Blogging as Conversation
It’s totally subjective, but my impression is that, more often than not when someone is asked to explain what a blog is they do so in terms of a blog being an online diary or journal. Which it is, at least in terms of the basic technology and structure. The corollary is that with a blog what you do is that you write, as you would for a diary or journal.
So far, no problem. But for business people who have been told that a blog would or could help their business, there is often a problem at this stage. The problem is that some people believe they “can’t write”, or at least that they would not be able to write for an online diary. For some I’ve observed, the thought seems in fact quite bizarre.
If they can get to understand the concept of blogging-as-conversation, the terrain becomes less rocky. How I put it is to write your blog posts as you would an email to a friend and with the attitude of someone having a coffee with a friend and chatting about matters of common interest.
Ben Yoskovitz has a nice contribution to this challenge of explaining blogging as conversation, in his post Business Blogging is Still a Conversation, Not a Sales Pitch:
Business blogging isn’t about pitching products. It’s not about telling people why you’re great and why they should do business with you.
It’s about engaging customers and prospects in meaningful conversations.
Amen to that.
Tags: Blogging, blogging-of-business
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Corporate, General, Marketing, Small Business, Social Media
10 opinions for Blogging as Conversation
Kim
Dec 29, 2006 at 7:44 am
Hi Des,
Interesting, Mr. Yoskovitz observations sound a little like what we (ancient folks) were taught about classic PR techniques.
Kian Ann
Dec 30, 2006 at 11:43 pm
Sounds good Des, I think the word “blog” is maturing - and they mean different things in different context, and different people. Its been a journal for daily ramblings, a tool for conversations, and an instant publishing platform.
I think the only common thing among them is that they use a blog software!
Paul Chaney
Dec 31, 2006 at 1:44 am
I’ve been defining blogs that way for quite some time. It stems from the impression the Cluetrain Manifesto had on me when it said “markets are conversations.” Blogs are, have been and, hopefully, will continue to be about stimulating conversation.
As to the quote, even better is when consumers use their own blogs to tell other why your company is great and why they should do business with you. It’s a wonderful thing when the conversation extends beyond your direct involvement in it.
Darlene McDaniel
Jan 1, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Hi Des,
I am a new blogger and I will be in the B5 Business Channel soon. First I enjoy your Business of Blogging. It is helping me a lot.
This particular post helps me tremendously because expanding my business was what led me to start blogging. When I share with my friends that I am blogging, most have no understanding about the correlation of my business to blogging. Thanks for giving me more information, simple words that will help people understand what blogging is and how it can help expand a business.
Des Walsh
Jan 1, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Kim
I don’t pretend to be an expert on classic (or non-classic) pr techniques. I have however read (or tried to read) some “blogs” obviously put together by pr people without any real feeling for how blogging works best in a truly interactive and openly sharing mode. In other words, it’s still pr-speak but with a date and time and a permalink. I feel for the people who are spending money on that sort of caper and wondering why they are not getting better results.
Des Walsh
Jan 1, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Kian Ann
Thanks for the comment and congrats on your excellent blog. A Singaporean colleague told me there is a lot of interest in blogging in the Lion City. Paul Chaney, who left the comment next to yours, co-led a seminar on blogging there some time ago, as you may know.
Des Walsh
Jan 1, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Paul
Yes, I use the Cluetrain Manifesto “markets are conversations” phrase a lot in my presentations. My analogue correlative reference is being on occasion at a local market in the uplands of the island of Bali and watching and listening to the interactions of people, the gossip, the banter, the apparently effortless but in fact deadly serious selling and buying transactions. To a quick observer it might look like a simple exchange of money for fruit and vegetables. But it’s much more - a game, a public entertainment, a social outing, a news download, a bit of flirting, no doubt a bit of politicking, some serious business, and, oh yes, exchange of money for fruit and vegies - conversations can be pretty awesome given some room to move and some willing participants.
Des Walsh
Jan 1, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Thanks for the comment Darlene, and an early welcome to the b5media network.
Kian Ann
Jan 2, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Hey Des, yeah there are a lot of bloggers in Singapore, and most of them are personal diaries. The penetration of technology is pretty good here, so almost every other person is good at emailing, are on friendster… and naturally they flow into blogging.
Unfortunately I am a REAL amature blogger - barely 4 months into this, so there is much for me to learn, so I was not aware of the events that happened before that…
Do let me know if you or any of your readers are heading to Singapore. I’ll be glad to be your informal tour guide (I can only show you where the nice eating spots are!)
Blogging for Business - The Blog Coach
Feb 7, 2007 at 2:15 am
[…] In a post at the end of last year, Des Walsh on his excellent new B5 Media blog, Business and Blogging, picked out a post by Ben Yoskovitz which focused on the argument that business blogging is not a sales pitch but rather a meaningful conversation. […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: