Relational cultivation strategies and community building on Fortune 500 company corporate blogs
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 13 August 2021
Issue publication date: 11 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
As the number of corporate blogs has continued to increase over the years, this study examines the use of relationship cultivation strategies of Fortune 500 companies on their corporate blogs. Moreover, it focuses on how companies use corporate blogs as interactive online communication channels to create a sense of community among their publics.
Design/methodology/approach
A content analysis of Fortune 500 company corporate blogs was conducted to examine the use of relational cultivation strategies and their methods of promoting a sense of community.
Findings
Findings indicate that networking and sharing tasks are used most frequently among all relational cultivation strategies on corporate blogs, and that there are statistically significant differences among industries for using relationship cultivation strategies on corporate blogs. The most frequently used dimension of sense of community on corporate blogs is shared emotional connection.
Originality/value
Studies analyzing social media as public relations tools have not yet focused on community building. In fact, few studies have examined the community building aspect of corporate blogs in the public relations field. To fill this gap, this study focuses on community building and analyzes how companies use corporate blogs as an interactive online communication channel to create a sense of community among their publics.
Keywords
Citation
Ertem-Eray, T. and Ki, E.-J. (2022), "Relational cultivation strategies and community building on Fortune 500 company corporate blogs", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 188-203. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-12-2020-0163
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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