Fortune 500 blogs focus on informative newsworthy content

A growing number of Fortune 500 companies have come to realize the importance of blogs in their marketing campaigns and in retaining existing customers. According to the most recent statistics, approximately 12 percent of Fortune 500 companies engage in regular blogging and the key characteristic among the vast majority of these blogs is that the focus is on informative, news content, written in a relatively formal style. When in 1999 Live Journal turned the average internet user into a blogger and freelance journalist, most blogs took on an informal and sometimes even colloquial voice. Additionally, the focus was squarely on providing editorial commentary.

Most corporate blogs, however, are different in that companies prefer to use these forums as a way to publish industry news or provide tips related to a new line of products. A recent analysis of 30 Fortune 500 blogs showed a clear preference among companies for more journalistic blogging, with a heavy emphasis on newsworthy content. For example, Southwest Airlines and Dell Services both maintain blogs that are particularly professional in both content and the style of language used. On the other hand, blogs run by Nokia and Marriott Hotels were slightly more informal. This suggests that Fortune 500 companies determine their blog’s style and content based on the anticipated readership. While a more colloquial style and an emphasis on commentary may work well for travel related sites, formal blogs may be more appropriate for major computer firms, such as Dell or Micrsoft. In fact, fully two thirds of all corporate blogs focus on news stories, rather than on commentary.

Thank you to SocialText for the initial report.