Blogs and Communities Jumpstart the Conversation

According to a study published on eMarketer and conducted by Harris Interactive for Alloy Media, 23% of college students indicated they heard about new products primarily from blogs and online communities.  A whopping 99% heard about them via word of mouth from friends and family.

This doesn’t mean blogging is dead.  Far from it. The lesson is clear: for new products and services, blogs and online communities act as the catalyst for word of mouth that takes place face-to-face with others people trust the most: friends and family.