Post on 23-Nov-2014
Corporate Blogging
BY: AJIT SINGH ENGLISH TRAINER
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Blog facts Overall blog stats Blogging applications Blog features Tracking blogs at large Corporate blogging stats Why blog What to blog about Got Content! Blogging Essentials –
benefits, people, time, cost Elements/components of
good blogs
Content creation and management
Marketing and branding, in-house and to the public
Blogs as knowledge management tools◦ Adjunct to portals, websites,
intranets Examples of focused, topical
blogs More reasons you should blog Tech companies lead the way in
corporate blogging News and resources on
corporate blogging
Presentation Overview
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Facts about blogs
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Parts of a blog – consider which elements to use
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
How many blogs are there? Millions and millions….
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
But how many are updated regularly?
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
“A mere 2% of Adult Internet users maintain Web diaries or Web blogs…Content omnivores are among the heaviest overall users of the Internet.”
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Blog Software – An overview of some options
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Tracking Blogs
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Stats on Corporate Bloggers: http://www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000390.html, October 17, 2004
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Inexpensive, non-techie, easy/quick to launch
Capture, annotate information◦ Indicate document relevancy,
provide taxonomy, create info relationships
◦ Make info visible that would otherwise be overlooked
◦ Document management tool, from micro to macro (personal, departmental, organizational)
Excellent adjunct/alternative to email overload◦ Leverage your research and
ability to disseminate it Create and promote key
relationships within and across departments, groups and services
Expand services to those across your organization
Increase productivity and info exchange through better time management and resource allocation
Seamless access via internal network◦ Read the website, receive RSS feeds
or updates through email Promote internal marketing for
individual, group/dept. and/team initiatives, projects (long and short term)
Content is searchable, browsable, archived and users can comment◦ Alternative to vast, impenetrable file
folders of emails◦ valuable database is created and
expanded continuously◦ Inexpensive, practical KM system that
does not require lots of $
Why Blog?
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Is a blog the app you should choose◦ Who are you trying to serve, and
why Needs assessment
◦ Have a specific goal, review progress and assess value
Who is responsible for maintenance/updating
Blogs can be “back-office” or front and center◦ Determine scope…or niche
Establishing and populating the blog(s) with content◦ review resource options with key
members of departments, practice groups or areas whom you wish to serve.
Obtain stakeholder buy-in Demo the service, request
suggestions, comments and input
Respond quickly by adapting the blog to incorporate additional data◦ narrow or expand content and
specifications Is one blog sufficient, or do you
need multiple blogs? Address usability, functionality,
value for time spent Stay on message…focus,
focus, focus – readers have limited time
Verify, vet, validate content◦ choose your source materials
very carefully
Blogging Essentials – benefits, people, time, cost
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Blogs – can they replace an intranet?
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
From Dave Pollard's How to Save the World – The Knowledge Process, http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
new or ongoing projects – close the loop new services, or current ones that require better promotion/info
dissemination KM initiatives
◦ Evaluation, design, implementation, roll-out, testing Tasks – group/departmental
◦ Organizational tool, management tool Password database, subscription database, calendar of events
training presentations topical/subject specific research practice development clients virtual reference, electronic services, cataloging from topics specific or broad, it is up to you!
What to Blog About? Share the Knowledge
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Assignment: monitor, track, locate (through all avenues available…fee and free)… find needle in haystack and make it look easy!
validate, verify, analyze review, edit, append info as req’d (PDF, Word docs,
Excel, graphics, audio, video) seek feedback, comments, contributions publish, disseminate, update (the updating part is the
real kicker)…commitment is key! don’t start what you can’t continue – Feed the Blog! time management is essential
What Does Blogging Involve – Got Content!
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Example of a blog used for development, collaboration, testing
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Blogs facilitate organization of, and access to, relevant data by topics
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Example of a very focused topical blog: GM Smallblock Engine Blog
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Example of a topical blog with broader focus but still subject oriented – stays on message.
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Identify and target your users Provide channels of information
◦ Choice/selection in data stream◦ From the general to the granular, your
readers can choose if you offer them a range of content
Supplementing info/data/resources from websites, e-newsletters, paid subscription services, online databases
Aggregate your current publishing formats◦ Intranet◦ Portal◦ Websites◦ Handouts/brochures◦ Power Points◦ Emails◦ Newsletters
Branding/marketing vehicle for your library – good PR◦ Offers tangible, ongoing
documentation of work product◦ Justify resources, staffing, additional
services Where is that report, news article,
survey, training manual?◦ Promote, maximize internal
collaboration, knowledge base management of resources, tasks and projects
Real time publishing◦ Direct, no intermediary req’d
You are the expert◦ Blogging will focus and expand upon
your skills◦ Level the playing field…minimize
barriers and increase visibility, communications, integration of resources
More Reasons Why You Should Blog
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Think about products and services – informing and supporting users
A Product Blog
"By announcing a new product on a blog you are creating an invitation to a discussion about your product. On-line press releases don't allow readers to post comments to provide feedback or to ask questions. As more and more blog readers use newsreaders, people are very apt to grab an RSS feed for a blog they find interesting. That creates an opportunity for the blog to continue the discussion that starts with a new product announcement. “
http://contentcentricblog.typepad.com/
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Consider the options, value and flexibility offered by RSS Feeds
News feeds help you “get the word out” about updates to your blog◦ In-house or to the public◦ Offer your readers/community
an alternative to email only, or as a supplement to it for those who “opt-in”
Review websites you use that offer feeds◦ To locate feeds, look for
the orange icon or button that says RSS, XML, Syndicate or Atom.
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Microsoft has over 800 employees blogging…take a look
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Bloggers from Sun Microsystems
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
CEO’s Who Blog
Sabrina I. Pacifici, www.bespacific.com
Blogging for Business – “With readers flocking to their Web postings, execs are finding blogs useful for plugging not just their products but their points of view.” Business Week, August 9, 2004 http://tinyurl.com/4mukc
Blogging With The Boss's Blessing – “More companies are helping employees to speak freely -- and bond with customers.” Business Week, June 28, 2004 http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_26/b3889107.htm
Blogging behind the firewall – “InfoWorld’s internal Weblog started as an experiment. Already, it’s indispensable.” InfoWorld, May 24, 2004 http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/05/21/21OPconnection_1.html
The Corporate Blog is Catching On, New York Times, June 23, 2003 http://tinyurl.com/f10d
Google sees benefits in corporate blogging, “Company says internal blogs can be used to track meeting notes, share diagnostics information and code.” InfoWorld, November 18, 2004 http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/11/18/HNgooglecorpblog_1.html
HP quietly begins Web log experiment – “Hewlett-Packard Co. has become the latest IT vendor to dip its toes in the wild world of Web logging, or blogging.” IDG News Service, 23 Nov 2004, http://tinyurl.com/689r4
See beSpacific.com’s regular updates on blogging at http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/cat_blogs.html
Blogging policy examples – Charlene Li, http://forrester.typepad.com/charleneli/2004/11/blogging_policy.html
News and Resources About Corporate Blogging