Edelman Expertise
Edelman is dedicated to helping its clients explore “peer-to-peer communication” through the creation of blogs and social networks. In fact, Richard Edelman was one of first CEO bloggers, writing his first blog entry in Speak Up in September 2004. The Edelman Landing Blog includes links to 16 different bloggers as well as two podcasts. The site also features a news trough with links to different stories.
A variety of studies and research are continuously conducted at Edelman to ensure it provides its clients with up to date information and innovative strategies in the social media arena. In January 2006, the Edelman Change and Employee Engagement Group’s third annual “New Frontiers in Employee Communications” study surveyed senior corporate communicators at 75 Fortune 500 companies and dozens of global organizations about the use and effectiveness of internal communications channels. According to the study, 32 percent of organizations author, support or host a blog, 35 percent use podcasts and 11 percent operate a wiki.
Edelman also produces an annual Trust Barometer, which delves into trends in public perception and trust. The latest key findings confirmed that young opinion elites show higher general levels of trust than their older counterparts and rely on multiple sources of information to form opinions of companies. Past findings revealed that business is more trusted that media and government in every region of the globe surveyed, and trust in employees is significantly higher than in CEOs.
The launch of Edelman’s new division, Edelman Digital, will help define, measure and create authentic communications in the current digital age. Its focus is to provide ongoing knowledge, close critical gaps in media and technology and create credibility and bandwidth for Edelman’s clients. This division will further assist in the development of creative strategies and initiatives that allow clients to communicate with their audiences through social and traditional media.
