Bernaisesource

Technorati Tags: Social Media Today; Blogger of the Week;

Save to del.icio.us

I came across something unexpected during my visit last week in San Francisco, a city deeply immersed in technology and social media.

While reconnecting with a former colleague well steeped in the ways of the Internet and blogosphere, I learned she was essentially blogging offline. (In talking to Andrew Getsey over at Atomic Public Relations about it, I liked his term -- analog blogging.)

My colleague and a few of her friends have created what is known as a circle journal. While others are posting the most intimate details of their lives online for the world to see and read, her group of friends is sharing personal thoughts and experiences with each other using paper and pen.

The circle journal is not about rejecting technology. It is recognition that private conversations are not only personal; they are powerful. Friends share their emotions in their own handwriting.

Describing her experience, she said,

“We don’t write anymore. It’s a way for us to stay connected even though we live in different cities. It’s safe; but it’s dangerous. It’s about trust. It’s also a physical thing. I can see their heart beat in their writing. It’s raw. Typing is very different. With circle journals, there is no spell check. There are no penalties for sloppiness.”

Ultimately, it’s not about expanding your audience. It’s not about instant gratification. Its power is in keeping thoughts private and physically holding friends’ trust in your hands in a journal that moves from one person to the next and back again – full circle – in the time it takes to write and mail a document.

At first glance, this topic may seem off message, but it goes to the heart of online conversation. As professionals we are so focused on what people are saying on blogs and social networks. At its best, social media facilitates open and honest conversations. It fosters engagement and customer loyalty. At its worst, its irreverence and lack of decorum can blur the boundaries between public and private, decent and indecent, respect and disrespect.

For social media advocates, it’s easy to forget there are limits to transparency. Not everything is suited for corporate blogging and public disclosure. Power is not always found in wide distribution. That’s often a lesson lost on many in the MySpace generation who may someday regret the utterly personal pictures they post online. Circle Journals are also a reminder of the many conversations that don't make it online.

Living in a world where reputation is everything, I would not participate in a circle journal, but I can appreciate their allure.

They represent to me a basic desire to build connections that can only exist in the private sphere. It reinforces the need to be selective and vigilant in what we say, when we say it and how we say it.

Let me get back to you.

Technorati Tags: Circle Journal; Blogging;

Save to del.icio.us

A successful blog requires understanding an organization’s dynamics and sensitivity to the needs of the principals.

No doubt this is common sense advice, but where do you begin? From experience, I appreciate the need for thought leaders to articulate the vision, evangelists to spread the word, mediators to build consensus and believers to make it happen. But corporate communications can be a catalyst and a key agent for managing the process.

As change agents, it may be useful for us to consider the following questions:

• Who should own the blog and drive its content? PR, marketing, product (services) Development or a mix?
  

• How will reader feedback be used?

• What role do HR and the legal department play in setting boundaries?

• Where does customer support fit in? How will it absorb questions that involve billing or require technical assistance?

• How can the sales team take advantage of reader feedback?

• How active should the marketing group be in preserving the brand, but respecting the need to avoid “marketing speak?”

• How do you solicit IT to license the right software and to make sure it is scalable and secure?

• How do you engage product or service development teams to ensure their consistent participation as advisors and contributors?

• How do you enlist the support of employees to contribute or create their own personal or product blogs?
  

When I was helping implement EarthLink’s social media strategy, I sat down with executives and a wide cross section of the company to understand their needs and concerns. I developed surveys to assess their appreciation of social media and their usage patterns. I worked with the legal department to define parameters. I met with IT engineers to understand what was feasible and of course sought senior management buy-in.

It may be helpful to view your efforts as a campaign and consider the following steps:

1. Assess what your competition is doing
2. Monitor the conversation about your company
3. Define your message (why you need a blog)
4. Set expectations and key metrics
5. Identify your key internal stakeholders
6. Enlist allies to help spread the word
7. Reach out to skeptics and address their concerns
   

Taking these steps will put you in a good position to make the case to senior management.

But as the weight loss ads always say, your individual results may vary. Implementing these guidelines won’t guarantee final approval for a blog, but ignoring them will ensure failure and represent a lost opportunity for corporate communications to take a leadership role in formulating a company’s new media strategy.

Let me get back to you.

Technorati Tags: Corporate Blogging; Corporate Communications;

Save to del.icio.us

Coca-Cola's New Blog

I just word got from Adam Brown, director of digital services over at Coca-Cola, that the soft drink giant with the world’s most famous brand has joined the corporate blogging ranks.

Coke’s inaugural corporate blog Coca-ColaConversations will cover a variety of topics from brand history to the value of collectibles. Phil Mooney, Coke’s director of archives and a thirty year Company veteran, will be its first blogger.

With over 30,000 Coca-Cola items for sale on eBay, there is a lot of interest in the brand. Adam tells me that collectors and enthusiasts literally mob Phil at Coca-Cola memorabilia conventions, antique shows or flea markets across the country with stories about their Coke experience.

Accordingly, the goal for Coca-Cola’s blog is “to share these same stories and engage in relevant discussions with a much larger audience.”

Getting management approval was a lot easier than Adam had thought. Previously, Coke had participated in special blog projects, including the hosting of an Olympic blog during the Athens games in 2004, the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy as well as a blog during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. They also hosted a successful internal blog in 2006 for their associates/employees.

In this case, they wanted to “develop a blog with a unique voice, topic and conversation spectrum that wasn't being delivered elsewhere.” It is intended to complement the thousands of daily conversations about Coca-Cola on other blogs, message boards, forums and in social networking communities.

A top priority for management is to connect their heritage with present time activities.

Adam explained that this is just one example of ways that Coke is involved online. In recent years they also created programs with Second Life, YouTube, Facebook and their own branded destination sites like MyCokeRewards. Each program has different goals, but ultimately it is about reaching their audiences in a way that is relevant to them.

Given the strong interest in its brand and tradition, Coke’s new blog is an appropriate first step. It will be interesting to see how Coke’s future plans integrate all these online properties, including its presence on Facebook.

Even more interesting will be how Coke’s blogging efforts evolve as an anticipated ensemble of other employees possibly take on more challenging topics -- whether it be recycling, new products, marketing, packaging and philanthropy. I am hoping to see that Coke is as transparent about these issues as it is about memorabilia and nostalgia. That will be a true test of Coke's new media mettle and add some fizz to the blogosphere.

Let me get back to you.

Technorati Tags: Phil Mooney; Coke Corporate Blog; Adam+Brown; Coca-ColaConversations; Coke; Coke Blog; Coke Memorabilia; Coca-Cola;

Save to del.icio.us

Reviewing more than a dozen websites, I wanted to follow up on last week's posting about social media’s value in helping challenger brands take on market leaders. But whether it was Avis and Hertz, Reebok and Nike, Miller and Budweiser, Pepsi and Coke, Lowes and Home Depot, Stonyfield Farms and Dannon, Target and Wal-Mart, Burger King and McDonald’s, I discovered that there was no correlation between market position and the use of social media.

Granted my choices were somewhat arbitrary and my methodology unscientific. I limited my analysis to blogs. I deliberately focused on well-known consumer brands and avoided technology companies who have been the earliest adopters and most vocal supporters of social media.

Disappointedly, few of these companies even had a blog and an even smaller percentage had a notable one. For example, Hertz lacked a blog, but Avis had one. But while Avis may try harder, their corporate blog is decidedly British. Kudos for being “the first car rental company to start a blog,” but its writers are based in the U.K. I know Avis is a global company, but I am not sure how referencing a soccer match in Liverpool has much relevance for a customer trying to get an upgrade in Tucson.

Overall, my research yielded no consistent use or placement of blogs. More vexing, even if a company had a blog, it was not easy to find. I am not sure if that was by neglect or design.

And so I am left asking the following question: If companies are going to take the time to invest in social media tools, how can they avoid making them so difficult for customers to access? Or put another way; if social media is meant to improve the customer experience, why do barriers exist that prevent customers from taking advantage of them?

In general, there is no agreement about blog placement. Some companies (particularly Web 2.0 companies) take advantage of their homepage. Others place their blog on the media relations page. Others put them somewhere in the corporate “about us” page. And still others use the website search function. Another group puts the onus on users to find it through an outside search engine like Yahoo or Google.

One of Stonyfield Farms blogs

Among the group of companies I looked at for this posting, only Stonyfield Farms and Wal-Mart had links to their blog on their homepage, and only Stonyfield had done so prominently. I found McDonald’s blog (they also had podcasts) on their corporate values page. With Nike’s “blog” (doesn’t allow comments and doesn’t identify its authors), and Miller’s, I had to type the company name + blog on Google Search. If I could find the search function on a website, it often yielded no results.

Perhaps the different “placement strategies,” reflect the different function that each blog serves. Some promote a lifestyle associated with the brand. Others reflect the values of the corporate culture or the overall industry, and others are intended primarily to sell products.

• Stonyfield, whose web strategy I have long admired, has a blog, “where parents can meet up, rant, offer and seek advice, or just tell us their trials and triumphs." They have another one called “Moos” from Jonathan Gates and his organic dairy farm, Howmars Farm in Franklin, Vermont. It plays perfectly to the lifestyle of its customers and reflects the values of the company.

• McDonald’s blog focuses on their corporate social responsibility.

• Wal-Mart’s is “dedicated to bringing you the latest in gadgets, green, gaming, and more, and written by a group of expert Wal-Mart Associates.”

• Miller’s “site aims to give beer people daily analysis, commentary and some original reporting on the current state of the alcohol-beverage industry.”

• Nike’s is about selling the Nike image and products and is focused on basketball.

While companies may lack corporate blogs, there is certainly no shortage of bloggers out there posting entries that often put these very companies in an unflattering light. It was sometimes difficult to determine which were official corporate blogs and which ones were user-generated. That confusion is an added incentive for companies to be clear about what their blog stands for and where it should be placed. Being accessible allows companies to play a positive, proactive role in facilitating user interaction.

Of course, I understand the value of real estate on the homepage and the need to move customers through the sales stream. Giving a blog prominent placement doesn’t quicken the purchase decision, but there is something to be said for simple engagement without the hard sell.

Granted blogs may not suit every corporate culture. And even more challenging is striking the right balance between a corporate voice and customer lifestyle – especially if you have a brand that appeals to numerous demographics. If social media has taught us anything, one size does not fit all. And for some companies, it may be advantageous to disassociate the blog from the corporate website to appear anti-corporate or counter cultural.

In the end, I believe that companies should have blogs regardless of the diversity of the customer base and the particular set of products and services. Where that blog resides on a company's website is determined by its purpose. But that blog should be easily found through the site map on the website. That's the best way to maximize your investment and shape the online conversation.

Let me get back you.

Technorati Tags: Challenger Brands; Corporate Blogging; Social Media;

Save to del.icio.us

I was trying to come to terms with the tension of the fixed and changing elements that form the basis of blogging. We have all heard of the paradox that the only constant is change. In this spirit, I offer up my own version of constant change:

Fixed laws govern corporate blogging dynamics

Corporate blogs are fluid, organic, ever changing. But they also contain elements that are fixed, constant.

I am proposing a model to address the interplay of the changing and constant elements. It’s what I call blogging’s double helix – a twisted pair that describes blogging dynamics. In this state, for every constant there is also change.

Blogs are always about conversations, but authors and applications can change. Blogs are built to support the corporate brand, even as marketing and product strategies change. All blogs must adhere to corporate values, even as situations change.

No one element is dominant. But at times, one element may get more play than another depending on a company’s priorities.

So what are the five fundamental laws that underpin corporate blogging and react with its double helix?

The First Immutable Law

Blogs evolve.

In nature, survival rests on the interplay of DNA and the changing environment.
In blogging, successful conversations rest on the interplay of corporate DNA and changing situations.

When EarthLink launched its first corporate blog, it was devoted to helping customers protect themselves from spyware, viruses and spam. EarthLink subject matter experts submitted postings on a voluntary basis when they had the time to do so. We learned from that first try and subsequently relaunched the blog to reflect the broader mission of the company and the wider possibilities of the Internet. We also hired a full-time blogger to ensure consistency and regular postings. Today, the blog has been decommissioned as management has chosen to focus its strategic priorities elsewhere.

The transition through its different phases was smooth because we were honest, open and respectful with our readers.

The Second Immutable Law

Applications and Authors Don’t Matter; Conversations Do

Once blogs were about simple conversations. They still are. But where text was the name of the game, we are seeing more pictures, more audio, more video, and more applications. While these features enrich the user experience, having the ability to converse and engage readers will always be the essence of blogging. Blogging without the ability to comment to share ideas (good and bad) is what I call a toothless wolf in sheep’s clothing: No bite and all fluff.

Let me clarify what I mean by authors don’t matter; I am not discounting the contributions of bloggers to corporate blogs. A good blogger is passionate, honest, respectful and open. A bad blogger isn’t. And not everyone is suited for blogging. But don’t let the personality become the blog. Employees come and go, but the Coroprate blog should have an identity or a purpose outside the blogger. In some cases, multiple people write for their corporate blog. Others have a blogmaster who is responsible for content. I strongly believe that a corporate blog is only as strong as its content and the company behind it, not the individual talents of one person.

The Third Immutable Law

A Blog must understand and respect its audience
A Blog must engage both reader and writer

Whom are you trying to reach? One size does not fit all. The expectations of customers, including investors and partners, are changing as fast as technology itself. A successful blogging strategy requires an understanding of one's customers and carefully balancing the use of new and traditional information channels.

In pursuing an engagement strategy, you need to ask: Who is your audience? Sophisticated users or generalists? Customers or prospective customers? What is your strategy and purpose? Is it intended to showcase the rank and file or your leadership? Is it a forum for general industry trends or an honest, open discussion about products and services?

Remember engagement goes two ways: In the end, blogging should be viewed as a way to solicit ideas, suggestions and address customer complaints.

The Fourth Immutable Law

Corporate Blogging Is Situational…Especially in a Crisis

Say news gets out that your product is defective; Or nearly 80,000 employees go strike; or your CEO is charged with financial irregularities -- Where does openness and conversations go? -- Time to blog or circle the wagons? -- Time to start one or shut one down?

GM has a respected blog – FastLane. But when the UAW went on strike, GM announced on its blog that it would not use FastLane for discussion about the strike.

I agreed with their decision. It did not serve the Company’s or customers’ best interest. It may seem inconsistent to post in the good times and not the bad, but an effective strategy must be situational. Public discussions may sometimes cause more harm. A lot depends on the Company’s objectives. An open forum didn’t meet those objectives.

While situations may change blog strategies, I believe it’s always necessary to be as open and accessible as possible especially in the cases of interrupted service, safety issues, or security and privacy concerns where the customer is impacted.

Fifth Immutable Law

A Blog Must Embody the Company’s Brand and Culture

The best blogs do and therefore seem genuine, because they are. Understanding the culture does not mean that a company should immediately start blogging. Social media can be a serious mistake if there is a low tolerance for experimentation, transparency and decentralization. Regardless of a company's DNA, blogging must be accepted and embraced internally; both employees and management must be educated on how best to implement a social media strategy. Without rules of engagement and management buy-in, the blog won’t have the legitimacy it needs to flourish.

Do these laws mean the difference between success and failure? What happens when companies fail to abide by these rules of the game? Well in nature, failure means extinction – usually violently. In blogging, failure means controversies, firestorms and irrelevance. On the other hand, I think robust conversations that respect the reader and don’t compromise corporate values are a formula for success.

In the survival of the fittest, where does your company’s blog stand?

Let me get back you.

Technorati Tags: Blogging; Blogging's Double Helix; Executing Social Media Conference; Corporate Blogging;

Save to del.icio.us

A nice call out from Peter Kim, an analyst from Forrester Research (full disclosure:  EarthLink retains their services.)  He is building a list of top client side marketing blogs. His list does not include group and brand blogs or those written by consultants, agencies or service providers.  Overall, there are not many client side marketing blogs -- though the list is quickly expanding beyond Peter's initial 13. I am hoping in time that a client side blog will be the rule not the exception. 

Here is Peter's initial list: 

Flooring the Consumer  :: Technorati authority = 504.  Authored by CB Whittemore, Director of In-Store Innovation, Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber.

Marketing Nirvana  :: 424.  Mario Sundar, Community Evangelist, LinkedIn.

Experience Curve :: 332.  Karl Long, Web/Social Media Integration Manager, Nokia.

The Marketing Excellence Blog :: 254.  Eric Kintz, VP Marketing, Digital Photography & Entertainment, Hewlett-Packard.

Consumer Generated Media :: 191.  Pete Blackshaw, CMO, Nielsen Buzzmetrics.

Decker Marketing  :: 167.  Sam Decker, VP Marketing, Bazaarvoice.

Masi Guy :: 162.  Tim Jackson, Brand Manager, Masi Bicycles.

Attention Max :: 153.  Max Kalehoff, VP Marketing, Nielsen Buzzmetrics.

Churbuck.com :: 148.  David Churbuck, VP Global Web Marketing, Lenovo.

Emerson Process Experts :: 130.  Jim Cahill, Marketing Communications Manager, Emerson Process Management.

Bernaisesource :: 99. Dan Greenfield, VP Corporate Communications, EarthLink.

John Dragoon's Blog :: 29.  John Dragoon, CMO, Novell.

Randy's Journal :: n/a.  Randy Tinseth, VP Marketing, Boeing.

CB Whittemore

---------------------

Technorati Tags: Peter Kim; Forrester; M20; Client Side Marketing; CB Whittemore; Mario Sundar; Karl Long; Eric Kintz; Pete Blackshaw; Sam Decker; Tim Jackson; Max Kalehoff; David Churbuck; Jim Cahill; Dan Greenfield; John Dragoon; Randy Tinseth;

Add to NewPR Save to del.icio.us

Add to NewPR  Save to del.icio.us

What if I didn’t tell you that I was being paid for what I wrote?  (I am not being paid for what I write.)  Would you feel differently about my posting? What if I disclosed that I was being paid for my opinions?  Would you feel angry? Annoyed? Betrayed? At the very least I am sure you would discount what I had to say. 

Dan Gilmor writes about a LA Times article (you may need to register) reporting on companies like PayPerPost, ReviewMe, Loud Launch and SponsoredReviews.com who pay people to blog (I assume favorably) about products. 

It is not totally secretive.  On its website, PayPerPost includes:  You must be prepared to disclose your relationship with PayPerPost advertisers and advise your readers of any sponsored content via a disclosure policy or on a per post basis.

So what about this editorial product placement?  Not a new topic, but it still generates heat.  What really bothers us?

We watch movies and don’t feel their integrity is violated by the appearance of actors using Macs or drinking Cokes.  We have no problem with celebrities or professionals endorsing products – even though we know they aren’t using the products they endorse.  [ADDED:  While there is a wall of separation between editorial and advertising,] we read reviews about products in newspapers and magazines knowing that companies who make said products advertise in these publications.

On the record, I don’t support undisclosed shilling.  Also on the record, as a PR professional, I do support flacking.  But the blogging for pay really shouldn’t surprise us.  Traditional boundaries are collapsing.  Advertising, editorial and entertainment are mixed in a giant cauldron called online content. 

Products are a lifestyle.  Ads are entertainment.  We post commercials on YouTube for others to enjoy.   Companies are making movies and starting online channels. Bud.TV, created by Budweiser, for example, offers up original programs (with a focus on sports, humor, etc) created by their marketers to reach their targeted demographic.  We create and participate in company sponsored online communities to share experiences about products and companies.  We let companies sponsor our weddings.  We are invited to share our product experiences with friends, families and colleagues as part of buzz marketing campaigns.   And in the ultimate crossover, we are making our own commercials for advertisers to sell to us. 

All this by the way is widely discussed and even embraced.  Most of us gave up that battle over encroaching commercialization sometime ago and have learned to filter out what we need to.  And the issue is not about the objectivity of blogging.  Blogging is not objective.  Blogging is about opinion and emotion.  Journalists have labeled bloggers “parasitic.” Bloggers bristle at the journalistic tag.  No love lost there.

So where does that leave us?  Do we need rules or code of ethics like Word-of-Mouth-Association has proposed?

I believe we are willing to suspend our disbelief and accept this new marketing reality, but we want the option of a disclaimer -- even if we gloss over it or never even read it.  The Federal Trade Commission, by the way, has very strict policies for advertisers about disclosure. 

In the end, I believe the power of blogging and new media marketing comes down to being genuine.  It’s about being honest to yourself and your audience.  You know when you are.  Being genuine.  That is your most powerful currency – spend it unwisely and you lose your most valuable asset – credibility.  Being genuine – what a concept.  I wonder if companies can market that one.

Let me get back to you.

Technorati Tags: PayPerPost; Dan Gilmor; Blogging; Bud.TV;

Add to NewPR  Save to del.icio.us

USA Today’s columnist Kevin Maney’s entry on blogging sparked some thinking this weekend.  He was riffing on a recent Wall Street Journal article about the growing number of bloggers who are posting very private moments in real time.

The mySpace Effect

Maybe we should call it the mySpace effect – after teenagers who are posting most everything about themselves online with little regard to the adult consequences.  Now it seems adults are getting into the act.  With all this sharing going on, it makes me wonder how this social interaction will impact both our personal and professional lives.

From my perspective, it is amazing to discover how many bloggers feel comfortable throwing discretion and caution to the wind.  Nothing – births, marriages, medical procedures, divorces, cancer, and death – seems to be out of bounds.  I suppose that’s the power and the addiction of new media.  And the more we reveal, the more the outside world is drawn in. 

Of course, the urge to record and share is not new.  Cave paintings of communal hunts were all the rage some 40,000 years ago.  And find me a proud parent reluctant to “share” baby photos with anyone within eyeshot. 

Life the Movie

What is new is the ability to so easily share intimate details in real time with complete strangers on a global scale.  Apparently, a close network of friends and family is not enough.  Increasingly, more of us want the world to know -- and the world seems to make the time to read -- about our most intimate details.  In a celebrity obsessed culture, where everyone can be famous on YouTube, we are our celebrities in our lives – call it, as author Neal Gabler did -- Life the Movie.

Perhaps sharing the intensely personal is just a capitulation to a world where safeguards on privacy continue to erode – where online commerce sites require personal information, where identity theft is a real threat, where security cameras are everywhere and where private moments can be captured on cell phones and posted on YouTube without your knowledge or permission. 

Or maybe it just feels safer sitting in front of a keyboard removed from the gaze of one’s audience.  In any event, it is changing how we communicate and how we want the outside world to view us. 

Impact on Business Communications

But what does this mean for business communications?   Are employers ready to embrace this move toward greater openness, informality and community?  It is already happening.

From business casual dress codes to Instant Messaging, what we wear and how we speak reflects this new way of thinking.  Companies are permitting employees to blog and are even (as is the case of my company) showcasing employees’ personal blogs in an effort to share their collective voice with the outside world.

Beyond employees, companies are creating their own social networks where customers can share their personal experiences with each other and the company.  I believe the most successful ones will encourage open, honest discussions that may be critical of the company hosting the site.

The rules of engagement are far from clear, but formality and marketing speak are not the end game.  As personal blogs are demonstrating, the public wants candor.  Increasingly, companies will comply. 

To be truthful, I welcome the changes that new media brings even though discretion continues to be the highest form of valor for me. 

I just hope that we don’t substitute personal blogging for direct human interaction.    I also hope we base our editorial decisions on what is best for us, not our audience.   Sure the attention is nice, but the pursuit of page views and links on Technorati seems a little empty.  And as most celebrities can attest, fame can be fleeting – even in the blogosphere.

Let me get back to you.

Technorati Tags: Social Networks; Corporate Communications; Blogs; Kevin Maney; Neal Gabler;

Add to NewPR  Save to del.icio.us