Some blogs and blog comments I’ve read of late have really surprised me about how people view the purpose of blogs and how blogs are supposed to be.

1) Are blogs the be-all, end-all?

Yes, if you ask Kevin Burton who commented on Micro Persuasion that, “Blogs are the future. . . they aren’t perfect but they’re a lot better than what we’ve got now.”

2) Do blogs have to be open to the public?
Yes, if you ask Adrants. If you have a blog and do any publicity for it, then it HAS to be open to the public. (See comment #8 from Steve Hall.)

3) Just because blogs are open to the public, does it mean they are intended for public consumption?

Yes, if you ask Just Surfed On who posted a response to B.L. Ochman’s piece about the firing of Kelly Kreth. Just Surfed On commented:

“Blogs are just a pittance on the net and WAY out of the mainstream.”

My answer the above questions? No, no and . . . NO!

Blogs are not THE future. They ARE part of the future. Blogs are just tools . . . for those in communications, for those who want a public soap box on certain topics or issues, and those who just want a journal or diary. POP! PR’s Jeremy Pepper had a great post and sparked some good discussion on this topic.

And, no, blogs don’t have to be open to the public. I think what DaimlerChrysler is doing with it’s media-only blog is a good idea. An easy, relatively private give-and-take forum between DCX and registered media. See more here.

Finally, just because a blog is public, doesn’t mean it’s intended for public consumption. The great thing about blogs is that people can usually find a blog on a topic or subject that interests them. Very few blogs are “targeted” for the public. Most are industry- or issue-specific.

Adrants says it right when it comes to what blogs mean and what blogs really are:

“That’s all a blog is. A website that just happens to be easier to publish then a ‘regular’ website. . . . As long as published content is being read and influencing the intended audiences, it really doesn’t matter whether it’s a weblog or a hard-coded, old-fashioned website.”

It’s just an easy-to-use tool. Or, soap box, if you prefer.

– Mike

P.S. Yes, I’ve had two really, really long posts. I’m sorry. Just had a lot to say, I guess after being quiet for awhile. Will get back to the more “U.S.A. Today” style.

Technorati tags: Blogging, , Micro Persuasion, , Adrants, Blogs