Small companies blogging for leads while big companies watch

Rick Bruner wonders how many Fortune 500 companies have external blogs - maybe 3% to 6%?  Ensight's Jeremy Wright puts the number somewhere around 10% to 20%.  Why so few? 

Big companies are big targets.  As a result, they must to deal with much higher level of scrutiny (Sarbannes-Oxley, SEC disclosures, etc.) and thus, blogs are simply another risk to mange.  Can you imagine having your corporate counsel review each draft (for compliance) before you post it online?

So for now, blogs will not bode well for the Fortune 500 crowd.  As more big companies do join the blogosphere, they will need to balance the risk of authentic communication - just like a circus performer would delicately balance on a high wire - without a safety net. 

Blogs are a boon for small and midsize companies

Smaller companies on the other hand are not as constrained by formality, hierarchies and scrutiny.  This naturally allows them to be more nimble - they can make their size to an advantage. 

Debbie Weil’s points out that Small and Midsize companies have a competitive advantage to attract customers via blogging.  Her post points to an interesting piece by WSJ.com.

WSJ.com's Riva Richmond writes, "While any size company can use such a strategy, small businesses may benefit most: Blogs offer little-known small businesses name recognition, and the chance to boost traffic well beyond what they'd get if they were simply offering goods and services for sale."