Tag Archive for 'blogs'

The Strategic Use Of Web 2.0 Tools

Published
by
Ian Smith
on June 8, 2009
in Author-Ian Smith and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

For those who are familiar with Web 2.0 tools must have replied to one of the following questions in past year or so from someone who is not Web 2.0 savvy.

  1. Do you “tweet”?
  2. How can I get a blog?
  3. Do you Facebook?

These questions may sound silly to some however; those who are asking may have the need to know to better communicate with others via the web.

Although not at the same of the level of the questions as listed above, individuals must reflect on some issues before they wade into the relatively new part of the web.  Specifically, questions surrounding what makes the most sense in terms of achieving communication goals and dealing with various constraints should be addressed.

For the purposes of this post, online social networks and blogging applications will be discussed in the following case scenarios.

Case #1 : Introduction of a new financial literacy program for youth

An initiative to educate youth on personal finance management issue has be launched by the local community center.  With use of Web 2.0 applications, the center hopes to promote monthly seminars on various subjects.  At issue, what is the best tool to use?

a) Blog - A blog will enable organizers to share information in text and graphic form.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to refer to any past seminar sessions’ notes on the web via the blog.

b) Twitter - Setting up a Twitter account will allow the center to send out brief messages, (a.k.a ‘tweets”) to remind attendees (followers) of what will be covered in the upcoming sessions or refer to references elsewhere on the web.

c) Facebook Fan Page - A fan page will enable the center to have attendees who are Facebook fanatics to access information in all formats in another central location on the web.

What is the best option?  c)

Although blogs offer the advantages mentioned above, blogging may become a very time consuming task which encompasses the maintenance of outbound links and posting new entries on a fairly regular basis.

Messages via Twitter are limited  to 140 characters without any capabilities to post images or videos.

The fan page not only allows for the flexibility to post content in a variety of formats but there is a “viral marketing” element when individuals becomes fans.  A message stating that individuals has become a fan of the page will appear on their friends’ page index when they log in.

Case 2: Sharing insights regarding the annual symposium

Due to budget cuts, your industry association symposium only has the space for 300 attendees down from 600 attendees.  The association is turning to the Web 2.0 to find an avenue to share insights from speakers and sponsors.

a) Twitter - The Twitter avenue will allow the association to “micro-blog” on topics in real-time.  Followers of the Twitter page will receive updates via mobile telephone, laptop and or desktop computer.

b) Blog - A blog gives the association the power to expand on topics covered at the event.  Along with the unlimited amount of characters that the blogger can use to write the post, a blog provides the flexibility to embed audio, video and still images files.

c) Facebook Fan Page - The fan page can be a compliment to the existing event website where only fans can access relevant information as they log on and navigate to the page.

What is the best option?  a)

Sending out tweets would be the best alternative to keep individuals up to date.  In addition, it is not a time consuming activity.  Imagine tweeting as a presentation is taking place?

A very solid case can be made for setting up a blog however; taking into account the needs of the audience, short and concise messages are “reader-friendly” for individuals who are busy and use their cell phone to access information on the go.

Conclusion

Rushing to use a Web 2.0 application to meet communication objectives requires a plan.  In order to do so, all options in terms of the best tools should be evaluated along the lines of:

  1. The content or message that will be delivered
  2. The needs of the audience
  3. The resources required to properly maintain the tool

Sustainability and Social Media : Is it a natural?

Published
by
Isabelle Poirier
on May 7, 2008
in Author-Isabelle Poirier, Corporate Blogging and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 3 Comments

Ten years from now, the Web 2.0 era will be seen as the turning point of our communication culture and collective intelligence paradigms. Business development and growth built upon collaboration, partnership, transparency and interaction will be seen as the buzzwords that best describes the decade.

This blog questions the willingness of actual industry leaders to embrace the 2.0 culture to look at corporate social responsibility and sustainable development in a different way.

Dow Jones Sustainable Index 2007 and web 2.0

Intel is the only company of these top leaders that has a CSR blog and demonstrates that CSR or SD engagements can be discussed and can evolve within a Web 2.0 culture.

Some might think that discussing about environmental externalities and community wealth is easier for an IT player than it is for a natural resource or heavy industrial player. Other might think that it is just a question of time.

Countries that can guarantee energy availability, political stability and access to natural resources are magnets for capital investments and growth. However, communities won’t keep quiet if they believe it’s not worth it. Blogs and social networks tools are the new natural channels to discuss openly about externalities linked to industrial and economic development. Ten years ago, discussion groups were often the blind spots for large corporations. Blogs have replaced them. An example of this new reality is how LNG (Liquefied natural gas) terminal projects can be challenged by stakeholders and how blogs are platforms to voice their preoccupation. The Tara Foundation uses its blog to bring local concerns to the public domain.

“Residents fear Kerry LNG gas terminal will threaten their homes”
 Up to 50 people living directly adjacent to the landbank between Tarbert and Ballylongford came together at a public meeting in Tarbert on Thursday night, where they presented their issues to two representatives of the Shannon LNG company, which is behind the proposed gas terminal.

It is expected that a residents group in Tarbert, Count Kerry, will lodge a detailed objection to An Bord Pleanála outlining their fears over the proposed LNG terminal. If their objections are upheld and plannning permisison is refused, it could sound the death knell for the multi-million euro project that is expected to create 650 jobs during construction and 50 jobs when the plant is up and running”

Could industry leaders, assessing risk and forgetting to take into consideration community’s and stakeholders’ capabilities to team up virtually to discuss and evaluate their value proposition be at risk?

Blogs Vs Message Boards : The Whole Foods Market Posting

Published
by
Ian Smith
on July 18, 2007
in Author-Ian Smith and Competitive & Internet Intelligence
. 0 Comments

I do recall reading a blogposting stressing the need not to forget message boards when searching for individuals’ opinions in cyberspace. Oh yes, it was on my blog. Ironically, days after, there is a pretty cool example on what I was trying to get at.

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey is now in the news for his past posting on the Yahoo Finance message boards. One of his classic postings was “While I’m not a ‘Mackey groupie,’ I do admire what the man has accomplished,” for the purposes of promoting the Whole Foods’ stock gains.

Such details would not have been discovered if it was not for an individual who considered to search amongst message boards instead of blogs.

The Forgotten Platforms: Electronic Bulletins Boards & Discussion Groups

Published
by
viorel
on July 5, 2007
in Author-Ian Smith and Competitive & Internet Intelligence
. 0 Comments

Blogs and social networks are sexy these days. There are simple platforms to share information and thanks to a handful of search tools, finding and extracting information is made easy. Whenever I am asked to search for information on what is the latest ‘buzz’ on the web or what people are saying, my first reaction is to turn to the Web 2.0 however; I often remind myself of two platforms that seem to fall off the radar in terms internet intelligence: electronic bulletins boards and discussion groups.

Yes, I know that they lack the bells and whistles of blogs but do they not serve the same purpose - to share information with others? Take for example, eGroups (now YahooGroups) permits individuals to connect with others to discuss similar interests via the web. Some of the content from these discussion groups and bulletin boards is archived and searchable. Another perfect example, Google Groups, that has the archives of the Usenet newsgroups.

With that being said, I advise you to know some of the tools that can be used to search for information available on electronic bulletins boards and discussion groups.