« Web 2.0 & Social Software | Main | Blogging Research Companies Cull Data From Many Online Communities Beyond Blogging »
November 30, 2005Transparency, blogging and corporate blogs
After reading several posts on the subject of synthetic transparency, including my post “Using ‘Synthetic Transparency’ to set Expectations on the level Transparency Found on your Corporate Blog�, David Herron in his post "Transparency, blogging and corporate blogs" continues the discussion started by Dr. Walter Carl, Professor of advanced organizational communication at Northeastern University, when he coined the phrase 'synthetic transparency', David states, “My opinion is that a blog is a web site, and the owner of the web site can conduct that web site however they wish. If they wish to just use it for news releases, then more power to them. It's just a web site, and the functionality of blog software makes it very suitable for press releases. If they wish to just post sales gimmicks, then more power to them. It's their web site and it's up to them how they use it.’
Bloggers control their Blogs and they can do what ever they want with them. However, if you run a corporate blog and want to get most value out of the blog, it’s important to understand that blogging and business is sometimes about having a dialogue with your customers. That means you have to answer their telephone calls, or blog comments when a customer contacts you. If you don't I think your reputation with that customer will suffer, who may then decide to go elsewhere simply because you did not get a response. On a blog its even more important to follow up with comments, as its not just one reader who sees your reaction, it’s the whole reading public. Aiming for transparency is the right thing to do because it makes business sense. Would you recommend to companies that they don't bother to answer their telephones, I think not, the same applies to blog comments.
Transparency is not just about the design of a website, its also about the content of a website, are you revealing everything in a post, from describing the reason you give a link on a blog post to declaring any connections with companies or products you might be endorsing. Such transparency will add credibility to your blog, and improve your writing.
Posted by johncass at November 30, 2005 9:22 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://tmpmt.backbonemedia.com/mt2/mt-tb.cgi/298
