Our MyST Blogsite generates highly qualified leads compared to other venues of online lead generation. One of the primary reasons is we have a trust factor, which we built (and continue to build) by providing dependable and accurate information through the blogsite. As a result, actions are more meaningful for business and the customer."
Publish and Prosper - How to make blogs work for your business.
The Blog Business Summit looks to be shaping up as a great event. I wish I could attend; the session by Pete Blackshaw and team (Staying on top of the Buzz) looks particularly interesting. When I first saw the title of the event, I immediately raced to the website (which is a blogsite - two thumbs up for that) hoping to see some evidence of sessions to help businesses use blogs internally. Some of our biggest customers use blogs to blog inward, and I think there would be great interest if a session or two covered blog security and enterprise use for knowledge management purposes.
While poking around, I also noticed some lead-in commentary posted by DL Byron, namely When is a Blog a Blog. This is a particular annoying topic for me because any argument about the definition of a "blog" grinds against a fundamental success pattern when implementing solutions - business requirements. The definition of a blog is irrelevant; the business requirements should be the primary guideposts for deciding how best to use blog-like technologies and products.
"The proper blog, the blog police, and the experts ... I insist that it’s a balance between giving the blogosphere the proper respect and your business goals." -- DL Byron
This is a rational approach when considering what you should do with blogs in your business. Consider the important aspects of the blogosphere and why it works so well, but pay close attention to your customers and business requirements. On a weekly basis I'm asked why our blogsites are significantly different from other blog products; specifically other blog products. The answer is simple - an Advertorial Blogsite is not a blog; it's part...
Editorial system
Advertising system
Intelligence system
Briefing system
Syndication system
Thought leadership system
Collaboration system
Newsmastering system
Content management system
Quality assurance system
Blogging system
Brand building system
Reputation management system
There is no shortage of religious debates about the definition of a blog. I find these debates (which typically lack any contextual guard-rails) a waste of time. Pseudo-blog criticism is a misdirected attempt to homogenize the blogosphere; perhaps maintain some sort of purity and sameness. Unfortunately, a large number of people that blog, also believe that businesses share the same requirements that satisfy their personal requirements; which is hardly the case. If you want to criticize anything (especially information technology implementations), consider criticizing the implementations in the context of specific business requirements.
Chad Dickerson's 'Blogging To Ourselves' article articulates a use case for blogs that has been in use for more than a year at MyST Technology Partners.
This event will show you how your business can leverage current real-world blogging techniques, tools and platforms to promote and enhance your ventures.
I spoke with a group of bloggers in Phoenix recently. What I found is that very few had any business from their blogs despite a lot of effort. I have 5 closings and 7 active buyers directly from [our MyST blogsite] in 2008. I know because I ask. One person told me they have been reading my blog for almost a year before they called me to buy a property."
