Madison Avenue Ponders the Potential of Web Logs. Will Suits Take Over Blogging?

A New York Times article today notes that the suits are cutting into blog territory. A growing number of professional blogs created by ad agencies and communications professionals lack the "attitude, irreverence and ... apparent interest in kicking up a fuss that made earlier blogs big hits," says Nat Ives. In other words, corporate and agency bloggers play it safe and they're often boring.

As adrants' publisher and chief snarker Steve Hall noted, "Most corporate agency Websites are really just fancy billboards," And if ad agencies and PR firms get into blogging, that's just what will happen to blogs.

It's dÈj‡ vu all over againÖ Blogs popped up because corporate Websites had become too restrictive and formulaic and many pundits wanted a platform for over-the-top information and opinions. Their voices were fresh, the content was different and the better-written blogs (like adrants) began building readership.

At a PRSA workshop where I spoke yesterday, participants voiced fears about liability and dilution of the corporate message. But as soon as lawyers (others than the ones who blog themselves) get into corporate blogs they will become corporate babble. And, then a new medium will come along and blogs will be old news.

Seth Godin says "People have a choice (4.5 million choices, in fact) and nobody is going to read your blog, link to your blog or quote your blog unless there's something in it for them. ... Save the fluff for the annual report."

Steve Rubel disagrees, and advises, "please also donít forget the Cluetrain Manifesto mantra that markets are conversations. Blogging is a conversation and CEOs bloggers should be Conversational Executive Officers."

Conversations are two ways, corporate babble is a one-way conversation and they're are already far too many of those online.

Comments

Posted by: aleah sato at October 27, 2004 5:05 PM

Posted by: Jeff at November 1, 2004 8:55 PM

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