Marketing 2.0

Blogs to Riches - The Haves and Have-Nots of the Blogging Boom

Here's a great article from New York magazine on those bloggers who have managed to turn technology into dollars. Most bloggers toil in obscurity but it's very interesting to read how a few have built a profitable business model.

Link: Blogs to Riches - The Haves and Have-Nots of the Blogging Boom -- New York Magazine.

Yahoo offers Movable Type

Here's a new development that impacts the choices for corporate blogging tools. Yahoo will now offer Six Apart's Movable Type as part of its tools for small business. This article from CNN Money details Yahoo's new bundle of services for small businesses. Sounds like Yahoo wants to be the prime vendor for web hosting, blogging and e-mail. I don't know much about their services but I plan to investigate their web management offering.

Link: Write On: Yahoo! to sell Movable Type software for bloggers - Dec. 12, 2005.

Does Your Company Belong in the Blogosphere?

If you are wondering if a blog will improve your corporate communications and marketing efforts, here's a nice resource article from Harvard Business School. The author, Katherine Heires offers several key strategies for getting the most out of your corporate blog. She advises you to:

• Have a distinct focus and goal
• Feature an authentic voice
• Be open to comments from readers

Link: Does Your Company Belong in the Blogosphere? : Technology : HBS Working Knowledge.

Cashing in on RSS

Here's an article from Fortune discussing the business opportunities created by RSS technology. Venture capitalists have created a $100 million to invest in RSS. Companies like Flickr that use RSS to enable their services are being bought by larger media and tech companies.

Link: David Kirkpatrick - Cashing in on RSS - FORTUNE.

Corporate Policy on Blogging

Here is a good article from Dave Pollard suggesting policies for corporations to deal with employee blogging. There have been several high-profile incidents of employees being fired for blogging. While these people may or may not have violated corporate policies, their organizations have ended up with a lot of bad PR. In some cases, legal battles have ensued. Having a policy makes sense and Dave offers some good suggestions.

Link: How to Save the World.

Corporations enter blogosphere

Here's a good article on the use of blogs by corporations. One of the key takeaways is to stay true to the format - transparency, honesty and open dialogue are essential. If you want another controlled PR vehicle, look elsewhere or your readers will tune out.

Link: CNN.com - Corporations enter blogosphere - Jun 6, 2005.

Best Business Blogs: Advertising

You can tell that final exams are fast approaching. I am busy preparing my students for the end of our Corporate Communication class and I have been unable to blog much lately. Here is a nice list of advertising blogs posted by Fast Company magazine.

I used to subscribe to this magazine and then lost interest after the tech implosion. It seemed to become somewhat irrelevant after being the primary cheerleader for the tech boom in the 90's. Now, it seems to have found its voice again.

If you are interested in blogs devoted to advertising, this list will get you started.

Link: Best Business Blogs: Advertising.

Blogs, Everyone?

Here is a good overview of weblogs produced by the folks at Wharton. I found the section on potential business models to be interesting. In short, if you love to blog go ahead but don't expect to make any money at it. Blogs can be an effective corporate marketing tool and they are impacting the world of journalism and traditional mass media. There are some good insights here.

Link: Blogs, Everyone? Weblogs Are Here to Stay, but Where Are They Headed? - Knowledge@Wharton.

Blogging Risks

CNET recently published a good overview of the risks of blogging on the job. You can access the article at FAQ: Blogging on the job. They reference a few of the usual suspects, Queen of Sky, et al who have lost their jobs due to weblogs their employers found offensive.

What's interesting is that a handful of states have passed new legislation not specifically for bloggers but to protect employees from being fired for what they do away from the job. I think the best advice is still to keep your job and your blog separate. Never the twain shall meet!

Google Blogger Busted

Another one bites the dust. Blogging has suddenly become a dangerous habit for corporate serfs. Google recently fired Mark Jen, specifically over his weblog 99 Zeros. You can read all the gory details directly from Mark on his blog or see what CNET News has to say about it.

Mr. Jen is the latest is a string of high profile bloggers busted for posting content deemed inappropriate by their employers. You may have heard of Ellen Simonetti aka Queen of Sky, who was fired by Delta Airlines for posting mildly provocative photos of herself in uniform. As of this writing, she is suing the company. I wish her well; that is a long and difficult road.

Then, there is the saga of Michael Hanscom, the Microsoft employee dismissed for posting a photo of new Apple G5 computers being unloaded on Microsoft's dock. Here is the offending photo, courtesy of Mr. Hanscom, that cost him his job. If you click on his name you can read his version of the events that led to his loss of Microserf status.

CNN recently published a good article on the perils of blogging titled Have a blog, lose your job? . The author correctly points out that our treasured right to free speech, enshrined in the First Amendment, does not apply to the corporate world. Most workers are considered "at-will" meaning they can be fired at any time for any reason other than discrimination based on race, gender or age.

If you are a blogger and employed by a corporation be aware.  Ask if there is a company policy about blogging or publication. Check any employment or confidentiality agreements that you signed to ensure that you are not violating company policy. Avoid discussing or identifying your employer.

Remember — blogger beware!