Business Blog Advice

by Brandon Cornett

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve often used that cliché to describe online communications and marketing.

And now, in the midst of what’s been dubbed “Web 2.0,” I think the expression is more valid than ever. But before I talk about how things are the same, let’s take a look at what has changed. Let’s talk Web 2.0.

What the Heck is Web 2.0?
As you probably know, Web 2.0 is not a new type of software you have to purchase. It’s a phrase coined by O’Reilly, a publisher of technology books. In fact, if you Google the phrase “What is Web 2.0?” you’ll find the O’Reilly website at the top of the list, discussing the origins of the phrase.

Here’s an excerpt of that discussion:

“The concept of Web 2.0 began with a conference brainstorming … Dale Dougherty, web pioneer and O’Reilly VP, noted that far from having ‘crashed,’ the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity.” (Article by Tim O’Reilly on www.oreillynet.com)

If you ask me, the last part of that sentence is the most telling: “new applications and sites popping up.” MySpace, Digg, blogs, forums, wikis … this is the stuff of Web 2.0. Speaking of wikis, Wikipedia.org defines Web 2.0 as follows:

“Phrase coined by O’Reilly Media in 2004, refers to a supposed second generation of Internet-based services – such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies – that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.”

Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the Web 2.0 concept is the fact that people define it in so many different ways. In fact, the Wikipedia entry above continues with this:

“…and since 2004 it has become a popular (though ill-defined and often criticized) buzzword among technical and marketing communities.”

Brandon’s Definition of Web 2.0
As a writer and marketer, I don’t care much for formal definitions. I think by trying to shoehorn a concept into a formal definition, you merely limit the concept. But maybe that’s the poet in me. However, if I were forced to toss my own Web 2.0 definition into the ring, it would be this:

Web 2.0 – The concept of a website being used as a platform, a stage upon which some form of interaction or exchange takes place. Using the Web to speak with readers and customers, instead of speaking at them.

And here’s a disclaimer I tack onto my definition: How you use a tool is far more important than what you call it.

Embracing the New
Now we get to the point of my article. Instead of wasting time worrying about the proper definition of Web 2.0, or debating whether a particular website is or is not a Web 2.0 application, why not embrace these new technologies in a way that helps you expand your business by achieving new and exciting goals?

Semantics be damned, I say. While some people are butting heads over terminology, I’m going to think of ways to capitalize on the rising “social” nature of the Web. For example, I’m currently developing a virtual training program to expand my services while lowering costs, combining the benefits of a blog, a forum, and the screen-sharing / collaboration technology of GoTo Meeting.

What will I call it? Whatever I want to call it. Remember, it’s not what you call a tool that’s important — it’s what you do with it. With that said, let’s talk about some of the so-called Web 2.0 technologies in use today, and how you might use them in new and exciting ways for your company and your customers.

The Blog
For the uninitiated, a blog is essentially a content management tool that lets you post content to a website quickly and easily. Most often, blog posts are listed in reverse-chronological order (with the newest post displayed at the top). Blog posts can also be categorized as the author sees fit, which helps people find information more easily.

Blogs also generate subscription feeds (RSS or Atom) automatically. This is partly what expands their reach beyond that of a static website. In short, the typical blogger is a social individual, and this is what makes blogs so much better than static websites at spreading ideas and information.

Real-World Blog Application
In the past, Microsoft has taken its fair share of criticism from the media, the government, and even its own customer base. (Okay, so they’ve had more than a fair share.) But the tide of perception is slowly turning in Microsoft’s favor. You could credit this shift to a variety of factors, but chief among them is Microsoft’s savvy use of corporate blogs to communicate with customers and the media.

In the blogging book Naked Conversations by Robert Scoble (of Microsoft) and Shel Israel, Microsoft’s Channel 9 blog gets much of the credit for the shift:

“XML team program manager Joshua Allen acknowledged there were many factors involved in the apparent shift in perception, but he felt that ‘Blogging unquestionably has had the most impact.’” (Robert Scoble and Shel Israel. Naked Conversations. Wiley, 2006.)

Today, the company has well over a thousand employee blogs. Their “Channel 9 Blog” is by far the most popular of these.

Visit Microsoft’s Channel 9 Blog, and you’ll instantly see two hallmarks of a good corporate blog — interaction and plain speak. Readers can log in to comment on the blog posts made by the company’s staff, and the company (more often than not) responds with candor and personality. This is a complete 180 degrees from the secretive company that used to be referred to as “The Borg.”

What does Microsoft get out of all this? Plenty. They now have real-time customer feedback on products in development, without the need to bring in third-party survey consultants. They have an inexpensive and easily managed PR tool that feeds the media and consumer watch groups. But most importantly, they have an ever-growing sense of trust among their core users brought about by open dialog, and you can’t put a price tag on that.

Using Blogs in Your Own Business
How many blog ideas can you think of? Thanks to the versatility of blogging software, you can configure a blog in just about any way, shape or form you can imagine. Three of the most popular blogging platforms — WordPress, Blogger and TypePad — are built with PHP and CSS, so they’re easily customizable right “out of the box.” So whether you’re configuring a blog for your own marketing purposes, or setting one up for a client, there’s practically no development necessary.

The feed technology (either RSS or Atom) is built in as well, as are the posting and commenting features. You simply customize the blog to your liking it, set up some categories for better organization, and you’re off to the races.

Business and Corporate Blogs Worth a Look

Microsoft’s Channel 9 blog
http://channel9.msdn.com/

Jonathan Schwartz’ (Sun Microsystems) blog
http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/

Seth Godin’s blog
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

The Web Forum
Forums have been around for quite some time, having been born from the bulletin boards of the early web. Yet once again, companies and organizations are finding new ways to implement forums for business purposes.

Forum software programs have improved dramatically over the years. These self-contained applications can be installed onto a server in minutes, and customized just as easily. Modern forum apps are more flexible than before; more user-friendly; and more search-engine-friendly, thanks to URL rewrites, post archives and the like.

Members make the forum. So in order for a forum to grow and thrive, it has to attract and retain active members who share common interests. This can be a challenge for a brand new forum, and it requires constant promotion and maintenance. But once a forum takes on its own “life,” the communications potential is endless.

Real-World Forum Application
As part of my business, I provide technical and marketing support to real estate agents. So I’m a member of a forum run by the folks at Real Estate Webmasters (www.realestatewebmasters.com). As the name implies, the owners are web designers / developers who cater to real estate clients.

The REW forum is what I like to call mutualism online. In biology, mutualism describes a relationship between two or more species where both species benefit. The REW forum, like many good forums, embodies this concept. Visitors to the forum enjoy a wealth of ideas and insight from like-minded individuals (mostly real estate agents with a hunger for website advice).

On the other side, the forum owners have a nearly endless supply of ideal prospects, people in need of website design or development. Despite this, you won’t see a lot of heavy marketing taking place in the forums. The owners of REW are smart enough to know that helping people and answering questions is all the marketing they need to do in this venue.

Using Forums in Your Own Business
As with other user-driven applications, forums can be set up in a wide variety of ways. But the key with any forum is to let it be true to its design. If you’re creating an idea exchange, let it be an idea exchange. The business-building aspects will come automatically, without much of a push from you.

Forums Worth a Look

DaniWeb IT Discussion Community
http://www.daniweb.com

Digital Point Webmaster Forums
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/

The Wiki
A wiki is a web page or website edited by a group of people, or by the public at large. Unlike a typical web page that is published and edited by a single author, a wiki page is at the mercy of multiple editors. Any approved member can log in to the wiki, make edits to it, and publish the revised version. While a blog conveys the singular voice of its author, the wiki conveys the consensus of its collective members.

There are a variety of new wiki tools available today that have fueled the growth of wiki usage. In the past, you needed an IT department to create and manage a wiki. Today, you can install wiki software in a matter of minutes, or sign up for a hosted wiki service. Popular wiki programs include MediaWiki (which powers Wikipedia.org), TikiWiki and DokuWiki.

Modern wiki use ranges from teenagers sharing their thoughts to scientists sharing discoveries. As the technology becomes more popular and accessible, wiki applications will become increasingly diverse.

Real-World Wiki Application
I recently heard a story on National Public Radio about a wiki-based project called “We Are Smarter Than Me” (www.wearesmarter.org). Through the website’s wiki, you can contribute ideas and be part of the book that’s in development.

The website’s home page describes it this way: “Together we will write the book on how the emergence of community and social networks will change the future rules of business. Collaborate with authors from MIT, Wharton, and thousands of professionals from around the world…”

What will the result be, chaos or success? Who knows. That’s part of the excitement of these new projects — for the most part, they represent uncharted territory.

Using Wikis in Your Own Business
The wiki approach is not for everyone, and wikis certainly won’t replace traditional web pages. But they are an ever-growing part of Web 2.0. In fact, I can see plenty of real-world Wiki applications among the corporate world, such as training manuals authored by a group of editors, or online resource websites that evolve through group contribution.

Wikis Worth a Look

Wikipedia, the “free encyclopedia that anyone can edit”
http://www.wikipedia.org/

We Are Smarter Than Me, the book project mentioned above
http://www.wearesmarter.org/

Creative Commons Developer Community (CCDC)
http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Developer

AboutUs.org, a “website about websites that you can edit”
http://www.aboutus.org/

Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites seem to be sprouting up like mushrooms lately. MySpace led the charge, and there are now many variations on the theme. I see a lot of niche-specific networking sites too, and many of them combine all of the technologies mentioned in this article.

Because real estate agents are my primary customers, I participate in a networking website relevant to that industry (ActiveRain.com). It’s a great tool for sharing information, meeting new people, and yes, even gaining new clients. This community is a combination of blogs and forums, all wrapped up in a social networking site.

Real-World Social Networking
Linked In (www.LinkedIn.com) has been referred to as the “MySpace for networking professionals.” It’s as good a definition as any, because the site focuses on social encounters of the business kind. Here’s the mission statement right off their website:

“Our mission is to help you be more effective in your daily work and open doors to opportunities using the professional relationships you already have.”

From a networking standpoint, LinkedIn functions much the same as MySpace. My own LinkedIn profile serves as a resume, showing others my skills, training, education and more. This allows me to go out and “meet” others in my business niche, or even outside that niche. Once I make a connection, that person can recommend me (as a service provider) to his or her own connections. Those people can then in turn introduce me to their own connections.

Social Networking in Your Own Business
LinkedIn is still young in Internet years, but if it grows to even a fraction of MySpace’s size, you can see the vast networking potential it would bring. Most people love to recommend companies who have treated them well. Thinking even bigger, what if you created a social networking site all your own?

Social Networking Sites Worth a Look

LinkedIn (mentioned above)
http://www.linkedin.com

Ecademy, another business networking site
http://www.ecademy.com/

Multiply, networking site that emphasizes sharing media
http://multiply.com/

TakingItGlobal, a “get involved” network focusing on youth
http://www.takingitglobal.org/

What This Means to Corporate Communicators
If we are currently experiencing Web 2.0, then Web 3.0 will be right around the corner. But who cares about labels? Instead of worrying about the semantics of Internet evolution, you should instead focus on the benefits these new capabilities bring to your professional life.

Companies now have more ways to find, communicate with, and serve their audience than ever before. Some companies realize this, and they’ve had huge success by harnessing the social side of the Web in goal-specific ways. Others, however, can’t see past the terminology, thus ignoring the forest by dwelling on the trees. Which camp do you fall in?

About the Author
Brandon Cornett is a veteran web geek and publisher of CEO Blog Watch. He is also the author of a forthcoming e-book called “The Triangle System: Blogging Your Way Up the Search Engines.”