Fortune 500 Corporate Blog Adoption Slow and Steady According to Society for New Communications Research Chair Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes and Eric Mattson of Financial Insite

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The Fortune 500 are farther along in their adoption of public-facing corporate
blogs than previous data has suggested. This was the key finding of a new
research study, "The Fortune 500 and Blogging: Slow and Steady" conducted by Dr.
Nora Ganim Barnes, Ph.D., Senior Fellow and Research Chair of the Society for
New Communications Research and Chancellor Professor of Marketing at the
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Eric Mattson, CEO of Financial Insite
Inc., a Seattle-based research firm.

The new report is the outcome of a statistically-sound study of public-facing
blogs among the Fortune 500. The study examined the 2008 Fortune 500 list in an
attempt to quantify the adoption of social media by identifying those with
public-facing blogs. Barnes has conducted similar studies on the Inc. 500, US
colleges and universities, and Fortune magazine`s list of the 200 largest
charities. The report conclusively shows that while the Fortune 500 companies
are adopting social media at a slower rate than other leading businesses,
universities and charities, many more of them are blogging than has been
previously reported.

Key Findings include:

* 81 of the Fortune 500 or 16% currently have public-facing blogs.
* This compares with 39 percent of the Inc. 500; 41 percent of the higher
education sector and 57 percent of the nation`s Top 200 Charities.
* 28 percent of the Fortune 500`s blogs link to Twitter accounts. (Other Fortune
500 companies have Twitter accounts, but they are not linked to their blogs)
* Five of the top ten companies have public blogs: Wal-Mart, Chevron, General
Motors, Ford, and Bank of America.
* 90 percent of the Fortune 500`s blogs have the comments feature enabled.
* The computer software/hardware technology industry has the most blogs,
followed by the food and drug industry, financial services, Internet services,
semi-conductors, retail and automotive respectively.
* Ten percent of the Fortune 500`s blogs link to podcasts; 21 percent
incorporate video

"It appears that those companies that have made the decision to blog have
utilized the tool well. There is frequent posting, ongoing discussion and the
ability to follow the conversation easily through RSS or subscriptions," stated
Barnes. "Those F500 companies that have taken the leap into the blogosphere
represent all the things that make social media great. They`re diverse in both
size and industry, thereby adding a range of new perspectives to the online
conversation. They`re enabling their readers to better control and participate
in that conversation. And they`re exploring other ways - like videoblogging and
podcasting - to communicate with their community."

"As social media becomes more integral to the business function, we should see
evidence of it in the use of blogs, podcasts, Twitter or other tools," added
Mattson. "Given that the Fortune 500 stand as a model for business success, it
is interesting to examine their involvement in the social media arena."

A full copy of the new research report can be downloaded here:

http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/fortune500.cfm

In addition, Dr. Barnes will publish a paper based on the findings in the
upcoming issue of the Society for New Communications Research`s Journal of New
Communications Research and will present the findings via a web-based briefing
and at the Society for New Communications Research`s annual conference.

About the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts -
Dartmouth

To facilitate the economic development of the region by providing an affordable,
high-quality economic alternative to meeting business needs for research,
training, and consulting in any and all aspects of Marketing. The Center for
Marketing Research is associated with and maintains a close relationship with
the Chambers of Commerce within southeastern Massachusetts. This unique
relationship provides the Center with an effective business networking
capability. For more information, visit http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/.

About the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR)

The Society for New Communications Research is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3)
research and education foundation and think tank focused on the advanced study
of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on
traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. SNCR
is dedicated to creating a bridge between the academic and theoretical pursuit
of these topics and the pragmatic implementation of new media and communications
tools and methodologies. The Society`s Fellows include a leading group of
futurists, scholars, business leaders, professional communicators, members of
the media and technologists from around the globe - all collaborating together
on research initiatives, educational offerings, and the establishment of
standards and best practices. For more information, visit http://sncr.org.

SNCR
Jen McClure, 650-387-8590
jmcclure@sncr.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009