Scope of Blogging as a Social Media Marketing Tool in India

SMM in India:

India is rapidly catching up with Social Media Marketing. IT and communication infrastructure including mobile and broadband connectivity are rapidly improving (even in smaller towns and villages) together with literacy regarding usage of computers and the Internet. Social networks have been a hit among the urban youth.

Blogging as a SMM Tool:

Blogging, an unconventional approach for two-way online communication and customer participation, is gradually finding its way into the corporate arena. Many organizations have quickly included blogs in their corporate communication toolbox and are successfully using it as a cost-effective media with instant reach. Some organizations have started using blogs for marketing, sales, brand building, CRM, HRM and CSR reporting & discussions. Others are unaware or reluctant to adopt it in fear of losing control over their communication. The impact of corporate blogging varies substantially depending upon the degree of market maturity and also across different demographic segments. In many countries, particularly in the Asia Pacific, blogs are not yet considered important compared to other traditional media, which are more popular and influential. Despite the hype, corporate blogging has not gathered momentum to the extent it was expected.

Future of Blogging as a SMM Tool in India:

Many companies in India have shown interest and want to start their blogs in the next few months. The significance of two-way communication and customer participation is also gaining momentum and blogging would help companies interact with customers more freely and frequently and take their valuable feedback. In addition, the blogosphere would be faster, livelier and more attractive domain in the future with instant micro-blogging messages and rich linked media like pictures, podcasts, on-line video and multimedia files. Blogs would gradually find a respectable place in the corporate communication toolkit of organizations competing in emerging economies due to their characteristics to handle high market dynamics and scale and diversity of operations. Cost-effectiveness, instant penetration over wide geographical areas, scope for community participation and brand building would make this online media a favorite for marketing communication in emerging markets. Blogs along with corporate websites have a huge potential for addressing the youth market in India. Companies using it seriously, intelligently and with precaution would certainly benefit from this exciting media. A study regarding the financial returns of blogging as an isolated media and also in the integrated communication environment would be conducted as an extension of this research. We feel that it’s a matter of time when blogs would deliver significant value to organizations using them for marketing campaigns and brand building.”

Source: Saibal K. Pal and V. Kapur (2010),Blog Marketing Strategies for Mature and

Emerging Markets, International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 1, No. 4.