August 2, 2006

Business Blogging

London Times: Bloggers put the boot into big business.

Many companies are still terrified by the idea of blogging. The interactive nature of blogs means customers can say what they want about a company and ask awkward questions. Companies also fear what their employees might say and that corporate blogs will attract special-interest groups keen to attack a corporation.

... But if a company is failing to communicate with its customers online, the opportunity is there for someone else to fill that gap - and the company may not like what they have to say. Structurally many companies find blogging difficult. Speaking with one voice is a hard task when a company contains so many.

From the Adam Smith Institute blog: "Business had better start getting used to customers who talk back."

Blogs also are a powerful media relations tool, though the writer doesn't focus on that.