An excellent article in E-consultancy about online PR and why businesses are not blogging.
His comments about PR agencies applies as much to the US and it does to the UK
“Ask them to explain how Google works. Ask them about RSS. Ask them about anchor text. Ask them to give you some tips on online copywriting. Ask them why blogging would be a bad move, with all the above in mind The fact is that most PR agencies are not even vaguely qualified to advise you on blogging, or even about online PR.”
If you are in PR or marketing and you can’t answer these questions, you should have been at the Advanced PR tech worlshop in New York on Friday. Debbie Weil did a stellar job in the session on blogging. They also got podcasting, video, online news, search and social media.Â
There is another one on Friday 10th in San Francisco. No Debbie this time though – I will be speaking on blogs and social media.
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It’s interesting because I am currently seeing much higher levels of interest in blogging from small and medium sized businesses in the UK. There is also a greater willingness to properly include blogs as a part of their marketing which is encouraging. No doubt this is helped by having fewer people involved in the decision making process (no PR agency or legal department) and so decisions can be made more quickly.
Comment by Mark White — November 6, 2006 @ 9:29 am
Many companies do not give man hour resources to this very important business issue and they should. Otherwise they will find competitor websites continuing their organic growth while theirs stagnates.
It is no longer a case of ‘build it and they will come’ more like a case of ‘build it here, build it there, build it organically, everywhere (that is relevant). 🙂
Comment by Wendy Tinley — November 6, 2006 @ 10:02 am
[…] Lisez entre autre ce billet (Why Business Don’t Blog in the UK) qui n’est pas sans rappeler ces mêmes raisons qui font que bien des entreprises d’ici ne sont pas plus présentes dans la blogosphère que celles du Royaume-Uni. Ou cette série sur les déboires de Wal-Mart! (Wal-Mart blog PR backfires, Richard Edelman might get the blogosphere… but PRWeek does’nt, I don’t accept Edelman’s Appologies for the bogus Wal-Mart blog, Will the Edelman — Wal-Mart saga ever end? Two more flogs outed, Edelman responds with a plan. Will it be enough?. (ouf!) […]
Pingback by Blogue marketing interactif de l’Association marketing de Montréal » Blog Archive » Sources d’info sur les blogues en affaires — November 12, 2006 @ 10:37 am
We’ve recently converted our site to have more of an emphasis on PR but through planned posts.
In addition, I’ve also written a few articles on the same themes.
Although many industry observers still suggest that corporate blogging has still not come of age, is it simple a case that the technology is too complicated to implement, its applicability is still untested or is there a fear of cost / management control of this new media tool ?
It is certainly impressive that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) are now offering video-podcasting downloads of selective programmes, for example: Breakfast (marketed / named at the BBC as The Breakfast takeaway) and Question Time (Yet another channel for David Dimbley to announce everyweek).
Internationally, this offers greater dissemination of information, yet the underlying assumption is that people have the technology and associated skills to receive this form of data.
However, will new channels emerge offering content that people really want?
i.e: It appears that although blogging and podcasting offers elements of interactivity, existing channels and media corporations appear to assume that they know what is good for us. Podcasting has been described as a vital element for the attention economy. However, attention will soon evolve or turn into boredom if such innovation is restricted.
In terms of new channels, already, new talent has begun to emerge from the Internet.
It would be a great step forward for knowledge management and employee communications if internal corporate channels could be developed. ‘Information for the people, by the people’.
Knowledge Hemispheres Ltd (www.kh-2.com) offers a service entitled: Know Now. It consists of a wide range of possibilities for video, audio or text based podcasters. The service includes:
– Scripting
– Preparation guides
– XML templates
– Professional film crews
– Registration at multiple podcast listing sites
– Equipment and studio hire (inc: For portable podcasting)
– Consultancy to develop or harvest existing content/corporate assets
– Organisational analysis to develop effective corporate channels.
– Copyright guidance (audio or video)
– Development of customised feeds.
These tools could be used for immediate benefit in many corporations today. For example:
– CEO Address
– Department Address
– Intranet linked eInduction
– Training enhancement
– Sales communication
– Corporate refreshers
– Project announcements or updates
– Targeted marketing campaigns
– e-induction, e-Learning and Knowledge Management initiatives
– Cross industry coverage and Public Relations
– Product/Service placement
Comment by Dr Savi — November 20, 2006 @ 11:12 am
In our humble opinion your article is bang on, they haven’t a clue and have yet to recognize this market.
Comment by Bob — January 7, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
Those of us who keep up with the technological advances seem to be the most in demand. Our clients inherently expect us to know more about blogging and online practices than they do.
Comment by Renee Miller — June 1, 2007 @ 10:25 pm