When you give first thoughts about blogging and branding, and what each typically entails and means, I don’t think they can co-exist within a corporation.
Blogging: Entrepreneurial. Individualistic. The “wild, wild Web.” Independent. Uncensored. Opinionated. On the fly.
Branding: Projecting a coordinated communicated effort. Consistent messaging. Trying to project across the company what that company means. Its values. Its perception. Its image.
But, the two can co-exist — with some ground rules for blogging.
As I posted before, all companies should include blogging as part of its HR policy. It should be clearly spelled out what the guidelines are and boundaries for employees anytime they communicate about work (and their customers/clients, too) outside of their official role as employee.
What about these for some of the guidelines:
> It’s okay to be critical of the company, but make it constructive (vs. name calling), and offer suggestions. (If you were part of the project of that you are critical, be sure you didn’t have these suggestions before but didn’t speak up.)
> Don’t disclose experimental or proprietary company information, or other details that is confidential — particularly if the company is publically-held. (This is a no-brainer.)
> As with all employees, any and all media inquiries — and maybe serious customer ones, too — should be directed to corporate communications/PR or other appropriate department.
> If you are blogging about the company, be aware of the brand the company is seeking to project (and the onus for this awareness is on the company more so than it is on the employee).
> Do not rush to blog on a topic, event, company news, etc., until you know all details.
I’m a firm believer that, for the right company with the right people, blogging can give a cold, impersonal corporation a personality, a face, and a level of familiarity and even intimacy with customers and prospects that very few other forms of communication offer. However, the goals and objectives of the entity that is the company still take precedent.
– Mike
Technorati tags: blogging, corporate blogging, branding, public relations, PR
