ESB International - ESBI News Archive 2011
Blogging offers Irish export firms a cost effective way to reach international customers, says ESBI
ESB International Press Release - April 2011
The current economic climate has prompted Irish companies to explore new, more cost-effective ways of reaching target markets, including through the use of social media. That's according to ESB International (ESBI), which today (18.03.11) launched a new corporate blog, www.energyinnovation.ie.
Speaking today, Pat O'Doherty, Executive Director, ESBI, said social media offers huge potential for Irish companies with overseas markets, such as ESBI's engineering consultancy business.
"While the use of social media by multinational companies is hardly a new phenomenon, more and more organisations are now realising that blogs - and other social media tools - can offer a very cost-effective way to connect with large international audiences," he said.
"Word-of-mouth has always been an important source of business for ESBI because people trust information that comes from other people they know. Because social media depends on personal contacts to pass on information, it has the same effect but on a much larger scale".
Research published last year showed that almost 80 per cent of Fortune 100 companies were using at least one form of social media, with one-third using corporate blogs*. The research showed that companies from Asia-Pacific and the United States have led the charge when it comes to corporate blogging, but that Europe is slowly catching up.
Mr. O'Doherty said ESBI decided to embrace corporate blogging as a way of showcasing its expertise in a more engaging, personal and far-reaching way.
"Because we have a huge pool of expertise in ESBI and are involved in some very interesting and pioneering projects, we're often asked to present at industry events," he said. "Although this is a great way to meet potential clients, it's limited in terms of reach and can be expensive when it involves international travel. The blog gives us a new way to connect with our target audiences by allowing us to easily publish and share our views of the industry online - it means we can greatly extend our marketing reach, but at a much lower cost.
"The other benefit of the blog is it gives a more 'human' face to ESBI. All of the entries are written from the perspective of individual members of staff, covering everything from their day-to-day experiences to their opinions on trends and developments in the energy sector. It also gives us a better insight into our market by allowing readers to respond to blog posts with their own views."
Page Tools
ESBI Energy Blog
Visit our energy blog and sign up to receive regular updates on our news and views.
ESBI News Alerts
Want to hear more from ESBI? Why not sign up for our News Alerts!