Measuring Success for Corporate Blogs Making status and progress of corporate blogging activities visible and comparable Nils Koenig

Basis Corporate Blogs and Success Criteria: A model for explanation (German) Matthias Schwenk www.bwlzweinull.de

Corporate Blogs and Success Criteria: A model for explanation (German)

Matthias Schwenk

www.bwlzweinull.de

Summary The model by Matthias Schwenk defines three dimensions of corporate blogs and their extremes: Message (central, peripheral) Opinion (critical, uncritical) Networking (high, low) displays corporate blogs (in dimensions) using scroll bars.

The model by Matthias Schwenk

defines three dimensions of corporate blogs and their extremes:

Message (central, peripheral)

Opinion (critical, uncritical)

Networking (high, low)

displays corporate blogs (in dimensions) using scroll bars.

Goal Enhancement of the model in order to display success of blogging in relation to the company‘s expectation (goals) make individual blogs comparable to other corporate blogs Goals Status Success

Enhancement of the model in order to

display success of blogging in relation to the company‘s expectation (goals)

make individual blogs comparable to other corporate blogs

Approach 3 Steps Definition of expectation values Evaluation of the current status Weighting of dimensions  Calculation of the „Success Value“ Expectation Status Weighting Success

3 Steps

Definition of expectation values

Evaluation of the current status

Weighting of dimensions

 Calculation of the „Success Value“

Expectation The dimensions are displayed on scroll bars as set up by Schwenk. In addition a scale is introduced – here a scale from 0 to 10, where „0“ and „10“ display the both extremes (not a valuation). Consequently, the expectation values for all three dimension are to be derived (estimated). External users may define an expectation value based on the blog type (marketing-blog, insider-blog, …). Message central peripheral 0 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 2 1 5 Message central peripheral 0 10 8

The dimensions are displayed on scroll bars as set up by Schwenk. In addition a scale is introduced – here a scale from 0 to 10, where „0“ and „10“ display the both extremes (not a valuation).

Consequently, the expectation values for all three dimension are to be derived (estimated). External users may define an expectation value based on the blog type (marketing-blog, insider-blog, …).

Current Status To make success visible, the current status needs to be evaluated. Transferred to the scroll bars, one receives the following picture for the Daimler-Blog: Message central peripheral 0 10 Expectation Current Status 9 8 Opinion critical uncritical 0 10 8 7 Networking high low 0 10 9 5

To make success visible, the current status needs to be evaluated. Transferred to the scroll bars, one receives the following picture for the Daimler-Blog:

Weighting Depending on the type of blog, the dimensions may have varying effects on the blog‘s success. Therefore, a weighting mechanism is introduced. For an insider-blog, one could base the evaluation on the following weights: Message 0,5 Opinion 0,25 Networking 0,25 For marketing-blogs the picture should look different, as e.g. the general opinion is more standardized while networking is the more important.

Depending on the type of blog, the dimensions may have varying effects on the blog‘s success. Therefore, a weighting mechanism is introduced.

For an insider-blog, one could base the evaluation on the following weights:

Message 0,5

Opinion 0,25

Networking 0,25

For marketing-blogs the picture should look different, as e.g. the general opinion is more standardized while networking is the more important.

Conclusion If the derived values for expectation and current status are now set in relation and appropriately weighted, the picture for the Daimler-Blog looks as follows: The weighted success value is 70.2%  Expectations have been met with 70.2% 0.702 0.05 0.2143 0.4375 Success Sum: 0.25 0.25 0.5 Weight Factor 0.2 9 5 Networking 0.857 8 7 Opinion 0.875 9 8 Message Success Factor Current Status Expectation Dimension

If the derived values for expectation and current status are now set in relation and appropriately weighted, the picture for the Daimler-Blog looks as follows:

The weighted success value is 70.2%

 Expectations have been met with 70.2%

Interpretation Advantages Because of the relative evaluation and the weighting all corporate blogs (or their relative success) become comparable. Using defined standards for expectations and weighting (e.g. based on dimensions), the system may be used by outsiders. Disadvantage Subjectivity: the value definition is based on personal valuation. User opinion as ultimate indicator is not included (in addition to the concept-based approach a user-oriented approach is needed).

Advantages

Because of the relative evaluation and the weighting all corporate blogs (or their relative success) become comparable.

Using defined standards for expectations and weighting (e.g. based on dimensions), the system may be used by outsiders.

Disadvantage

Subjectivity: the value definition is based on personal valuation.

User opinion as ultimate indicator is not included (in addition to the concept-based approach a user-oriented approach is needed).