Here's another recent article which focuses on how blogs are gaining power and influencing people. The Harvard Business review identifies 20 breakthrough Ideas for 2005 and in at number 10 comes Blog-Trolling in Bitstream. The article is written by Mohanbir Sawhney, from the Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and looks at the grassroots nature of blogs and how the rules of the blogosphere are different to those of traditional media. He eludes to the fact that marketers will find it "difficult to navigate this complex blend of advertising, content, dialogue, and public relations."
He's certainly right there and I believe that it will take tradional PR and Marketing people a while to adjust to this new medium. There are so many of them who are so unsuited to marketing online that they may never grasp, and/or be able to use effectively, this exciting new marketing channel anyway. Much like search engine marketing blogging requires site owners to focus on their target market and speak in their language.
Mohanbir identifies 3 areas which corporate marketers have to deal with:
"First, they must realize that the blogosphere is not just a place in which to advertise; it is a medium in which to participate. Marketers can join the conversation on influential blogs realted to their products or companies -or, even better, they can become bloggers in their own right by hosting blogs for customers.
Second, companies must try to cultivate bloggers rather than control them. Instead of making ham-handed efforts to influence bloggers, marketers should attempt to win them over by sharing information openly with those who write about their companies and by responding to the issues that are raised, even - especially - if they are negative.
Third, the blogosphere is fluid and ever changing. Ad buys will become more dynamic, as new technologies and modifed contract terms let marketers shift rapidly from blog to blog in pursuit of customers' fickle attention."
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