Just when you thought the blogosphere was safe from marketing spiel and a place where you could get real people voicing real – even if you don’t agree with them – opinions, a gaggle of “global brands” – Cisco and Microsoft among them – has launched a so-called Blog Council. It describes itself as a “private, vendor-free environment and share tactics, offer advice based on past experience, and develop standards-based best practices as a model for other corporate blogs.”
The Blog Council news release states: “We have to speak for a corporation, but never sound ‘corporate.'” Yuk!
According to the council’s FAQ, membership is only open to large corporations that have significant blogs (other tech-related founding members include Nokia, Dell and SAP), and members will address such issues as managing global brands in multiple languages, how to deal with employees’ personal blogs, and the “correct way to engage and respond to bloggers who write about your company.”
It also poses an interesting question to itself in the FAQ:
Why is this a private group? Isn’t blogging about being public?Every member of the Blog Council is already openly involved and active in the blogging community. They also face a very specific set of challenges unique to large companies. The Blog Council affords them a chance to talk with each other, share ideas, and learn how others have fared in similar situations. Ultimately, it’s less about privacy and more about staying focused.
To the Blog Council: Please don’t stifle and corporatize the blogosphere.
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