Blogs with their emphasis on more open and two way communications mean that traditional corporate messaging of the past is on the way out.
Senior executives who are embracing blogging are already reaping the dividends. As they realise they can communicate directly with stakeholders and customers without having their messages filted through the press.
Also they don't have to put up with the frustrations of not being able to respond quickly to any adverse comments. Bob Lutz, vice chairman of global product development for General Motors is one of the early pioneers of corporate blogging. He doesn't have much time for the 'same sterile, safe techniques' of corporate communications. For him, blogs presented an opportunity to have conversations which were more human.
'It's more important than ever to open the door wide, speak as honestly as possible and listen to your customers,' he says.
Those defenders of the corporate communications status quo who say that blogging presents too many risks and that it could impact on a company's share price should note that everyone from the Economist to the FT to the BBC's business journalists are blogging today and if you are not aware of those conversations and participating in them, you are going to miss opportunities. The immediacy of blogging means that you can quickly respond to any developments in the market, if necessary. Far faster than you could with a traditional web site message.
