Is Web 2.0 Right for Your Company?

Recently I was asked by one of my former clients, “How effective is the use of blogs for internal corporate communications?”

He was trying to determine how blogs work best as part of a company's internal communications program. His idea or need is to convey company news to the entire organization in a timely way but in contrast with a static newsletter, invited participation and comment, but doesn’t know whether blogs or wikis are the way to go.

I've worked for companies that have had both and have used the successfully. The problem is two fold.

First of all, there have to be clear-cut corporate policies in-place for use of the blog as well as how information posted inside is still company intellectual property and therefore not to be shared. I believe that if you host a corporate blog, it MUST be on an intranet server and not visible to the public. While opinions and positions are vastly important to the creative process and flush out the ideas that come from playing "devil's advocate," there is often the temptation to take the information that has been posted and disseminate it to outside posts, publications or reporters. Moreover, since the information posted within a blog can often be damning to a company’s reputation, trade relations or business, it has to somehow be kept invisible to the public at-large.

The second issue is with Wiki. While some might pose this as a solution, Wiki's aren't the end-all be-all. Wiki's can be an extremely useful tool, especially when documenting processes, sharing development procedures or delivering code for designers. However, Wiki's also have a separate markup language that if you want to have dynamic involvement from the personnel, requires a well developed GUI or full tutorial. They're best suited for manual-like implementation, lexicons or internal FAQ's for process management.

Another option not mentioned or asked about, is forums. However, forums can often be difficult to monitor as discussions can go on and on based on different "folders" that contain threads. On the plus side, forums and the code behind it provide an advanced ability to selectively replace specific speech or profanity - or even make it so the text cannot be copied, further securing the information. You can also select keywords to “FLAG” posts for a moderator to review. You never know if you have a rogue employee.

I think the best solution is when you have a combination of all platforms. If you look at a Web site like www.woot.com, they have created a model for posting new items, customer interaction and documenting threads that combines the best of Blogs and Forums. Rather than posting each thread in a different folder, they created a unique thread per post, thus falling off of the page over time by the replacement of new items. By creating individual posts in a forum that is linked from the originating page, it provides a cleaner look and ability to better interact with corporate officials, opinion leaders and the average employee that may have stumbled across the day's post.

If your client is looking at utilizing web 2.0, be sure they know how they want to implement the newest trends. But more importantly, make sure they know all of the impacts, good or bad, to opening the dialogue.

Bye, Bye Mr. Olympics

It seems today, that our dear friend, Mitt Romney, has dropped out of the race for the Presidency. My only thought, is that it's a big loss for the party. One of the most articulate, passionate and energetic members of the campaign trail, has said goodbye to the race.

I had hoped that Romney would remain in the race, even as a vice-presidential candidate. Though, the electoral math was not in his favor, and Huckabee can deliver the South, Mitt became the candidate that invigorated people and gave them a sense of belonging with the party. He hasn't polarized the party on issues, yet found the common ground we all stand on, and started building a solid foundation there.

When you look at our successful presidential bids, our commanders-in-chief have all had those traits. Kennedy, Lincoln, and even Dub'ya have all been able to mobilize, charge and enthuse the masses. They've all found collective goals that needed to be changed. They all rallied around social change, economic growth, but most importantly, national unity. Today is no exception.

I never thought I would see the day when a candidate who has secured the nomination, has such a deadpan delivery, monotone speech, and seems to show as much emotion as Darth Vader's helmet. Shouldn't a candidate excite the party? Shouldn't a candidate unite the people?
With John McCain as our candidate, I feel we've already thrown in the towel to real change, given our seat to the democrats, and, as Romney said in his statement, resigned to a surrender to our enemies around the world.

I think moderate has its place in politics, especially as our nation is dramatically pushing for social changes. I think holding onto tradition can often alienate individuals and makes us more isolationist. But I also think that the incendiary rhetoric that we should now expect in the coming months - no matter how flat the delivery - is not going to unite a party, a nation or a global community. It will only tear us apart.

To read more about Mitt's departure from the trail, I have included the text from the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror," Romney will say at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

"This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters... many of you right here in this room... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country," Romney said.

McCain prevailed in most of the Super Tuesday states, moving closer to the numbers needed to officially win the nomination.