Contributing Writer: Paloma Cruz
(Excerpt from "The Power of the Blog" in "stories from a Public Relations life", a blog by Paloma Cruz.)
Want to see the power of blogs? Bloggers are being credited, or blamed, for the recent changing of the guard in leadership at the American Library Association.
Business Week recently ran a story about the importance of blogs for your business. Blogs Will Change Your Business - "Look past the yakkers, hobbyists, and political mobs. Your customers and rivals are figuring blogs out. Our advice: Catch up...or catch you later." More and more business experts are recommending using blogs to promote your business. More and more PR professionals are getting hip to the fact that if you're not monitoring blogs, or taking blogs seriously, you may be inviting negative word-of-mouth on your company or product. Either way, if you don't at least know what blogs are and how they're being used, you need to learn fast.
To illustrate their point, Business Week recently launched Blogspotting, "Where the worlds of business, media and blogs collide." Which, I guess, goes to show that mainstream media is actively watching alternative media (or citizen journalism, or whatever we're calling it today).
Recently added to my bookmarks, Dan Gillmor. His blog Dan Gillmor on Grassroots Journalism, Etc. "A conversation about the future of journalism 'by the people, for the people' -- and occasional other thoughts" has some good insights about the industry as a whole.
There is a difference between bloggers and stand a lone journalists, a phrase I believe was coined by Chris Nolan via his blog: Chris Nolan: The Stand Alone Journalist is Here... "These are not bloggers. They are people who are using blogging technology--software that allows them to quickly publish their work and broadcast it on the Internet--to find and attract users. They understand that the barrier to entry in this new business isn't getting published; anyone can do that. The barrier to entry is finding an audience. That's why their editorial product is consistent, reliable and known. Readers have expectations and stand alone journalists understand this and put that understanding into practice."
Inc. recently ran Business Blogging on the Rise, "Weblogs are becoming more popular as a business marketing tool" which you should add to your reading list.
How do bloggers make money? Advertising, editorial lines blur as bloggers' salaries tied to traffic
"About.com and Gawker Media pioneer writer payment systems that tie bonuses to traffic growth, while 'stand-alone journalists' do business and editorial functions. A look at the evolving pay schemes of writers online."
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Paloma Cruz is a contributing writer for PasadenaBlvd.com, a professional communicator and has recently added her name to the blogosphere.
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