December 11, 2007

Biznology Blog by Mike Moran

« One-Way Blogging | Main | Corporate Blogging and Oxymorons, Take 2 »

Is Corporate Blogging an Oxymoron?

A few folks, after reading yesterday's post on the Blog Council, thought I was being too hard on them for not accepting comments on their own blog. But that wasn't the prevailing sentiment. More people felt that I was expecting way too much—corporate types don't know how to blog and never will, and setting up a council with a fancy logo won't change any of that. While I understand the skepticism behind that opinion, I don't agree.

Sure, it can be harder for a corporation to tolerate blogging's free exchange of ideas than it is for a solo blogger. And yes, far too many corporations have had rocky starts in the blogosphere. I know that Wal-Mart, Sony, and others have been caught creating "flogs" that purported to be from customers that instead were written by their ad agency. I'm aware that Dell began its blogging life with a happy-talk item about the tenth anniversary of its Web site, only to be pummeled by bloggers demanding better customer service. You can look elsewhere to be regaled by the tales (or maybe "galed" by them if you haven't heard them before).

I won't even argue that these stories are the exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to corporate blogging. I won't tell you that most corporations have jumped into blogging with both feet, as the PR team and the lawyers lock arms in a jaunty dance down the road of marketing openness.

But I can cite examples of corporate blogging that is working. My company, IBM, has thousands of bloggers, as does Sun, Microsoft, and many other large companies. They help our customers understand technology directions, industry goings-on, and strategic issues. Robert Scoble, while he worked at Microsoft, helped humanize a firm that the mainstream media only demonized. Sun's and IBM's blogger have likewise been a huge advantage to their respective marketing programs.

Many other companies use blogs to connect better with their customers through blogs. Blogs that are written by living breathing employees, not the PR department.

I know that's still news. I understand that successful companies using blogs are still relatively small among all companies. But the fact that they exist at all means we can strive for that level of success for many more companies. Corporations are not all the same, so it's ridiculous to expect that blogging will work for all of them.

But it's equally ridiculous to lampoon the Blog Council because all corporations are clueless types who couldn't blog if their lives depended on it. Corporations can blog. And some corporations' lives probably do depend on it. If corporations don't learn to connect better with their customers (regardless of whether they use blogs or other means), they are apt to be left behind by smaller companies that do connect.

Posted by MikeMoran at December 11, 2007 5:48 AM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.mikemoran.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/385

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Is Corporate Blogging an Oxymoron?:

» Corporate Blog Council from Securing Innovation
We've been following with some interest the inception of the Blog Council, "a community for official corporate blogs and bloggers that represent major global corporations" that was recently formed by some very large corporations, including Ac... [Read More]

Tracked on January 13, 2008 1:23 AM

Comments

It seems many have made up rules about what blogs should be. Criticising corporate blogs because they don't follow these rules - don't accept comments (like Seth Godin, for example), don't bare their souls enough - seems pointless.
Blogs are just a way of communicating, and mileage will vary. Business, large and small, is finding out how to use blogs, just as individuals are. Its a lot more interesting to track what is working (and what isn't) than to try and make up rules and then criticise others for not sticking to them.
So Mike, I agree its ridiculous to lampoon corporate blogs. Far better to observe what is working (and what isn't) and learn from that.

Posted by: Glenn Nicholas at December 11, 2007 7:20 AM

Mike --

You summed up our mission statement better than we did:

"Corporations can blog. And some corporations' lives probably do depend on it. If corporations don't learn to connect better with their customers (regardless of whether they use blogs or other means), they are apt to be left behind by smaller companies that do connect."

We're the group of those -- like you -- who have figured it out, and we are teaching it to our peers.

We'd love to have your help. It's an important missions. Please give me a call if you have a few minutes - 312-932-9000.

Andy Sernovitz
Blog Council

Posted by: Andy Sernovitz at December 11, 2007 8:38 AM

Glenn, I wouldn't criticize a normal blog for making a decision to block comments, but I thought it odd that a group teaching others how to blog would make that choice.

It's nice to see Andy reaching out to talk. I will try to call him today as he asks, so that I can find out.

Mike

Posted by: Mike Moran at December 11, 2007 9:56 AM

Mike,
I definitely think corporate blogging is an oxymoron. While you cite great examples of blogs under a corporate umbrella, aren't most of those really personal blogs on a corporate network? Sure, Scoble gave Microsoft a human face, as does Jonathon Schwartz at Sun and a certain IBM Distinguished Engineer for Big Blue. And while Schwartz's - as well as others - probably prove exceptions to the rule, most companies don't seem to get how to blog successfully and still represent corporate interests. Maybe this will change over time. But, as things stand, corporate blogging remains an oxymoron.

Posted by: Tim Peter at December 12, 2007 1:32 AM

Several people spoke to me yesterday and made similar points to yours, Tim. I decided to write my post today about that (http://www.mikemoran.com/biznology/archives/2007/12/corporate_blogg.html)

Posted by: Mike Moran at December 12, 2007 8:37 AM

In some ways corporate blogging can be seen as an oxymoron but as long as its not just an advertorial and there is real honesty and trust it can work. When you try and pay bloggers and cheat people to get positive press you are going down the wrong path.

Posted by: Corporate Blogging at February 4, 2008 7:33 AM