Official Post 2: Naked Conversations

Recall the last party you attended.  Who did you seek out: the friendly guy who asked you interesting questions and shared fun anecdotes, or the boring guy who wouldn’t let you get a word in edgewise?

In the first case, you talked with someone, which you probably enjoyed.  In the second, you were talked to, which you probably didn’t enjoy.  The nice thing, though, was that you ultimately got to choose your conversation partner.

And so it goes with digital communication today.  Scoble and Israel figure consumers have been talked to enough and are ready either to join a dialogue or take their business elsewhere.  The authors suggest we advance our business/candidate/cause through blogging because “it’s two-way and more satisfying” (Naked Conversations, pg. 13).  Scoble and Israel don’t eschew traditional communication, but they seek “something more conversational” (Naked Conversations, pg. 97).

Blogs fit the bill because, simply stated, they:

• Make companies approachable;
• Give employees a voice;
• Provide customers with a  forum;
• Reach across communities; and
• Represent the future, my friends.

All at the same time! 

Like Doctorow and Gillmor, Scoble and Israel see enormous power in the Internet and its ability to give voice/choice to those quieted by mainstream media, but who have interesting things to say nonetheless.  The authors foresee a time when the world’s conversations regarding commerce, politics and culture take place through blogging.

While I agree that blogs are a compelling communications tool, I’m not sure that they are the appropriate tool for everyone who needs a voice.  My hesitance when it comes to blogs can be divided into three buckets:

• Access: despite the USF and other measures, not all households have Internet access.  Many don’t even have computers.  Still others have no clue how to start or operate a Web site or blog.  By default, their voice will not be heard in the dialogue.
• Time: the corporate executives interviewed in Naked Conversations mentioned the time required of them to blog; however, they do have people in their professional lives who can assist them.  Single moms, working students, and people in other busy groups don’t necessarily have spare time, and they probably don’t have assistants and other resources.  These folks will also be left out of the conversation.
• Interest: while millions of blogs exist, many are abandoned.  And, there are people who will never start a blog in the first place.  None of these voices will be heard, either.  If that’s the case, at what point does our conversation lose value because a limited number of people do all the talking?  Should we look at other ways to bring the disenfranchised in to our circle?

That being said, it’s hard to argue with the benefits of blogs to small businesses and organizations that might normally resist their use.  From increased patronage to  greater advocacy, many of these groups can be discovered outside of their communities because of choices made available through the blogosphere.  Plus, blogs don’t seem to be getting less popular, so folks are finding ways around barriers to entry.  Conversations are happening, loud and clear.

Perhaps, then, PR executive Trevor Cook has it right: “Blogging and podcasting offer exciting communications opportunities, but they will not completely displace existing media nor will they change the traditional role of public relations.  From a PR point of view, blogging and podcasting are important because they allow practitioners to communicate directly with audiences, free of the mediation, constraints, and pitfalls of traditional media” (Naked Conversations, pg. 113).

So, what do you think: are you a blog evangelist, are you neutral, or do you think blogs are bunk?

And, this week’s question, suggested by Ralph, great legal mind of our times: Digital media have altered the way people communicate with one another.  What lasting effect might they have on language, which constantly evolves?  Consider, for example, a recent cnn.com story describing the writing quirks witnessed by teachers in their tech-savvy students.