Blog conversation
Does your blog foster conversation or broadcasting? We describe the three criteria we use – see also:
organizational blog
– conversation or broadcast – you are here
– vibrancy
Below we outline three criteria that help classify organizational blogs that foster conversation and not broadcasting. Neither one is better but the approaches are different. All else being equal the following characteristics or indicators suggest that a blog fosters conversation:
a – the blog does provide the option to leave a comment,
b – except for spam, comments are accepted by the moderator and made public as shown by comments being left on various blog posts,
c – sometimes the moderator or editor of the blog or author of a particular post responds to comments that have been made by readers
While luring prospects to your corporate website does not ever go away, strategists need to consider that communities are organically forming on the social web. In these communities, real relationships form and grow, therefore trust is higher than the irrelevant corporate website. Now given that blogs afford a quick response mechanism for readers and customers by leaving a comment, this opportunity should be used.
Offering your subscribers to get your content via e-mailed newsletter or using your RSS feed is a good move.
However, Tourism Queensland does not give its readers a chance to join the conversation. Accordingly, you are not given the option to leave a comment on any of its posted content. This is an opportunity wasted. Quite surprising considering that Tourism Queensland is using Twitter successfully for having a conversation.
However, even elected officials sometimes prevent people from communicating with them by not making the blog’s comment feature available as illustrated here:
– Jörg Tauss – MdB (Member of Parliament – Germany) – no comment feature available
Here is a definition for what defines a corporate or organizational blog:
Organizational blogs tend to faoster communication when they offer the opportunity to comment on posts and author(s) respond to readers’ comments at least from time to time.
Coding in our database – broadcasting and conversation
This variable provides information about the the communication focus of the organization’s blog(s). If several of the above 3 criteria apply, we can than classify the blog as either being:
0 = other
1 = conversationalist
2 = broadcaster
Here’s what I’m suggesting for today
Add your comment to this post. Please tell us do you agree, is there a better way to get a handle on this. We welcome your suggestions – provide input. Why not leave your organization’s blog’s footprint (link) behind. Thank you.
Please, only organizational microblogging footprints or accounts (brands, charities, nonprofits, associations, government departments) should be added. Thanks.