Comments on: Are Bloggers Really Influencers? Gosh - Do We Really Still Need To Ask This?

By: SGDaily Roundup: Week 18 « The Singapore Daily

SGDaily Roundup: Week 18 « The Singapore Daily — Sat, 10 May 2008 04:55:56 +0000

[...] forum - Nomed Letters: You can’t handle the Truth! [Thanks Screwtape] - Ian On The Red Dot: Are Bloggers Really Influencers? Gosh - Do We Really Still Need To Ask This? - Singapore Life and Times: Strap on for life - Darth Grievous’ Dark Domain: To laugh or to cry? [...]

By: kikilala

kikilala — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:23:50 +0000

Dont really know what metrics the ad agencies are using. However, I know it pays dividends to target specialist groupings eg anglers, doll collectors and hobbyist. Those sort of focussed groups rather than spreading the net across a wide general cross section.

If you go by local agency standards then its really a toss up between only Mr Brown or XX, but I know for a fact, firms like BMW bikes target specialist groups like the brotherhood, so does Nokia with their communicator series.

Why would they do all that, if they are not regularly getting a positive feedback?

By: Daily SG: 6 May 2008 « The Singapore Daily

Daily SG: 6 May 2008 « The Singapore Daily — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:02:18 +0000

[...] Discourse - Ian On The Red Dot: Are Bloggers Really Influencers? Gosh - Do We Really Still Need To Ask This? - Singapore Life and Times: Strap on for life - Darth Grievous’ Dark Domain: To laugh or to [...]

By: offpoint

offpoint — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:56:19 +0000

i also agreed with most of your points. However, since this is a reoccuring topic, it sometimes sounds just like the SEO-based blogs where each one is justifying each other’s existence.

The best/worst case is the echo chamber effect. If bloggers start to echo what one another says, then it might create high levels of awareness, in blogs, aggregators like ping.sg, forums etc. Perhaps that’s what the agencies want?

By: If bloggers are not influencers... | The BizWalk

If bloggers are not influencers... | The BizWalk — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:02:51 +0000

[...] going through Daryl’s and Ian’s posts, it seemed that all of us behold differing opinions on what Social Media is and what Social [...]

By: iantimothy

iantimothy — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:36:00 +0000

Yup. You are right. Not everyone who owns a blog is a Social Media guru. The question then is even if someone is not a Social Media guru, can his or her blog be an influencing force. I think it can be.

About your second point. People who are social media gurus or know how to use their blog to influence effectively are likely the same people who can influence offline as well. The blog like you said is just another tool. However, what blogs do also is allow people who might not have been in a position to network or influence offline find a way to influence online. I believe there is a particular set of skills that are unique to the online world and also because of its relatively nascent state in Singapore’s context, it allows opportunities for the so-called early adopters.

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:27:35 +0000

Well I agree with most, but not everything that has been said. My take would be, someone who owns a blog need not necessary be a Social Media guru. Secondly, Social Media is about forming and enhancing relationships. The internet tools are only additional tools because relationships can be forged both online and offline.

I think the argument is slightly flawed in the manner it determines “success”. Is high readership an indication of a campaign’s success? Nope, it’s quality readership that leads to a wider circle of networking and the commencement of interest/action.

Instead of asking are bloggers really influencers, I prefer to throw it back to the agencies with;

Why do agencies engage bloggers (if they are useless and not meant to influence)?