via Micro Persuasion

A new research study by Forrester details the risks, costs and benefits of adding a corporate blog to a company's marketing plan.

The study outlines a three-step process by which marketers can examine the key benefits, costs and risks that blogging presents and also understand how blogging is likely to impact business goals writes, Micro Persuasion. The study is intended to help marketers determine whether to blog as well as make choices regarding blogs they've already launched.

One way to measure the impact of corporate blogging, according to the study authored by Charlene Li and Chloe Stromberg, is to determine how much companies would have to spend on other forms of marketing and advertising to achieve benefits similar to those gained from blogging.

Among the companies that Forrester interviewed for the study were nine Fortune 1000 firms with external blogs: BMC Software, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Sun Microsystems, Verizon and Wells Fargo.