Corporate+Blogging+Stategies

toc Blogging in the corporate world is starting to revolutionize traditional on-line communication. Blogs are being incorporated by corporations for both internal and external communications. By introducing a more informal, interactive approach, blogs can increase the power of customers and employees.



Corporate blogs offer organizations a platform where information, knowledge, and opinions can be shared and traded amongst customers, employees, partners, and media. This new communication channel was previously unimaginable and the benefits include:
 * 1) Establishing a new, direct, interactive line of communication with customers and stakeholders
 * 2) Developing the company brand and messages
 * 3) Providing easier access for customers (increase customer satisfaction)
 * 4) Generating rapid customer feedback & insights
 * 5) Giving the company a more informal, human voice
 * 6) Improving the company’s reputation, to increase customer retention and acquisition, plus improved employee morale

=Types of Corporate Blogging=

//Internal Blog//: These blogs are protected by firewalls and directed towards employees from the CEO's. In fact, these blogs cannot be accessed from outside the corporate networks because it is private. Employees and employers can usually discuss in a private space about the company itself or other topics.

//External Blogs//: These blogs takes place beyond office workers. Anybody can discuss any topic on this particular blog. This type of blogging allows customers to view and discuss products of the company or shares knowledge with the employers about certain products.

=Ghost Writers=

Ghost writing is a problematic issue among corporate blogs. It is an issue that threatens the authenticity of blogging, especially in a corporate or business setting. Many blogs, while claimed to be written by a company's CEO, are in fact written by ghost writers. Joan Vinall-Cox coined the term //faux-blogging// to describe this practice. Research has shown only 17% of CEOs write their own blogs.

A survey was conducted to explain the reason people do not write their blogs: (Backbone Corporate Blogging Survery, 2005)
 * 48% of the people find blogging too time consuming.
 * 39% had difficulty expressing themselves through writing.
 * 13% of the survey participants did not answer the question.

=Television Shows=

In a recent [|CSI:Miami] episode, a secretary was writing her company blog during the day reporting on everything that happens. "The Hardy Boys just walked in..." indicating the two CSI's Eric Delko and Ryan Wolfe. The secretary was writing under the CEO's name without the CEO's knowledge. Furthermore, the secretary had secret code written in the blog, "Dump Zorax now..." letting the readers in on inside news creating insider trading for the company stocks. In this episode, the idea of a blog was used with the notion of a ghost writer, insider trading and corporate blogging issues.

=Works Cited=

http://www.downtheavenue.com/2005/01/blog_benefits_f.html

Posted by johncass, credit to B.L. Ochman. //Backbone Corporate Blogging Survey 2005.// Online at: http://blogsurvey.backbonemedia.com/archives/2006/01/83_of_blogging_ceos_have_ghost.html, Retrieved on February 22, 2006.

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