Introducing the b-Blog

A Blog is what again?

For those people who have not heard of a Weblog, there may be some confusion as to what Weblogs are and how they differ from chat rooms, bulletin boards, and other types of online forums. Weblogs started out as merely logs of interesting Web sites. They have evolved into a very popular exchange of communication and information.

Back in 1999, around the time the term was first coined, a Weblog was defined, as “a web page where a web logger called a blogger would log all the other web pages they found interesting. Today Blogs are considered more a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Most often they are updated daily. A Blog will usually reflect the personality of the sites owner.

What started as a log of interesting Web sites has become a forum of self-expression for authors, politicians, mums, dads, doctors, teachers, business and many others. It is now estimated that millions of dedicated Bloggers are discussing up a storm on over half a million Blogs. A thousand new Blogs are appearing daily.

How is a b-Blog different from a bulletin board or chat room?

A b-Blog usually has an individual who acts as “monitor” and uses the Blog as a method to exchange knowledge with colleagues, customers, partners, and others. You might think of bulletin boards and chat rooms as being less information sharing and more an exchange of views.

So where does business fit in here?

“Business-Blogs," or "b-Blogs" are becoming the perfect vehicle for the business world. A few smart businesses have caught on to the fact Blogs are offering an opportunity to build communities where like-minded people gather to establish interactive dialogues on issues of their choosing. In the business arena large communities can gather very quickly if the environment is fertile.

B-Blogs can offer organisations a platform where information, data, and opinion can be shared and traded among employees, customers, partners, and prospects in a way previously impossible: a two-way, open exchange. Companies can encourage self-publishing from all corners of the organisation.

What about the marketing potential of b-Blogs?

B-Blogs are highly strategic business tools that can strengthen relationships, share knowledge, increase collaboration, and improve branding.

Articles from within newsletters can be linked to a Blog, extending life and creating an enormous conversation on a particular subject.

Business can offer a two directional forum online for customers to give and get true, personal opinions on their products and services.

Experts from within a company can also start a b-Blog. This can help companies’ edge out competition and, through this interactive forum, bring customers into a meaningful exchange of information and thoughts.

Are we saying b-logs will replace a company’s e-newsletter?

B-Blogs are not intended to replace a company newsletter. Instead it is usually considered to extend and complement an e-newsletter strategy, serving customers and prospects in a way that builds on a companies expertise and leadership in the marketplace.

There are times when business would like to communicate a development to the customers and prospects, partners, or even employees. They want to get the information out now, not weeks from the last newsletter. B-Blogs have this capability. They bridge the time gap of your newsletters.

Newsletters tend to be highly structured, whereas a Blog is ongoing. The flow of communication builds a knowledge-sharing platform among a community of like-minded people.

What should a company consider before implementing a b-Blog?

Have a plan. All good communications methods need goals and objectives. Identify your audience, what their requirements are, and how to best meet those needs and desires.

Put the right person in charge of being your organisation’s pundit, and of course, a person who's willing to act as the host. Be aware that over time your b-Blog will develop its own persona – often in the shape of this person.

Find the right tools. Thoroughly research what's available and what suits your business. There are plenty of blogging tools out there and new ones are being announced on a daily basis.

Have your own standards. Ensure good ground rules for acceptable content right from the start. Consider such things as confidentiality policies, product disclosure guidelines, and that which is considered basically correct and appropriate for your audience.

Before beginning, plan topics that will start the initial discussion on your b-Blog. At first readers are usually timid about being first to share. Try to ensure the b-Blog mediator is willing to put up information that will encourage an exchange of points of view. Make sure its easy way for readers to respond to what’s on the b-Blog.

Analyse. Just like a newsletter, make sure you know who reads what, when, and where. Regularly check on discussions and see if they flow the way you wanted them to. Are they meeting the original goals? If not, go back and refine the approach, based on the feedback and analysis being received.

What about real world examples?

The Shell Weblog of "open discussion" recently provided an example to those companies who wish to see their customers taken seriously as world citizens and not just as a source of revenue. One recent article pointed to The Shell Report, whose tagline is "protecting the environment and managing resources." There is an invitation to "email your comments & opinions or join our open forum." Obviously Shell’s attempt to empower their customers.

By way of example in a business sense, the term b-Blog may describe a Weblog that provides sales, marketing, and business links to articles on leadership, project management, finance, and more. It's an excellent example of how to build a strong brand for a company by sharing knowledge.

Arthur Hissey
Computer Research & Technology
www.crt.net.au