Because you cannot recommend yourself

Abstract: “Because you cannot recommend yourself” – An exploratory study of practitioner perceptions on the use and challenges ofblogs as a medium in PR In the 21st century, an overwhelming majority of all information generated by companies and consumers is digital. Having gone from passive audiences to actively coproducing content for PR and marketing, consumers are better positioned than ever to share their experiences and recommendations through online social networks. The thesis presents an exploratory study on how the role and challenges of blogs as a platform for PR and marketing are perceived by practitioners. Through in-depth qualitative interviews, the study examines the perceived challenges of combining publicity efforts with blogs as a unique social media platform where the bloggers’ integrity is based on transparent, para-social relationships with their readers. These unique attributes make the medium an opportune platform for businesses to share with consumers in-depth information in an appealing form: Companies were reportedly engaging in discussions through bloggers, making their brands and products more approachable to the ordinary consumer. The study’s findings indicate that in order for PR and marketing to credibly fit in in blogs, any publicity efforts should start with actively following the fast-changing blogosphere and maintaining an active, two-way dialogue with the bloggers. While practitioners hold that blogs are developing to an increasingly more professional direction, the increasing commercial use of blogs is also viewed problematic. Moreover, the over-commercialization may be fundamentally shaping blogs as a medium by decreasing the value of bloggers’ recommendation in the long run, potentially leading practitioners to re-evaluate the usefulness of blog marketing and blogger collaborations.