Comments on: Fast Forward in Rewind http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/ Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:22:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sameer Vasta http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-960 Sameer Vasta Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:31:45 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-960 "You can control disinformation via participation." Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks for your contribution Rajio. “You can control disinformation via participation.”

Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks for your contribution Rajio.

]]> By: Rajio http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-959 Rajio Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:51:12 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-959 Depending somewhat on what one means by 'control' I would have to declare that in general the very notion of controlling blogs and user generated web content is absurd. Anybody who understands the media could tell you this. It seems too obvious to even have to say but if your goal is to try to 'control' the medium in order to profit, you're destined to failure. You don't have to 'confrtont' the internet either. It is not there to fight you. You must learn to understand it and participate in it. If 'the blogs' (lol) are voicing decent about yoru product or message, engage them. If you do so frankly, honestly and humanly, odds are they will be receptive. They (blogs) are run by and read by people. Human beings. Just like you. They are having a discussion. Instead of trying to manipulate that discussion, it is better to listen to it. Learn from it. Contribute to it. You can 'control' 'the blogs' by realizing that if they are talking about you, then they must have something they'd like to discuss about you, and possibly with you. Help the discourse remain informed while realising that it is not the place to inject adspeak or corporate 'adspeak'. If you do it right, honestly, and frankly, and come across as a normal human being rather than a corporate composite robot, they will be receptive. If try to fake this they will be on to you really quickly and you will have the opposite effect (see "All I want for Christmas is a PSP" for a refresher) It is quite a shame that the web is still seen as both something new and as 'the other' - something which must be 'confronted' and 'controlled'. You can control disinformation via participation. Your absence or silence only breeds an image of someone who doesn't "get it" or isn't "paying attention" ... such sentiment won't make you rich any time soon. Depending somewhat on what one means by ‘control’ I would have to declare that in general the very notion of controlling blogs and user generated web content is absurd. Anybody who understands the media could tell you this. It seems too obvious to even have to say but if your goal is to try to ‘control’ the medium in order to profit, you’re destined to failure.

You don’t have to ‘confrtont’ the internet either. It is not there to fight you. You must learn to understand it and participate in it. If ‘the blogs’ (lol) are voicing decent about yoru product or message, engage them.

If you do so frankly, honestly and humanly, odds are they will be receptive. They (blogs) are run by and read by people. Human beings. Just like you. They are having a discussion. Instead of trying to manipulate that discussion, it is better to listen to it. Learn from it. Contribute to it.

You can ‘control’ ‘the blogs’ by realizing that if they are talking about you, then they must have something they’d like to discuss about you, and possibly with you. Help the discourse remain informed while realising that it is not the place to inject adspeak or corporate ‘adspeak’. If you do it right, honestly, and frankly, and come across as a normal human being rather than a corporate composite robot, they will be receptive. If try to fake this they will be on to you really quickly and you will have the opposite effect (see “All I want for Christmas is a PSP” for a refresher)

It is quite a shame that the web is still seen as both something new and as ‘the other’ - something which must be ‘confronted’ and ‘controlled’.

You can control disinformation via participation. Your absence or silence only breeds an image of someone who doesn’t “get it” or isn’t “paying attention” … such sentiment won’t make you rich any time soon.

]]> By: Sameer Vasta http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-955 Sameer Vasta Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:22:50 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-955 I agree with you on that completely Henna. The concept of controlling blogs is actually undesirable if you actually understand the medium. Instead, what you want to do is monitor them, understand their contexts and messages, and then engage with their ideas (good and bad) in order to actively manage the overall message that is ultimately conveyed. I agree with you on that completely Henna. The concept of controlling blogs is actually undesirable if you actually understand the medium. Instead, what you want to do is monitor them, understand their contexts and messages, and then engage with their ideas (good and bad) in order to actively manage the overall message that is ultimately conveyed.

]]> By: Henna http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-956 Henna Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:18:03 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-956 I attended this event and I found the "controlling blogs" comment kind of funny. I understand the need of "suits" to control media so that they can use it to make money, but the reason that people like blogs is because they <i> are </i> so uncontrolled and unmediated. The information may not be free of bias (hardly anything ever is) but there's a sense of truth that comes out of most blog-writing that makes the content refreshing and thus: addictive. Control the medium and it ceases to have the quality that makes it so successful to begin with! I attended this event and I found the “controlling blogs” comment kind of funny. I understand the need of “suits” to control media so that they can use it to make money, but the reason that people like blogs is because they are so uncontrolled and unmediated. The information may not be free of bias (hardly anything ever is) but there’s a sense of truth that comes out of most blog-writing that makes the content refreshing and thus: addictive. Control the medium and it ceases to have the quality that makes it so successful to begin with!

]]> By: Sameer Vasta http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-957 Sameer Vasta Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:07:10 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-957 Not quite sure what you mean about hiding behind a blog here Elissa: my name, contact details, and places to find me all around the web are explicitly detailed on this blog, and I encourage people to connect with me so that we can continue conversations in person. As such, your claim that I'm "hiding behind my blog" is not only false, but slightly contemptuous. (I definitely would have shared my thoughts had there been an opportunity to do so within the framework of the event.) I'd love to connect (<a href="http://eloquation.com/contact/" rel="nofollow">you can reach me through my contact form here</a>) at some point. I'm currently on contract with the Government of Ontario, but can definitely make some time during the day to catch up. As someone whose career involves online community engagement, I'm always interested in hearing about the challenges others face, how they deal with the obstacles I face, and how we can learn from each others' experiences. Not quite sure what you mean about hiding behind a blog here Elissa: my name, contact details, and places to find me all around the web are explicitly detailed on this blog, and I encourage people to connect with me so that we can continue conversations in person.

As such, your claim that I’m “hiding behind my blog” is not only false, but slightly contemptuous.

(I definitely would have shared my thoughts had there been an opportunity to do so within the framework of the event.)

I’d love to connect (you can reach me through my contact form here) at some point. I’m currently on contract with the Government of Ontario, but can definitely make some time during the day to catch up.

As someone whose career involves online community engagement, I’m always interested in hearing about the challenges others face, how they deal with the obstacles I face, and how we can learn from each others’ experiences.

]]> By: Elissa Freeman http://itellstories.org/2008/08/03/public-relations-and-web-communications/#comment-958 Elissa Freeman Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:30:13 +0000 http://eloquation.com/?p=514#comment-958 Well, well...too bad you didn't actually come up and share your thoughts...we all would have welcomed your insights. But as you can see for yourself, it's very easy to hide behind a blog...no name...no address...just your uncensored thoughts...see what I mean? We all treat the web as a 'friend'...but treating and controlling are two different things. But sure, if you can walk the talk...I'd love to hear what you have to say...especially your insights on how to manage a blog like CBC Marketplace. Let me know how I can contact you. Well, well…too bad you didn’t actually come up and share your thoughts…we all would have welcomed your insights. But as you can see for yourself, it’s very easy to hide behind a blog…no name…no address…just your uncensored thoughts…see what I mean? We all treat the web as a ‘friend’…but treating and controlling are two different things.

But sure, if you can walk the talk…I’d love to hear what you have to say…especially your insights on how to manage a blog like CBC Marketplace. Let me know how I can contact you.

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