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.
Blogging's Double Helix
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.
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