Posted on November 12, 2007
RSS and ROI: Consider the Journalist
BY JASON CORMIER
Last month's study on journalists' usage of online newsrooms, blogs, RSS and social media (conducted by Bulldog Reporter and TEKgroup) had a few findings worth mentioning on this blog.
I was just reviewing a powerpoint deck I put together on RSS several months ago, and realizing that the most recent RSS related stats in there were from an old Forester report done around the beginning of 2006. "Wow dude, in internet years that was like a decade ago."
This latest survey consisted of 2,046 journalists (47% editors or editorial staff, 35% reporters or writers), surveyed for the purpose of determining how journalists use the internet to do research.
Nearly 70% said they follow at least one blog regularly - but what really stood out to me was the 37% receiving at least one regular RSS feed, and nearly 16% receiving five or more RSS feeds from blogs, podcasts, videocasts or news services on a weekly basis.
As these numbers increase (which they certainly will), I can't help but consider the Coremetrics survey on social media marketing that came out less than two weeks ago. The not-so underlying message from that survey was that marketing professionals plan on doing more social media marketing -- but are tentative about sinking big bucks into it due to the lack of tools, and jury-is-still-out-on-social-media-ROI perspective.
So not that long ago, I was looking at that old Forester report from 06' telling me that the total consumer RSS adoption rate was around 4% Note: other surveys around that time were suggesting closer to 25 but the lower number always felt more right to me).
Now I'm looking at nearly one in five journalists who are receiving data from 5 or more RSS feeds. Maybe it's just me, but I think the trend in how journalists are using the Internet to do research should be factored into the consideration around ROI for social media. Do you want to rely on your PR firm alone to get you in touch with journalists that will cover your story, services, products, etc?
On a final note regarding the TEKgroup survey, here is what has NOT changed: A majority of the journalists surveyed expressed it was often difficult to find an organizations' media representatives and contact information on their corporate website. That is an ugly fact, and another proof that technology can't replace the need for good usability.
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