Note: This story is available on both Industrial Market Trends and the International Association of Online Communicators Blog. We will share comments from both audiences in order to open up the dialogue and share ideas in true blog and wiki fashion.

In a recent article in InformationWeek Corporations Entering Brave New World Of Blogs, we find the Vice Chairman of General Motors addressing rumors that would have a negative affect on the company. Companies like General Motors, Boeing, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems all have blogs available on the open Web.  These are just four of what InformationWeek says is over one-hundred corporate blogs open to the general public.

It seems corporations have found a way to bypass the traditional press and journalists' interpretation of what they said and directly talk to the marketplace to expand their reach, generate interests in products and build customer loyalty.

When blogs are done well they create a relationship with customers.  The blogs can help in creating positive word-of-mouth or good reactions in other blogs.  They are a way to highlight specific messages to the marketplace as well as create quick-to-the-market responses to negative press and information.

The opportunity to create a dialogue with customers is both powerful and fraught with pitfalls if not done well.  Blogs are conversations with the Internet user.  You do not want to talk at them as if they are mindlessly watching television and are opened to whatever advertising message you have.  If a blog is self-serving and used a PR vehicles with no real desire to engage and benefit the user they can backfire.  They can become the topic of many angry bloggers who share negative reactions and eventually hurt the reputation of the corporation.

One of the many characteristics of a successful corporate blog is a candid honesty.  Customers appreciate this approach and are likely to share their candid and honest opinion.  This dialogue can provide insight to the perceptions of the marketplace that can assist in future business decisions.

Successful corporate blogs includes a "no-holds-barred" blog by Jonathan Schwartz, President of Sun Microsystems.  Schwartz, who encourages his employees to blog, receives about 300,000 visits a month to his blog.  He uses the online journal to reach out developers and turn around cynical readers. Schwartz is not beyond taking on market analysts and competitors.

Corporate blogs do not have to be controversial to create an audience.  Companies such as Stonyfield Farm, a New Hampshire organic yogurt and ice cream company, has informative blogs for parents with babies and dairy farmers.

Blogs are here to stay.  The key is how you capitalize on this new opportunity.  What do you think?

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