Tekrati has insight into why research analysts are blogging, the response they’ve had and their plans for the future. You would think that having a bigger forum to display their insights and having a chance to interact more closely with clients and broader audiences would be beneficial, but many report a fairly damp response and no firm idea of how to move it forward. I think this is probably more a function of the immaturity of the channel as clients firm up their perspectives, than a flaw in the approach of analyst bloggers. Some clients are even jealous of the free counsel, but I feel this will diminish as they realize the blog is a shop-window or merely an appetizer.

Tekrati has also posted the second section of its Special Report into analyst bloggers. One of the key take-aways is that the media is often the audience for many of these reports:

Several analysts identify the media as a primary component of their
blog audience. Shore Communications’ John Blossom strives to keep his
blog current with near-realtime insights and opinions. This works
particularly well for deadline-driven press, who increasingly leverage
his blog for edge-leading insights and interview questions.

(Credits to Tim Wheatcroft for pointing this out)