Blogging tools

• Wouldn't it be great if you could do the same thing with a corporate blogging program?
• Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a blogging partner who can worry about all the details so that you can focus on writing content for your company blogs?
• Oh, and wouldn't it be great to use a blogging solution that lets you log in, type your content, and then the blogging software itself structures that content in a way that helps you get found in the search engines?

According to new rules unanimously passed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or Icann, at its meeting here, any company, organization or country will soon be able to apply for a new Web address extension, called a top-level domain.

That could smooth the way for Web addresses that end in city names, brands and generic words. It could also sow confusion in the minds of Web users, create a host of new ways to exploit the Web addressing system and start a wave of legal skirmishes over applications to register trademarks — .coke, for example.

Uggh!  What a mess this makes for normal businesses & organizations.  People are already having a tough time keeping track of your web address.  By adding basically an unlimited number of  .anything  branding by domain becomes just about impossible. 

"Seeking an unpretentious, scrappy, well-rounded interaction and visual designer." The qualities listed as being sought after were, "Takes criticism without a hissy fit, willing to entertain rants about back-end/front-end code, knows Photoshop kung fu and not afraid of code."

• Blog software is easy to use. Simply write your thoughts, link to resources, and publish to your blog, all at the push of a few buttons. Blog software companies such as Compendium all offer easy blogging tools to get started.
• Blogging is a low-cost alternative to having a web presence. For small business owners without the time to learn web html or the money to hire a designer/developer, blogging offers an inexpensive method to get your company's name out on the Internet.
• Updating the weblog is a much quicker process than contacting a web designer with changes or doing the coding and uploading yourself.
• Business blogs provide your small business with a chance to share your expertise and knowledge with a larger audience. A powerful benefit for consultants and knowledge workers.

"Content optimization remains an important focus of any SEO (define) campaign. Because you're probably adding content to your site or blog constantly, there are always new opportunities to improve overall visibility on search engines. But to be found for the right words on any site, you must undergo regular, extensive keyword research."

This is just another advantage to using Compendium versus any other software blogging platform out there.  Additionally, it is another reason why you should be blogging with us!

Do people still see blogs are a indivudual activity instead of a ‘corporate business’ tool? Is that why business are slow to adopt?

As the CEO of a software company that focuses only on the Corporate and Business Blogging market. I’d like to take a shot at addressing some of the above comments with regard to adoption.

One of the big reasons that business has not adopted blogging is that the tools are inadequate. The typical blogging software is designed for the individual “citizen journalist”, not actual businesses.

Some examples include control and compliance. Corporations have a responsibility and liability to control every syllable of content that appears to be associated with them. We see clients that want to have lot’s of employee and customer involvement but the solutions mentioned offer no method to manage approvals, edits, etc… Forrester cites ‘Fear’ (which means lack of control) as one of the main reasons corporations don’t blog.

Another huge reason has to do with ROI. If it can’t be measured many organizations find it difficult to justify investment in either time or financial resources.

Our clients measure ROI on Search Engine Optimization.  As a business software, Compendium includes an analytics package and integrates with other commercially available tools, so that the ROI of blogging becomes clear.

Additionally, most blogging software organizes content around Authors. This works for journalism, but not for SEO and not for Topic driven business need. Content needs to be organized around keywords based on what people are searching for to be a truly effective business asset.

Thanks for the post,

Chris Baggott
CEO/Co-founder
Compendium Blogware
http://www.compendiumblogware.com

I recently journeyed to the orient for two weeks to teach English, eat spicy food, and realize the potential of this fine country.  This experience left me with something more than a new posse of 3rd grade friends and a stomach full of Tums; it gave me a first hand look at the rise of a superpower. 

The city in discussion is Shanghai.  Anyone from a professor to a contractor can highlight the technical points of how the urban development plan is going to unfold, but you will never truly understand it until you see the massive skyscrapers being built as if they were going out of style.  The best way I can represent this to someone who has not traveled there is through this website: Shanghai Urban Development Exhibit.  This caption from the exhibit is one of the most amazing city displays I have ever seen.  The true nature of what is happening is outlined by this floor display.  I could go on and rave for days about this exhibit, but I'll divert you to this site as a deeper reference. Professional TravelGuide.

How does this relate to blogging? Well, the exhibit itself has only indirect ties to blogging.  The direct relationship is in the promise of the exhibit.  Construction is already underway on achieving this dream, which is projected to account for almost 19 million inhabitants in the city; compare this to New York City's 8.25 million.  Furthermore, the need for businesses to advertise to all 19 million inhabitants will certainly increase proportionally to the population size.  How could a company in Shanghai or a company planning on being in Shanghai cope with this advertising need? Business owned blogs.

It is already too hard for individuals in countries such as China to maintain a personal blog due to the restrictions of the government.  The only way a company could utilize such a blog tool would be through a monitored and code-conforming administrative layer.  By meeting certain criteria for posts, a company can ensure that all content posted is pertinent and meets regulatory standards.

In a city such as Shanghai, it is important to establish a well known blog image and gain a significant market share before the initial boom.  Doing so would put that blog name in the mouths of almost 19 million people.  Ask any U.S citizen who uses the internet on a daily basis about which search engine they use and I guarantee that Google, Yahoo, or MSN are the top three choices.   The reason being? These companies have been around since the early years of the internet and maintain a prestigious brand image.  Model a business blog strategy off this example and that blog may become the front runner in the industry.

Some blogs that I found along the way in my research of China:

Shanghaiist
All Roads Lead to China
Technomic Asia

Check these sites out for more information on the developing nation.  You may be surprised at how fast this nation is growing.

"I get asked by local business people about how they should get more links, and I go into my spiel on blogging, creating useful content, link baiting, etc. Most of the time the response I get is "we don't have the time for that kind of stuff" followed by "we can't afford to pay you to do it".

"2008 will be the breakout year for corporate blogging? Spaghetti-ish, high-volume, keyword-focused content is still the way to go? Employees encouraged to contribute to the corporate blog, under editorial supervision?"

"Plenty to ponder in all that. I’m so vehemently opposed to some of Baggott’s views, and so much in agreement with others, that there’s a 50/50 chance I’ll burst before I get to hit ‘Publish’."