Stephen Baker at BusinessWeek Online’s Blogspotting has a post entitled, "The business blog backlash is nigh". I think there are some important developments and non-developments in business blogging to take stock of and to adjust forecasts on what happens to business blogging going-forward. My perception of what has happened in the past nine months on business blogging (focused on pieces relevant to lower mid- to large-biz sector):
- Few CEO blogs from Fortune 1000 companies have emerged
- Some of the PR firms have been the leaders in embracing and evangelizing blogging
- Business blogging touted by media as business trend to watch in 2005
- A few of the big, blue-chip companies like Dell and FedEx have more or less deflected the blogosphere with respect to mini-crises to and megaphone complaints by the most prominent bloggers in the blogosphere
- Media companies appear to be the ones most active in embracing or acknowledging blogging (e.g., BusinessWeek, Newsweek)
- At least 1-2 major books on business blogging will be released in the next two quarters
- Mostly tech companies have introduced business blogging (e.g., IBM, Adobe) in 2005
Probably other areas I’m missing. What’s the catalyst for things to tip to the next phase? Are there any drivers for things to tip? Or is business blogging just something that will grow steadily? Any public releases on ROI in the business sector that the layperson (versus bloggers) can chant back?