02 executive perspective e u g o l a i d d n

a The Power of r b w e n

e Corporate Blogging: h t Some Guidelines for Doing It Right Corporate weblogs are becoming a fixture on the Web as businesses tune in to the benefits of speaking directly to their markets.

n May 31, 2006, The New the column in detail. “Either Mr. Friedman is our ground. In the end, The Times refused to York Times published being a propagandist, or he’s woefully mis­ let us call the column “rubbish.” an article by columnist informed,” Harris wrote. The commentary Why? “It’s not the tone we use in Letters,” Thomas Friedman that fea­ went on to highlight GM’s achievements in wrote Mary Drohan, a letters editor. tured some pointed criti­ improving fuel economy. What rubbish. Ocism of General Motors. GM also began discussions with the New How arrogant. Friedman charged that GM’s promotion York Times’ editorial page editors, hoping In June 2006, bloggers posted more of SUVs was feeding America’s addiction to place a letter to the editor. But the dis­ than 100 articles about the spat. Main­ to oil. Comparing GM to a “crack dealer” for cussions broke down after a week, when stream media picked up on the story. oil dependency, he said the corporation is the sides couldn’t agree on length and Readers flooded the GM Fastlane blog, “more dangerous to America’s future” than terminology. GM’s letter to the editor never posting hundreds of comments, most any other company. appeared in the Times. What it did online, complimentary to GM. A month after the GM officials were livid. They drafted a let­ though, was much more powerful. original column appeared, newspapers, ter to the editor, which has typically been A week after the Harris comments magazines and websites were still writing the only recourse available to public figures appeared on GM’s blog, GM publicist Brian about the dustup. GM had generated who believe they’ve been wronged by the Akre, who had been charged with placing far more positive publicity by blogging print media. But they also took their case to a letter in the Times, wrote with a voice than it would have created with a letter the Web. mixing passion and disgust: in print. The day after the Friedman column The Times suggested [the word] “rubbish” appeared, GM’s global communications [in our letter] be changed first to, “We beg CORPORATE SOAPBOxES vice president Steven Harris posted a 1,000­ to differ.” We objected. The Times then sug­ As the GM episode illustrates, blogs offer word entry on GM’s Fastlane blog refuting gested it be changed to, “Not so.” We stood an unprecedented opportunity for busi­ nesses to speak directly to the public. Scores of major corporations are now by Paul Gillin, Paul Gillin Communications blogging, but adoption has been cautious. Big business’s hesitation to blog is more Paul GIllIn is an award-winning writer and content-marketing consultant likely a by-product of cultural conservatism specializing in technology and new media. His company, Gillin Communica­ and paranoia than a thoughtful strategy tions, advises B-to-B marketers on strategies to optimize their use of online of avoidance. And there’s evidence that channels to reach buyers cost-effectively at different stages of the buying attitudes are changing quickly. Since mid­ cycle. He is a veteran technology journalist with over 23 years of editorial 2006, for example, corporations like Toyota, leadership experience. Mr. Gillin was founding editor-in-chief of TechTarget, Miller Brewing, GlaxoSmithKline and East­ one of the most successful new-media firms to emerge on the Internet. Previ­ man Kodak have also been wading in to ously, he was editor-in-chief and executive editor of Computerworld. the blogging pool.

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Early successes are drawing attention. A companies that are interested in taking the covers your company. If you do it right, mid-2006 survey by market intelligence firm plunge, there are compelling benefits. they will want to read your content. Cymfony and public relations firm Porter When GoDaddy.com tussled with Novelli found that 76 percent of corporate CUSTOMER RELATIONS ABC over the network’s objections to its blog owners said that their blogs increased The best reason to blog is to engage in a Super Bowl ads in 2006, CEO Bob Parsons media attention and/or website traffic. conversation with people who care about blogged frequently to tell his company’s For large businesses, the appeal is to cre­ your company and products. For example, side of the story. “I was constantly posting ate new communication channels for reach­ GM revived the Chevrolet Camaro in new entries,” he said. “We made that our ing constituents. Companies embracing the August 2006 driven, in part, by more than central point of updates for employees, principles of openness and honesty that 900 requests posted on the Fastlane blog. customers and the media.”Adds publicist the community demands find blogs are an Many successful business bloggers regu­ and blogger Eric Schwartzman, “You are no inexpensive way to extend their brands. larly log hundreds of comments on their longer dependent on a third-party outlet Those that insist on secrecy and control are postings. This unvarnished feedback can be to get the message to the target.” probably better offs taying silent. enormously helpful in shaping strategy and And if you think a corporate blog will product development. TELLING YOUR STORY make your customers love you or the media However, there have been plenty of fail­ Blogs are a way for executives to speak go easy on you, forget it. Public forums can ures. One of my clients complained that his directly to their constituents. They can also be used for executions just as easily as cele­ company had lost interest in blogging after counter negative perceptions. For example, brations. You’re going to get some criticism, an early experience failed to ignite interest. Microsoft launched a behind-the-scenes but you’ll also find out who your friends are. Looking at the remnants of the blog (online video series in 2005 to help humanize the Blogging doesn’t make you cool either. content never dies), it was easy to see why: company at a time when it was widely General Motors, Microsoft, Wal-Mart Entries were vacuous, jargon-filled market­ regarded as a faceless monopolist. and the Air Conditioning Contractors of ing promotions. There were no links, and But beware of false transparency. America aren’t hip, but they have blogs. readers couldn’t comment. Ford Motor Co.’s 2006 online “Bold Moves” Apple Computer is hipness personified but If you’re going to launch a company campaign was intended to make amends doesn’t blog at all. Nike’s the hippest shoe blog, take a little extra time to learn how to for the company’s past mistakes. Among company in the world, but it’s silent in the do it right. Following are some reasons why. the website features were interviews blogosphere. There is no Harley Hog Blog. with Ford executives acknowledging the Corporations shouldn’t blog unless they MEDIA RELATIONS company’s past mistakes and videos shot know why they’re doing it. A boring blog Your corporate blog will automatically go by a camera team that was said to have will do more harm than good. However, for on the reading list of every journalist who been given open access to Ford facilities. The effort was criticized for being slick and contrived. Corporate insincerity is quickly sniffed out. On the other hand, GM’s campaign against Friedman was effective taking a stand because it was so raw and genuine.

Some corporations use blogs to state an opinion on controversial FEEDING A FRENzY issues. For example: If you’re fortunate enough to have a rabid • Stonyfield Farms has blogs devoted to child care and cattle care. The customer base, a blog is a cheap, effec­ tone is crunchy granola. That works for Stonyfield, which sells $200 tive way to stoke the fires of passion. For million in organic products each year. example, Southwest Airlines’ Nuts About Southwest blog is a frothy celebration that • The Benetton Talk blog tackles weighty issues like war in the Middle mirrors the feel-good culture of its employ­ East and global warming. It’s aimed at customers whom Benetton ees. Guinness & Co. uses a blog to tell stout­ believes consider themselves to be politically liberal. lovers where they can meet the Guinness marketing crew. • The National Association of Manufacturers’ ShopFloor.org blog bluntly defends the interests of its 14,000 mostly small- business members. PROMOTING A PRODUCT Its feisty style skewers lawmakers and the liberal media. It has Overt promotion can’t be too blatant, become a major small- business lobbying force on Capitol Hill. but product-focused blogs do work. Owens Corning, welding equipment maker

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l Arc-Zone and distiller Diageo North Amer­ Nuts About Southwest (www.blogsouth­ Companywide Blog Platform a

i ica have all used character bloggers, like west.com), the official Google Blog (google­ A third approach is a companywide blog d Owens’ Pink Panther mascot, to represent blog.blogspot.com) and Dell Computer’s platform. This gives employees a company­ d

n their products. While all have inspired criti­ One2One (www.direct2dell.com). These are sanctioned sandbox for personal blogs. a

r cism for being too contrived, the sponsors’ blogs where the topic is the company. They Tech companies have done this with great

b persistence attests to their success. If you’re permit you a fair amount of showboat­ success; Microsoft alone has more than

w going to push a product with a blog, be ing because readers understand that the 4,000 employee bloggers. However, this e

n absolutely transparent about your motives purpose is mainly to advance a company’s strategy involves the greatest overall time e

h and keep content educational and useful. agenda. Company blogs are a great way to commitment because of the sheer number

t tell existing customers about new initiatives of man-hours that employees must commit. HAVE A REASON and to celebrate successes. They’re less A company blog platform is a good tool The worst reason to launch a corporate effective as a way to recruit new customers. for businesses that have difficulty getting blog is that it’s the thing to do. You need a Developing a distinctive voice for a com­ feedback from customers or that have lay­ mission and a long-term commitment. pany blog is difficult. Contributors must be ers of partners between themselves and GM’s Fastlane Blog, for example, intro­ coached to make sure they use consistent their customers. Everyone gets to speak, duced the world to innovative people language. It’s also tougher to engage in and customers like having the chance to within the company as a way to combat conversations with customers when the engage with the people who build the a stodgy image. Microsoft launched Port lineup of contributors changes frequently. products they use. 25, a blog aimed at developers of open­ On the other hand, company blogs are On the downside, you need to give up source software, in the spring of 2006, to easy to maintain and update. It’s a good control. It’s impossible to regulate what soften the hostile relationship it’s had with place to float ideas, seek feedback and take hundreds or thousands of people are going these people for years. The audience ini­ a public stand on important issues. to say, and you shouldn’t even try. Create tially reacted with derision, but Microsoft and publish behavior guidelines. Make sure responded constructively, and within a few Executive Blogs readers know that employees are speaking weeks, the discussion turned constructive. A somewhat more controversial option is for themselves and not the company. Previously it was unthinkable for a cor­ to create a lineup of executive blogs. These poration to invite critics into a forum of its are written by senior managers and tend to PARAMETERS own making. But Port 25 was a success in be heavy on strategy and vision. Hewlett- If you have good policies in place, you’ll smoothing what had been a contentious Packard and the Edelman public relations probably have few problems. Microsoft’s situation. Conversation works. firm do this, as do individual managers at blogging policy consists of two words – Before starting a corporate blog, have a IBM, O’Reilly Media and Thomas Nelson “Be smart” – and it has never encountered mission. Maybe it’s to advocate for a cause, Publishers, among others. a legal or regulatory problem as a result fix a customer service problem or com­ ment on public policy. That goal will give you the incentive to keep at it. Corporate insincerity is TYPES OF CORPORATE BLOGS quickly sniffed out. Don’t rush into corporate blogging with an undifferentiated strategy or underprepared employees. Don’t try to be someone you It’s hard to make this strategy work. Exec­ of its employee blogging. Surveys have aren’t. Critics will snifft hat out quickly and utives are busy people, and effective blog­ documented a measurable improvement in skewer your efforts. Launch internally a few ging takes time. These people also tend to customer satisfaction. weeks before you go public and give your be excessively cautious, which can make The culture of the blogosphere is free­ people a chance to work out the kinks. Ask them boring. And they tend not to have the wheeling, opinionated and fast. If you can’t trusted outsiders for feedback. There are intense customer relationships that people adapt to it, don’t bother with a company several approaches you can take: on the front lines enjoy. But if executives blog. As we’ve seen, a blog is a great way are committed and willing to blog, they can to address problems, influence opinion and Company Blogs share their thoughts and strategies with lasso customer enthusiasm. Do it because The safest route for most corporations is a a larger audience than they could reach you want to do it. With enough passion company blog. Some good examples are through any other means. and commitment, it’s hard to go wrong. n

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