If you’re a business and you’re not thinking of ways of utilizing blogging or influencer marketing, then you’re missing out on huge opportunities.
Blogs have become a major source of information on the internet and many people are devoted to following the writings and muses of their favorite bloggers. We all saw the major effect a blogger recently had when she exposed the ingredients in the bread used by Subway. Many of us haven’t eaten there since. A devoted fanbase hanging on a blogger’s every recommendation “can get as many hits as a feature in InStyle magazine,” says top fashion publicist Alison Brod.
Just how many people are reading blogs? According to New Media and Marketing, 57% of adults in the U.S. who are online regularly read blogs. Two thirds of that group say “a brand mention or promotion within context of the blog influences their purchasing decisions.”
The fact of the matter is, consumers are researching their products and services online. In fact, according to information from B2B Marketing, there are more than 10.3 billion Google searches every month. 52% of marketers cite their blog as an important channel for content marketing (eMarketer) and according to information by SocialTimes B2B companies that blog generate 67% more leads than those that don’t.
This stat should make you think: Four out of five U.S. adults aged 18-34 that regularly use the internet say bloggers “can be very or somewhat influential in shaping product or service purchasing decisions.” (New Media and Marketing)
