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Blogosphere mainly a domain of small business - for now

Few big companies embrace blogs, but there are persuasive reasons why they should. But first, some cultural rules must change.

By DAVE GUSSOW
Published March 27, 2006

	[Times photo: Melissa Lyttle]
	Blog Excerpt: " I have always believed that certain blends are enjoyed better at certain times of the day. Remembering that an early morning cigar will awaken the taste buds, a more mild cigar coupled with a fine coffee or espresso would be ideal. In the afternoon, after talking, eating, etc., all day, the choice should be a cigar of medium strength. And by day's end, a fine meal and total relaxation -- a cigar could be more full body. All senses are prepared to accept a cigar of this type. I am certain that a full-body cigar, before the four sensory areas of the mouth are ready, may, for some cigar smokers, create an experience that is not acceptable and considered harsh. -- Al Remp, Cigar Blog 101, Thompson Cigar On the Web: Cigar Blog 101 Josh Hallett IBM Sunbelt Software

Thompson Cigar of Tampa lets its blog do the talking.

Cigar Blog 101 gives some cigar history and some pointers on the finer details of stogies, written by Al Remp, a product specialist at Thompson and a 46-year veteran of the industry.

Despite Thompson trumpeting the blog startup with its first press release, the company didn't want to talk about it. Instead, clues can be found on - where else? - a blog.

"It's not just about PR," Greg Hoffman, Thompson's Internet marketing manager, wrote on his blog, Marketing Gorilla. "It's about search engine optimization. The Cigar Blog needs links and subscribers."

A lot of businesses aren't talking about blogs, or Web logs. While blogs have become part of the mainstream lexicon for politics, sports, tech and a host of other topics, they have not invaded the business world in big numbers.

Searching for major companies in the Tampa Bay region and Florida that have blogs turn up precious few. A Fortune 500 Business Blogging Wiki at Socialtext.net turns up less than 5 percent of that prestigious list doing blogs. Entrepreneurs and smaller businesses appear to be more active.

It has caught on with some tech companies, such as Clearwater's Sunbelt Software, whose blog has become a bookmark for many interested in security issues. At Tampa's Bayshore Solutions, a Web development firm, programmers use a blog to share tips and tricks.

But at larger companies, blogs are more a curiosity than a business tool.

"It seems counterintuitive that a large organization which is inherently, traditionally, about tightly controlled lines of communications would embrace these democratic tools and lines of communications," said Brian Doyle, a spokesman for IBM.

IBM is encouraging blogs and fielding questions from an assortment of businesses, government agencies and universities about blogging. But even IBM's blogging has its limits.

Big Blue boasts that about 2,500 of its employees are doing blogs (out of 329,000 employees worldwide) and 18,000 have registered to read or comment on the posts, which range from technical topics to business questions to personal diaries.

But they are for internal consumption. IBM had a group of employees draft a policy last year, described as a common sense approach such as not posting anything that can damage the company and not writing about trade secrets.

Only two groups - one for video game developers and players and the other from IBM's health-care industry sector - have been approved for public consumption.

"We're figuring out how best to use them as a business," Doyle said, noting that IBM thinks blogs can enhance communication and relationships with its customers.

Josh Hallett, a Winter Haven consultant who has become something of a blog evangelist, says businesses need to understand, not fear, blogs. Even on personal blogs, business is discussed and comments are aired that can affect a brand and its image.

If someone posts a critical comment, a business needs to know about it and how to respond, Hallett said. If there's a positive comment, the business can build on that, too.

"You have to have a thick skin," Hallett said. "And unfortunately a lot of people don't."

And that's one of Hallett's main messages to companies and groups: A blog doesn't have to be about writing. It can, and perhaps should, be as much about listening.

"Start reading blogs, do blog searches," Hallett said. "What are people saying about your products and services? If your business isn't on the radar of bloggers, then look at what they're saying about your industry."

At Sunbelt Software, president Alex Eckelberry's blog has been recognized by CNET, an online technology and news site, as one of the top 100 blogs in June. When he posted a threatening letter from a spyware company, it was "Slashdotted," which means someone posted about it on the popular tech site Slashdot.com.

His blog received more attention in August when Eckelberry used it to warn about an international ID theft ring Sunbelt uncovered.

"It was great to get that recognition," Eckelberry said. "But suddenly I had to take the blogging a bit more seriously."

Eckelberry says the blog, started more than a year ago, began with modest goals, such as updated information about the company and its products. Eckelberry says his blog takes about an hour a day, and he did have to get used to writing for public consumption.

He avoids hot-button topics (politics and sex) and has invited others at the company to post, but with limited success.

"People have a natural fear of putting their ideas out there, just as they have a fear of speaking in public," Eckelberry said.

Blogs should be genuine, Eckelberry said, and not used just to promote business. Readers will see through it. Nor should they be used to take swipes at competitors.

And the blog has had benefits, inside and outside the company.

"You get to communicate to your customers in a very personal way what your philosophies are," Eckelberry said. "Your own employees (learn about) your own personal philosophy. People get a good feeling about what your ideals are."

Dave Gussow can be reached at dgussow@sptimes.com or 727 445-4165. The Tech Times blog is at www.sptimes.com/blogs/tech

CIGAR BLOG 101: cigarblog101.blogspot.com

JOSH HALLETT: hyku.com

IBM: www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/

SUNBELT SOFTWARE: sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/

[Last modified March 27, 2006, 17:04:57]