong culture has been praised around the world over the past two years during which time we have been recognised as the Best Midsize Agency in Asia, the Best Midsize Agency to Work For in the US, and one of the UK’s Best Small Companies. For more information about Text 100, please visit www.text100.com.

Media Contact

Please direct all media inquiries to:

Claire Plasto
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Claire.plasto@text100.com.au