Like most communicators who blog, I’m a strong advocate for encouraging, persuading, prodding and cajoling my fellow communicators into introducing blogs in their organizations as part of their communication planning.
This isn’t a blind, because-it’s-there thing – although, depending on the organization, elements of that approach can be a very good idea in applying a new technology tool to traditional communication methodologies just to shake things up a bit and see what happens.
The reality, though, is the increasing evidence of the benefits new communication channels like blogs can deliver as part of the overall communication and relationship-building activities an organization engages in as part of all it does to achieve its business goals. Just two examples of what others have to say: the Business Week article from 9 August, and Illustrating the Law of the Many from Alan Nelson last week.
One other reality is that it is all too easy to get carried away with the concept of blogging and its coolness factor as a new tool – and I’m not going to mention podcasting yet, not in this post – and lose sight of the essential examining and questioning communicators must exercise as part of the due diligence process regarding any organizational communication planning. Is it strategic? Tactical? What goals will it help achieve and how? Is it the most effective tool or channel? Success measures? Do we actually need to do these things? Etc.
In commenting on two planned business blogging conferences in the US and Europe early next year, Fredrik Wackå asks:
The purpose of the conference is to help the attendees start blogging immediately, and help them convince their organizations/clients that they should blog as well. Why, I ask? Why should everyone blog? Does every organization need an internal magazine? Does every organization need a newsletter?
Then, Seth Godin cautions to beware the CEO blog:
Here’s the problem. Blogs work when they are based on Candor, Urgency, Timeliness, Pithiness and Controversy. (Maybe Utility if you want six.) Does this sound like a CEO to you?
Points noted. Thanks for the reminders for reality checks.