Blogging is on the front-page of the NY Times

Companies of all stripes are using blogging to shape public option.

And there you have it.

The article begins with the slightly ominous (but not surprising) news that Wal-Mart has a PR firm  targeting blogs.  Specifically, they are suggesting topics (zoning restrictions are bad, perhaps?), sending pre-written posts to blogs, and inviting bloggers to corporate headquarters.

What does a front-page NYT article about blogs do for its value as a marketing tool?  Already legitimized, it thrusts blogging further into the mainstream. Blog readership is growing in every sector at a crazy-wild pace, and the mention of General Electric, Cingular and Microsoft fuel that growth.

The article creates a stir of doubt and fear around blogging (much like the article in Newsweek did about Search Engine Optimization,) but it's legitimate-- SEO is not a 'science' and blogging is not 'objective.'

I prefer an educated client whose done their homework, asks smart questions and knows what they want.  If you have the right service/product they won't push as hard on price and will be a customer-for-life.

Who's working on your blog strategy?

Comments

[Todd]

As a Yahoo! employee, I know that blogging is becomming more and more prevalent at this company. You can now communicate directly with Yahoo! employees and ask questions aobut the stuff you're using. Tell them it sucks or tell them you like it. In that way, you help make the products.