How can blogs be used for market research and word-of-mouth marketing efforts?

Blogs can be a clever mechanism for soliciting feedback from customers and experts in the marketplace.In addition to using their own blogs for research,today's companies need to monitor blogs that are likely to discuss them,their executives,and their products.Negative product reviews,rumors,and other information can spread across the globe in a matter of hours,and managers need to know what the online community is saying-whether it's positive or negative.Bloggers and microbloggers often make a point of providing links to other blogs and websites that interest them,giving marketers a great opportunity to have their messages spread by enthusiasts.Word-of-mouth marketing is often called viral marketing in reference to the transmission of messages in much the same way that biological viruses are transmitted from person to person.However,viral marketing is not really an accurate metaphor.The distinction is critical because you need to give people a good reason-good content,in other words-to pass along your message.