That’s right, blogging is no longer the next big thing… it’s already THE big thing! What started out as a way to keep an online journal for recreation has become a must-have for corporations. Blogs have become a great tool for companies, acting as a medium for CEOs to interact with employees and customers. According to a new study, 45% of the top 1,000 largest companies in the United States currently have blogs or are planning on starting one. The rest of the article details the blogging boom.

Web logs — or blogs, for short — started out as a way for people to express personal views.

The online journals made it easy to share off-the-cuff opinions with a small or large number of readers. Blog entries can be posted on a Web site or distributed to interested readers via syndication feeds.

Now blogs are moving beyond personal musings and taking on a new role: corporate communications. A growing number of businesses are using the blog format to promote products, interact with customers and shareholders, conduct market research and distribute company announcements.

Some company blogs even add “personality” by featuring posts from top corporate officers.

“CEOs are great to include in the conversation,” said Jennifer Rice, president of the blog consulting firm Mantra Brand Communications in Dallas. “Their involvement is a powerful demonstration (internally and externally) that engaging with customers is a priority for the company.”

[Continue reading Blogs The Latest Tool In Corporate Arsenals]