Blogging For Blogging For Specific AudiencesSpecific Audiences

• Blogs are humanizing factors • Being a part of the blogosphere helps you keep a finger on

the pulse of the industry, and that adds credibility• Because consumers themselves are blogging. It’s a way to

connect• Because “corporate speak” doesn’t work anymore• Because it means you can communicate with your

customers, colleagues and constituents in an unfiltered, unfettered way

• Because it builds a network• Google• Because it helps you both become and expert and be seen

as an expert

Why Corporations Should BlogWhy Corporations Should Blog

Corporate ExecutivesCorporate ExecutivesInfluence, ImpactInfluence, Impact

Every CEO should have a blog so that employees, customers, partners, investors--everyone--can hear directly from the CEO in his/her own voice about what is happening in the company.

HughHewitt.comHughHewitt.com

“To blog or not to blog? For a lot of senior executives these days, that is the question. The answer, simply enough, is to blog. No better opportunity exists to engage in an open dialogue and exchange of ideas with customers and potential customers.”

Bob LutzBob Lutz

Influence, ImpactInfluence, Impact

Michael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson PublishersMichael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson Publishers

GMSun MicrosystemsMicrosoftGoogleYahoo!BoeingCitiGroupIBMHPTime WarnerDell, Inc.LockheedWells FargoNew York Times

IntelDelphiMerril LynchDisney (hugely, internally)MotorolaFedExMitsubishiCiscoRaytheonHaliburtonKimberly-Clark UALDelta

Winn-DixieMBNAToys R UsNikePepsiTexas InstrumentsOracleAvonApple ComputerShellMcGraw-HillRadio ShackStarbucks

Other Corporations with BlogsOther Corporations with Blogs

CEO Bloggers Clubhttp://prplanet.typepad.com/ceobloggers/

CEO Blogs Listhttp://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Resources/CEOBlogsList

Corporate Board MembersCorporate Board MembersAccessibilityAccessibility

• Inexpensive and technically very simple. • Highly honest way to engage in dialogue• Allows shareholders the opportunity to comment

on postings. • Demonstrates accountability and transparency to

shareholders• Open forum for airing out differences.

Advantages to boards using blogs as means of Advantages to boards using blogs as means of Communicating with shareholdersCommunicating with shareholders

• Updates to investors on the board and its

committee activities

• Board policies and procedures

• Director nominations

• Director selection and evaluation

• Discussions on major corporate events, such as

mergers and acquisitions.

What would board blog about?What would board blog about?

Public Relations PersonnelPublic Relations PersonnelTrustTrust

Understand the mindset of the blogger

Become a trusted member of the blogosphere

Why should PR pros blog?Why should PR pros blog?

Steve Rubel – PR blogger poster childSteve Rubel – PR blogger poster child

IT PersonnelIT PersonnelEfficiencyEfficiency

• Internal• project management• knowledge management• personnel changes

• External

Why should PR pros blog?Why should PR pros blog?

QumanaQumana

Desktop blog publishingsoftware that allows you to write your postoffline, then go onlineand publish.

• Potential customers• Investors• Expertise• Version updates, new

versions

The ‘god’ of the blogosphere

Robert Scoble – Microsoft “Geek” BloggerRobert Scoble – Microsoft “Geek” Blogger

Marketing PersonnelMarketing PersonnelRelationshipsRelationships

Blogs are a cheap, convenient and enjoyable form of PR and marketing that should be part of every business plan in 2005.

Bob Cargill, Senior Creative Director,Bob Cargill, Senior Creative Director,Yellowfin MarketingYellowfin Marketing

• Blogs are interactive

• Blogs are humanizing

• Blogs are inexpensive

• Blogs are immediate

• Blogs are infectious

• Blogs are empowering

• Blogs are enjoyable

• Blogs are authoritative

• Blogs are popular

• Blogs are valuable

"Anything which can get the right info to the right people at the right time, empower your company to become a thought leader, and let you know what your customers and the industry are thinking about you in real time is something that has massive value."

Jeremy Wright, popular blogger, Ensight.orgJeremy Wright, popular blogger, Ensight.org

Company EmployeesCompany EmployeesEvangelismEvangelism

Thomas Nelson bloggersThomas Nelson bloggers

Macromedia bloggersMacromedia bloggers

Industry Thought LeadersIndustry Thought LeadersExpertiseExpertise

Tom PetersTom Peters

What differentiates a thought leader from any other knowledgeable company [or individual] is the recognition from the outside world that the company deeply understands its business, the needs of its customers, and the broader marketplace in which it operates. 

Elise Bauer, advisor to technology companiesElise Bauer, advisor to technology companies

How PR Professionals Are How PR Professionals Are Using Blogs Using Blogs

Blogs in the Age of Blogs in the Age of Participatory Journalism Participatory Journalism

“Blogs are the instrument through which PR and communications professionals can transform themselves from an impersonal and increasingly inefficient business practices to outstandingly effective means of ethical promotion, extended exposure and ability to engage the company, organization, and yourself in important topics that synergize and contribute to the realization of your mission.”

• Senior management, with a lot of input from marketing people, would work out a company’s message and talking points.

• Internal marketing people, working with PR consultants, would try to burn the message into the retinas of the trade press and analysts.

• The journalists and analysts would do what they do, broadcasting the message to the masses.

The old public relationsThe old public relations

• Senior management works out a company’s goals and messages.

• Management works hard to make sure that the employees understand them.

• The people who are really doing the work tell the story to the world, directly.

The new public relationsThe new public relations

OhMyNews.comOhMyNews.com

NorthwestVoice.comNorthwestVoice.com

• Old way – PR writes press release, pitches to journalists, journalist syndicate that to the masses

• New way – “Every citizen is a reporter”; PR must target every citizen

• Trust, word-of-mouth, transparency

• “OhMyPR”

Old way – New wayOld way – New way

Responding to Blogs: Having your say after the fact

Developing Effective Communication StrategiesDeveloping Effective Communication Strategiesfor the Blogospherefor the Blogosphere

Kryptonite bike lockKryptonite bike lock

• Intelliseek (www.intelliseek.com) - BlogPulse• Umbria (www.umbriacom.com)• Blog Squirrel (www.blogsquirrel.com)• Do-it-yourself

• Bloglines (www.bloglines.com)• PubSub (www.pubsub.com)• Technorati (www.technorati.com)• Feedster (www.feedster.com)• Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com)• Google News (http://news.google.com)• IceRocket (www.icerocket.com

• Goggle blog search (http://blogsearch.google.com)

Blog MonitoringBlog Monitoring

Responding to Blogs: Having your say after the fact (Blog Monitoring very important)

Blog Outreach: Actively pursuing bloggers

Becoming Your Own Blogger: Getting in on the action

Developing Effective Communication StrategiesDeveloping Effective Communication Strategiesfor the Blogospherefor the Blogosphere

• Branding

Ways PR pros are using blogsWays PR pros are using blogs

Apple iPodApple iPod

Jeff Jarvis – Dell’s least favorite customerJeff Jarvis – Dell’s least favorite customer!!

• Branding• Crisis communication• Employee communications • Corporate public relations

Ways PR pros are using blogsWays PR pros are using blogs

“The corporate weblog is now used by savvy marketing and public relations professionals as a way to communicate directly with journalists and influence their stories…blogs allow organizations of all kinds to tell authentic stories directly to the market. Journalists increasingly rely on blog content when they are researching stories."

David Meerman Scott, author of Cashing in with ContentDavid Meerman Scott, author of Cashing in with Content

28% of journalists rely on blogs for day-to-day reporting. Of those who use blogs in their work, 53% use them to find story ideas, 43% for research and referencing facts and 36% for finding sources. And about a third of the journalists who use blogs say it is a way of uncovering breaking news or scandals.

Blogs are playing a more significant role in the way information is transmitted to readers and journalists alike, and may profoundly alter the media and communications landscapes. - Aaron Kwittken, CEO of Euro RSCG Magnet

Euro RSCG Magnet reportEuro RSCG Magnet report

• Post with maximum immediacy breaking news and news releases

• Filter and select relevant news from other sources • Engage with customers and potential partners• Link to other sources online• Tell your stories• Never pitch, personalize• Respect a blogger’s time and intelligence• Never, ever use the words, "I think your readers

would be interested in this story." • Quality, not quantity • Keep learning

PR blogging principles and best practicesPR blogging principles and best practices

How NOT to use blogs – MWW GroupHow NOT to use blogs – MWW Group

How NOT to use blogs – KetchemHow NOT to use blogs – Ketchem

How NOT to use blogs – iFulfill.comHow NOT to use blogs – iFulfill.com

B.L. Ochman, President, What’s Next Onlinehttp://www.whatsnextblog.com

Elizabeth Albrycht, Co-founder, New Communications Forumhttp://ringblog.typepad.com/corporatepr/

Shel Holtz, President, Holtz Communicationshttp://www.holtz.com/

Steve Rubel, VP of Client Services, Cooper-Katzhttp://www.micropersuasion.com

Extensive List of PR bloggershttp://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Main/

DraftOnlinePRWeekProgram

Bloglines List of PR Bloggers – RSS feedshttp://www.bloglines.com/public/prblogs

PR BloggersPR Bloggers

The CEO Blogger – How CEOs The CEO Blogger – How CEOs Are Using BlogsAre Using Blogs

Blogging helps CEOs communicate their vision and their ideas to people who matter to them. It's definitely a short-cut way to getting some constant PR and buzz around you. I believe those who do will find a following and a tremendous increase in trust and confidence, as well as some interesting "talk back" from people who would otherwise never communicate with them

Paul Allen – Managing Partner, Infobase VenturesPaul Allen – Managing Partner, Infobase Ventures

• A good blog tells more of the organization's story than the traditional media.

• Good brands truly reflect the day-to-day operations of an organization.

• Internal audiences also want to hear from the top brass

• The investment is minimal.

Reasons CEOs should blogReasons CEOs should blog

Michael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson PublishersMichael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Michael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson PublishersMichael Hyatt, CEO, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Z. Christopher Mercer, CEO, Mercer CapitalZ. Christopher Mercer, CEO, Mercer Capital

Buzz Bruggeman, CEO, ActivewordsBuzz Bruggeman, CEO, Activewords

Buzz Bruggeman, CEO, ActivewordsBuzz Bruggeman, CEO, Activewords

Jonathan Schwartz, COO, Sun MicrosystemsJonathan Schwartz, COO, Sun Microsystems

Zane Safrit, CEO, Conference Calls UnlimitedZane Safrit, CEO, Conference Calls Unlimited

Bob Lutz, Vice-chairman, General MotorsBob Lutz, Vice-chairman, General Motors

Bob Parsons, CEO, GoDaddyBob Parsons, CEO, GoDaddy

• The CEO should be the blogger, not a ghostwriter• Keep writing• Write in a personal, informal style, but make it

your style• Spark new ideas or comment on others’ insights

Tips for CEO bloggersTips for CEO bloggers

CEO Blogger’s Listhttp://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Resources/CEOBlogsList

BlogWrite for CEOshttp://blogwrite.blogs.com/

Corporate Blogging Surveyhttp://www.backbonemedia.com/blogsurvey/

Corporate Blogging Primerhttp://www.corporateblogging.info/2004/11/free-corporate-blogging-

primer.asp

The Executive Blogger’s Guide to Building a Nest of Blogs, Wikis & RSShttp://www.ogilvypr.com/pdf/bloggers-guide.pdf

CEO blogger resourcesCEO blogger resources