Reader perception of blog marketing
Grönberg, Oona (2016)
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2016
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201605249616
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201605249616
Tiivistelmä
This research-oriented thesis aimed to bring insight on how readers perceive marketing activities in blogs. The commissioning company Indiedays is Finland’s leading blog media. The research objective was to help the case company achieve a better understanding of the behavior of blog readers. In order to do so, an online survey was conducted in the Indiedays blogs, gathering altogether 15 486 responses.
Engaging consumers has become more challenging in the digital era, as limitless amounts of information and entertainment are available at any time, in any place. The blogosphere is commercializing fast as marketers have become increasingly interested in the committed audience of blogs. The best practices of blog marketing are still developing, as advertisers are trying their best to get their messages delivered by the opinion leaders – the bloggers – and through them reach the reader.
In order to improve blog marketing, this thesis set out to determine the readers’ intake of commercial blog content and how blogs position themselves among other media as a source of information. The quantitative part of the survey found that blogs are perceived as a highly trusted and useful source of information. The responses also showed a variety of interest in different types of content, from fashion to wellness and other topics. With qualitative open questions, five different areas of improvement were identified for blog marketing. The respondents wished for a higher level in the honesty, informativeness and transparency of blog co-operation. There was also a demand for more interactivity as well as caution in the amount of commercial content.
The key findings and recommendations made for the organizations proved to be valuable and useful for future development.
Engaging consumers has become more challenging in the digital era, as limitless amounts of information and entertainment are available at any time, in any place. The blogosphere is commercializing fast as marketers have become increasingly interested in the committed audience of blogs. The best practices of blog marketing are still developing, as advertisers are trying their best to get their messages delivered by the opinion leaders – the bloggers – and through them reach the reader.
In order to improve blog marketing, this thesis set out to determine the readers’ intake of commercial blog content and how blogs position themselves among other media as a source of information. The quantitative part of the survey found that blogs are perceived as a highly trusted and useful source of information. The responses also showed a variety of interest in different types of content, from fashion to wellness and other topics. With qualitative open questions, five different areas of improvement were identified for blog marketing. The respondents wished for a higher level in the honesty, informativeness and transparency of blog co-operation. There was also a demand for more interactivity as well as caution in the amount of commercial content.
The key findings and recommendations made for the organizations proved to be valuable and useful for future development.