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Do blogs work for you? Please write in

Note: This post was not written by Ross Geller (FRIENDS)

Hi, today is Ashtami. The biggest and most auspicious day of Durga Puja. It is also the 25th anniversary of the Puja in our building. I was there when the Puja started 25 years back. And am lucky enough to be here this time too. 25 years. Phew, that's a long time. Wonder how things will be on number 50?

Got a piece of good news to share with you on this auspicious day. As you probably know I am a market researcher by trade. That's what pays for the bacon I bring home, make pasta with and write about. My job is to help clients understand what consumer feel about topics of relevance so that they (the clients) can work out their strategies.

Well, this is an instance where work and play collides. I had written a paper on how blogs and social media (Facebook, Twitter) can be used to get customer feedback for small businesses. The paper was based on, what else, food blogging. Things I observed on Finely Chopped.

Got to know today that this paper has got selected by the Market Research Society of India. Which means that I will have to present it at their conference in Mumbai in mid November.

Esomar (the world body of market research) has also organised a conference with TMRS (the Thai Market research body) at Bangkok. They have asked me to conduct a workshop on this earlier in November.

So now that I have probably lost you this is what I would like you to do. Please write to me through comments on this post (ideally) or through DMs, e's on the following:

If you read blogs ....
  • Why do you read blogs?
  • What do you look for in blogs?
  • Any differences on what you look for in blogs versus what you look for in newspapers, magazines (offline and online)
  • Do you look for information on blogs? What sort of information?
  • Have you ever decided to buy something or try something based on what you read on blogs/ Facebook. Specific examples please

If you own a business/ are an entrepreneur ....

  • Have you used blogs/ social networks to further your business? How?
  • Do you use blogs/ social networks to market your products?
  • Do you use blogs/ social networks to get feedback from customers? Do you ask people directly for their opinions or do you just read what's put up on blogs/ Facebook pages?
  • Specific examples where info from blogs or Facebook has worked for you
I am really counting on you to write in. The paper got selected based on what I learnt at Finely Chopped and on Facebook after all.... so please delurk and write in...otherwise I won't have much to say...

Comments

Scarlett said…
As a fellow market researcher & blogger, I'm happy to help :p

Why do I read blogs?

Blogging, for me, is a way of de-stressing. Just as I enjoy writing blogs, I enjoy reading them too, particularly blogs of people I know personally. It helps me de-stress.

What do you look for in blogs?

Since I read blogs for entertainment purposes, the language should be simple, the style of writing should be fluid & engaging, and I should feel a connection with the content. It need not be on a particular topic, but there has to be a je-ne-sais-quoi quality about the content, that makes me connect with it.

Any differences on what you look for in blogs versus what you look for in newspapers, magazines (offline and online)

What I look for in blogs is very different from what I'd look for in newspapers/magazines. In blogs I like to read about the blogger's experiences, opinions, observations, and if I know the blogger personally but don't have time to connect with him/her on the phone or via e-mail all the time, it's also good to read about what's going on in their lives, what they've been up to etc. Whereas I read newspapers & magazines purely for information.

Do you look for information on blogs? What sort of information?

I don't. For the simple reason that I'm not sure how reliable that information is. Except for restaurant/book/movie reviews, maybe. Information available on blogs can also be very subjective.

Have you ever decided to buy something or try something based on what you read on blogs/ Facebook. Specific examples please

Not yet :)
18 October 2010 at 03:27
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