There’s been some speculation since we canceled the September Blog Business Summit that we’ve abandoned the blogging and blogging for business spaces outright. I understand why it would be easy to think that. We’ve made a pretty dramatic transition. In just a few days, we pulled the plug on our Chicago event, launched this new site, and announced our intention to put on a event in Seattle this December that is not strictly about business blogging.
It’s absolutely no wonder that people are getting the wrong idea.
But like Steve posted yesterday on the Blog Business Summit site, we do plan to do more Blog Business Summits. It’s true that we don’t have a specific date in mind, but blogging is as much a community building tool as any social network. If you doubt it, look no further than Liz Strauss’ blog where she hosts open comment nights and put together a whole conference based on getting those people together in the flesh-and-blood world.
If businesses overlook the power of blogging as a community building tool, they’re sunk. [Update: It has been pointed out to me that this last statement was overgeneralized and somewhat inaccurate. Businesses that overlook blogging are not, in fact "sunk." What I meant to say is that businesses who overextend themselves in the social media space without a place to call home -- a blog in most cases -- are at a distinct disadvantage. Everyone should have a hub.]
In fact, I’m just now getting ready to post a video - as soon as Revver approves it - about how to bring the RSS feeds from your multiple business and personal blogs into Facebook. That’s a community building move because sharing content starts conversations, and conversations are the building blocks of community.
Blogging, bloggers and this incredible space we’ve created out here on the Web are still at the forefront of our imaginations, our interest and our intellectual curiosity. The rapid-fire changes over the past few days are really just an expansion of our editorial gamut, not an abandonment of the space that got us started.
Cross-posted at Web Community Forum.
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Tom Augenthaler 08.31.07 at 10:28 am
Hi Teresa,
This is an interesting post. After meeting Steve B. at Gnomedex earlier this month, I finally came to “understand” just how powerful this medium is and can be for businesses. My two areas of interest: technology (day job) and hedge funds (second gig) both stand to benefit immensely, albeit in different ways. What I find astounding is how ignorant so many business folks are about the potential of it all.
I hope to make it to the event y’all are hosting in Seattle in December. It should be a great event.
Tom
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