34% of companies use a corporate blog for marketing purposes

A recent article from eMarketer has highlighted that corporate blogs are now a key tactic in corporate marketing strategy.

Now fully integrated into the marketing mix, blogging has grown into a vital marketing tool for all types of companies. In fact eMarketer estimates that 34% of US companies will use a corporate blog for marketing purposes in 2010, a proportion that will increase to 43% by 2012.

“Businesses are increasingly using the blogosphere to further a variety of corporate functions, such as communications, lead generation, customer service and brand marketing,” said Paul Verna, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report “Corporate Blogging: Media and Marketing Firms Drive Growth.”

Advantages for firms implementing a blog include full control over branding and advertising and integration with all corporate websites. Studies have indicated blogging’s usefulness for lead generation.

The report also notes a growing integration between established and emerging media. According to PRWeek and PR Newswire, journalists are increasingly using corporate blogs as research sources, indicating a 9% increase over the past year.