Finding Influencers

For this blog, I will list the Top 10 influencers for the company of my choice. The Ford Motor Company will be used for this exercise. Here are the list influencers, in no specific order, with a brief explanation of why they were selected:

1.) The Detroit News and The Detroit Free Press

These are the two prominent local newspapers where the “Big Three” US automakers based their headquarters. These newspapers have long tenured relationships with each company and an inside track to developing stories. It because of this familiarity with the “Big Three” that people respect the stories, related to the auto industry, reported in each newspaper.

2.) Car and Driver Magazine

This magazine has a well-respected reputation in the industry for evaluating automobiles under a variety of criteria. Based on the results, the cars being reviewed are compared to other vehicles that are similar.

3.) The Wall Street Journal

This newspaper is one of the more popular business newspapers in the US, as well as the world. Individuals that have an interest in the US economy rely on this newspaper for accurate stories about publicly traded companies like Ford.

4.) Forbes Magazine

Forbes is known for featuring articles about the “Who’s Who” in the business world. A favorable review or article by this magazine can change the public image of any company, in any industry.

5.) J.D. Power and Associates

This organization has a long-standing reputation for providing consumers with ratings for any type of vehicle. The ratings are based on several factors including quality, reliability, performance and design. Many car buyers take these ratings into heavy consideration before choosing a vehicle. Additionally, people can view comments and postings by other owners.

6.) The Statesman Sentinel (statesmansentinel.com)

This is an online news publication group is dedicated to presenting Stock Market, Business, Financial, and Tech news. Due to busy lifestyles and the advancements in technology, people rely heavily on the Internet for their news instead of print media. Stories featured by Ford would be made available to a broad range of viewers,

7.) Auto Credit Express (www.autocreditexpress.com)

Although this website is dedicated to auto financing and credit, it is a venue for customer opinions. Based on my search results, Auto Credit Express blogs was frequently listed for topics relating to Ford and the automotive industry.

8.) The Autoblog (www.autoblog.com)

Their motto is “We Obsessively Cover the Auto Industry.” This website offers consumers podcast, reviews, and commentary about automobiles and the industry itself.

9.) WARDSAUTO (wardsauto.com)

This website is known for being an information hub for the Auto Industry, both nationally and globally. Consumers can also gain access to reports, magazines, forums, and blogs centered on the auto industry. WARDSAUTO also provides news and analysis about suppliers and dealerships for automakers.

10.) The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA.org)

This organization is a union for car and truck dealerships all across the US. From this website consumers can access to press releases, special reports, and company information relating to the Auto Industry.

References: http://www.autoblog.com; http://www.autocreditexpress.com; http://www.nada.org; http://statesmansentinel.com; http://wardsauto.com.