Who is in control of your brand?

Sorry we’re not starting an office in Vietnam, I’ve been pretty slack updating my blog of late thanks to Vietnam and Visual Jazz’s new blog.

I’ve just arrived back in Melbourne after 4 weeks in Vietnam, it’s an awesome country, be sure to check out some of our photos on Flickr, here are a couple of them…

I’ve posted a few articles on the VJ blog in case you’re interested… The VJ blog is worth subscribing to, interesting stuff coming out every week

• 05.02.10 Little things make all the difference
• 14.01.10 100 most discussed brands of 2009
• 12.01.10 Outsourcing Your Interesting?

As part of an interesting project run by Janette Toral over at www.influentialblogger.net, I’ve selected my favourite ‘emerging’ blogs of 2009. The definition of emerging can be debated, however, I’ve selected blogs which are new or have a very niche following… [And blogs must have started after May 1 2008]

My reason for participating? I like the fluid & community approach of this project – interested to see the result.

UPDATE (19/5): After receiving a few comments about this being a blatant link baiting campaign, I contacted the organiser and asked for her response. She said that she would respond in due course. In the meantime I’ve decided to scrap all the links until I get a response. I still highly recommend these blogs, and might add them to my blog roll instead.

UPDATE (20/5): Based on a bit of feedback I’ve reinstated the links to the blogs, however, I’ve removed the links to the sponsors – it just seems a bit wrong.

Since May 2008

Mumbrella – Everything under Australia’s media & marketing umbrella

Come Together – Thoughts on Community and Conversation

Love Digital – Making digital media less scary for marketing people

digitalOZ - Australian Marketing Online

April 2008 (Just missed out)

The Gloo

Before May 2008

A digital perspective – Jye Smith on social media, marketing & the internet

Acidlabs - Conversation. Collaboration. Community.

Public Opinion – public opinion deserves to be respected as well as despised” G.W.F. Hegel, ‘Philosophy of Right’

Only Dead Fish – Advertising, digital, media, communications, planning, magazines, life

Stilgherrian

Servant of Chaos

This writing project will not be possible without the support of sponsors such as Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, and Business Summaries.

This list endeavours to rank all the lists on social media/marketing blogs in Australia.

Laurel Papworth discusses the importance of leaderboards in communities, what do you think ?

And one of Australia’s top bloggers, Darren Rowse, view’s on ‘top blog’ lists.

The problem with ‘Australian Blogs’ for marketers

Blog’s based in Australia don’t necessarily have an Australian readership. What we need is a ranking of the top blogs READ by Australians. Julian? Hitwise?

Just found IBM’s guidelines for staff to use social media thanks to a friend on Twitter.

There are lots of words, and as you’d expect from an IT company, no pictures. So read it at your own will (all 2701 words).

Here are the highlights for me, not all new ideas, but a very good balance of all areas to consider when venturing into the scary world of social media.

Anything they’ve missed?

Whether or not an IBMer chooses to create or participate in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is his or her own decision. However, emerging online collaboration platforms are fundamentally changing the way IBMers work and engage with each other, clients and partners.

IBM is increasingly exploring how online discourse through social computing can empower IBMers as global professionals, innovators and citizens. These individual interactions represent a new model: not mass communications, but masses of communicator

IBMers are personally responsible for the content they publish on blogs, wikis or any other form of user-generated media. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time—protect your privacy.

Identify yourself—name and, when relevant, role at IBM—when you discuss IBM or IBM-related matters. And write in the first person. You must make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of IBM.

Respect your audience. Don’t use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that would not be acceptable in IBM’s workplace. You should also show proper consideration for others’ privacy and for topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory—such as politics and religion.

Find out who else is blogging or publishing on the topic, and cite them.

Try to add value. Provide worthwhile information and perspective. IBM’s brand is best represented by its people and what you publish may reflect on IBM’s brand.

Be who you are. Some bloggers work anonymously, using pseudonyms or false screen names. IBM discourages that in blogs, wikis or other forms of online participation that relate to IBM, our business or issues with which the company is engaged. We believe in transparency and honesty. If you are blogging about your work for IBM, we encourage you to use your real name, be clear who you are, and identify that you work for IBM. Nothing gains you more notice in the online social media environment than honesty—or dishonesty. If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out. But also be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you publish will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully and also be judicious in disclosing personal details.

Speak in the first person. Use your own voice; bring your own personality to the forefront; say what is on your mind.

Be the first to respond to your own mistakes. If you make an error, be up front about your mistake and correct it quickly. In a blog, if you choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done so.

Don’t forget your day job. You should make sure that your online activities do not interfere with your job or commitments to customers.

Related articles by Zemanta

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• Social Media Transparency and Real Transparency (yoono.com)

Wow! On the surface I thought Paul Boutin was a guy with a new spin on something, then I realised he was a bitter ‘old media’ man.

…Writing a weblog today isn’t the bright idea it was four years ago. The blogosphere, once a freshwater oasis of folksy self-expression and clever thought, has been flooded by a tsunami of paid bilge….

Paul works for Wired, and clearly he/they don’t understand the world of ‘new media‘ (not really new) based on an article I read from the 20th of October.

It reads like a bit of a rant, hissy fit and general garbage that makes no sense. But of the key points he covers, which are mostly accurate, it show’s that things have changed, not DIED!

It’s in human nature to be attracted to drama, and polarisation is one of the best ways to create more drama than Bold and the Beautiful… (maybe not too difficult)

It’s Paul’s job to create attention, readership and reach, so WIRED can sell advertising dollars – doesn’t that sounds like a traditional media mindset?

Matthew Wingram sarcastically responds

Wow — that’s pretty persuasive, isn’t it? You can’t miss with a great environmental metaphor like that. I guess I had better stop blogging then.

and Bob Warfield comments

Blogs won’t really be over until there is another medium where people can express themselves in a little longer format than Twitter that’s as easy as blogging.  That’s not to say it won’t improve.  There is a lot to be done to further evolve blogging platforms.  A lot is underway already in terms of facilitating the conversation that is comments, for example.

I disagree with Bob, as its not about the technology – humans, by nature like connect in different ways, we still watch TV, listen to radio and have coffee (in person remember that?)… Medium’s don’t DIE, they simply change.

Part of Seamus McCauley’s post wrap’s up my post well

This is really just the old Radio Will Kill Books, TV Will Kill Radio argument – “oooh look, a shiny new thing. Everyone will use the shiny new thing and stop using the thing we had last week, and here are two (two!) whole examples of moderately well-known people doing just that very thing so it must be true for everyone”.

Back in September I discovered this tool, by Technorati, that calculates your blog’s value… It’s based on AOL’s purchase of Blog Inc way back in 2005, so its very theoritical, but interesting non the less.

Back then my blog was theoretically worth around $500, I was curious to see if it had changed, and it has roughly tripled to now being worth nearly $1700! woot! time to move up the coast and retire.

You can chuck your blog in and see how it fares.

I’ve compared a few of my favourite blogs below, add yours to the list.

Seth Godin $4,473,414

Love Digital $4,516.32

Adspace Pioneers $65,486

The Zeitgeists $0.00

Marketing Charts $349,450

Laurel Papworth – Social Networks $92,584

Six Pixels of Seperation $401,952

Jim’s Marketing Blog $36,130

The White Agency $2,258

Jeremiah Owyang from Forrester Research has created a ‘health check’ for your corporate blog.

He covers:
1. Writing style
How you write indicates how real you can truly be

2. Topics
What does the blog talk about? does it matter to marketing –or customers? 

3. Humility
Perhaps one of the most important attributes, how human and real is this blog, or is it giving lip service? 

4. Linking behaviour
Links are the currency of the blogosphere, it indicates you respect someone else’s opinion so much that you’re willing to send them away from you. 

5. Customer inclusion
Do corporate blogs allow their customers to partake? or are they only second class citizens 

6. Dialog
Allowing for feedback can instill more trust 

7. Comment moderation
Blogs that allow for disagreeing comments are more real –and interesting. 

8. Frequency
While more isn’t always better, having a steady rhythm of content is important 

Full article here: http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/12/10/health-check-how-trusted-is-your-corporate-blog/

There’s a reference to this story by CIO magazine about Corporate Bloggers AKA “CLOGGERS”
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/12/11/corporate-blogging-revolution-cancelled

Bloggers write about things they think are important, and maybe other people will care or not. To help build a stronger more considered ‘story’ some bloggers link to external content, images, blogs, videos etc. This process involves searching to find high quality reference materials, in an attempt to make that process easier ‘Zemanta‘ has been developed.

Zemanta automatically recommends related articles and images based on the content of your blog as you’re writing it.

Its a great idea, however, the quality of the recommendations is key, and as this is my first post using it, I’m going to include all the recommended links – so you can be the judge.

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• Tips for good blog content
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• Big college athletics continues blindness on blogging
• Comment Form vs. Contact Form: Do You Mistake One for the Other?
• Important Blog Directories to Help Your Blog
• Three years? Really?!?
• The ABA Journal profiles me (among others).
• Why I blog – And it’s not to be on some stinking list
• Hear my question on CBC Spark

Right now it supports:

• WordPress.com
• Self-hosted WordPress.org 2.1+
• Blogger.com
• TypePad
• Ning
• MySpace
• LiveJournal
• MovableType
• Tumblr
• Drupal

Great idea, what do you think?