The Buzz Bin

The popular Tim O’Reilly and the O’Reilly Radar have launched a would be code of ethics for the blogosphere. In the wake of the Kathy Sierra controversy, this could not be more welcome. The facts are the blogosphere needs this kind of code. While it may not be honored, at least people of decency can find a common way of interacting while understanding that the hatchet job of the wrathing blogger is not an acceptable reaction.

This is particularly prescient for business communicators. BusinessWeek ran an article this week called “Crowd Control” about how to handle negative blogging comments. Greg Verdino accurately notes, “Sometimes online backlash is a bona fide sign that you need to fix a problem, rather than simply an invitation to engage in a shouting match with your dissatisfied customers.”

Hear, hear. With venomous reactions and such, bloggers should know that though their point is negative, honest feedback can be provided without throwing vicious comments around like a bad Martin Scorsese movie. See code of ethics again…

In the same issue, David Armano wrote an article on blogging, called “It’s the Conversation, Stupid.” It’s yet another piece about how company’s don’t get the changing dynamic of the consumer economy with new media, and how they need to build relationships via blogs, not hard sell. I wonder how long its going to take for companies to wake up and smell the coffee on new media. In that same vein, our next interviewee Brian Oberkirch of Like It Matters fame says corporate blogging isn’t about getting it, it’s about participating…

If you haven’t seen Communications Overtones yet, written by Kami Huyse, check it out. She’s doing a great job writing up social media and its impact on the marketplace. She does a great write up on the Digg phenomenon and whether or not it means something (more often than not it just equates to a server crash.)

We had a client that got Dugg (mandatory server crash occured) and we filled their pipeline with leads. Worked for us! At the same time, though not in the same league, I recently got Stumbled upon on my blog and it had zero long term affect other than jacking my blog stats up for a few days. Ultimately, social network hits have to act as a branding agent, and I guess it does. It just may be “intangible.”

Also, Buzz Bin friend Matt Smith has launched Integrative Media. When asked why he took the plunge he said, “I don’t know, just because…” Spoken like a true blogger.