Shut up. Listen. Learn. Believe or not, Web 2.0 is not just about you.

Enough about me, what do you think of my hair? Thousands of organizations have joined the Web 2.0 tidal wave. They’ve started their blogs, they’re twittering, got a wiki or two in the works, posted a few clips on YouTube, it’s a Brave New World! Web 2.0 is the best thing to happen to public relations since, well, Web 1.0 . What a new, great way to get out our message! Look Ma, I’m on the interwebs! Blogs, Twitter, wikis are all good, but every one of them is born out of what you want to talk about.

Thousands of organizations have joined the Web 2.0 tidal wave.

They’ve started their blogs, they’re twittering, got a wiki or two in the works, posted a few clips on YouTube, it’s a Brave New World!

Web 2.0 is the best thing to happen to public relations since, well, Web 1.0 .

What a new, great way to get out our message!

Look Ma, I’m on the interwebs!

Blogs, Twitter, wikis are all good, but every one of them is born out of what you want to talk about.

Guess what? While you were blabbing away, your customers were: Posting things online about you, your company, your products. Blogging, “tweeting”, chatting, posting videos on YouTube, and so on. Reaching more potential customers than you could ever dream of – any chance it was all positive? In short, they were busy defining and controlling your message … without you .

While you were blabbing away, your customers were:

Posting things online about you, your company, your products.

Blogging, “tweeting”, chatting, posting videos on YouTube, and so on.

Reaching more potential customers than you could ever dream of – any chance it was all positive?

In short, they were busy defining and controlling your message … without you .

Who doesn’t have a blog? Technorati tracking 112.8 million blogs (Nov. ’08). 175K new blogs every day. “ Dell Hell ” - blog entry that launched a movement. “ Slave to Target ” blog - free customer evangelism. “ I Heart Zappos ” – Great company. Great story. Great PR. Every customer interaction is only a blog post away from reaching millions of potential customers.

Technorati tracking 112.8 million blogs (Nov. ’08).

175K new blogs every day.

“ Dell Hell ” - blog entry that launched a movement.

“ Slave to Target ” blog - free customer evangelism.

“ I Heart Zappos ” – Great company. Great story. Great PR.

Every customer interaction is only a blog post away from reaching millions of potential customers.

Did you see that clip on YouTube? Rats in the KFC/Taco Bell in NYC. The Sleeping Comcast Technician. “ I Just Want to Cancel my AOL”. Millions of people are posting videos. The stars of many of the videos are your products, your employees, your brand. Good: how-to, testimonials, product improvements. Not-so-good: employees “caught-in-the-act”, your product on fire, crashing, being out-performed by a competitor, etc.

Rats in the KFC/Taco Bell in NYC.

The Sleeping Comcast Technician.

“ I Just Want to Cancel my AOL”.

Millions of people are posting videos.

The stars of many of the videos are your products, your employees, your brand.

Good: how-to, testimonials, product improvements.

Not-so-good: employees “caught-in-the-act”, your product on fire, crashing, being out-performed by a competitor, etc.

Are you tweet on me? CB Radio for the 2.0 era 2.2 Million users (July ’08) 140-character “tweets”: updates, deep thoughts, mind-burps, etc. If you could listen to what everyone was saying about you, wouldn’t you? Comcast, Dell, Starbucks and others actively follow and engage with their customers via Twitter. Also: Facebook status updates and groups, MySpace pages, LinkedIn updates, online petitions, and on…

CB Radio for the 2.0 era

2.2 Million users (July ’08)

140-character “tweets”: updates, deep thoughts, mind-burps, etc.

If you could listen to what everyone was saying about you, wouldn’t you?

Comcast, Dell, Starbucks and others actively follow and engage with their customers via Twitter.

Also:

Facebook status updates and groups, MySpace pages, LinkedIn updates, online petitions, and on…

So, what do I do? First, pull up your socks – it’s easier to praise someone who is doing things well, and gripe about those that are not. Develop a 360° strategy – go beyond “inside-out”. Empower your employees to engage. Provide a soapbox for your customers and prepare yourself for both the good and the bad. Google-yourself. Go on, don’t be shy. Follow your brand on Twitter Search . Scour the blogs (hint: Google Blog Search ). Engage, and be engaging - remember, real conversations are two-way.

First, pull up your socks – it’s easier to praise someone who is doing things well, and gripe about those that are not.

Develop a 360° strategy – go beyond “inside-out”.

Empower your employees to engage.

Provide a soapbox for your customers and prepare yourself for both the good and the bad.

Google-yourself. Go on, don’t be shy.

Follow your brand on Twitter Search .

Scour the blogs (hint: Google Blog Search ).

Engage, and be engaging - remember, real conversations are two-way.

Not convinced? You’ll be in good company if you do: Comcast: “ Comcast Cares ” Dell: Direct2Dell , Dell IdeaStorm Starbucks: My Starbucks Idea Wal-Mart: Walmart.com , Checkout Blog , Elevenmoms.com , etc. Microsoft: Channel 9 (BTW, it’s not a coincidence that these companies have their share of “haters”)

You’ll be in good company if you do:

Comcast: “ Comcast Cares ”

Dell: Direct2Dell , Dell IdeaStorm

Starbucks: My Starbucks Idea

Wal-Mart: Walmart.com , Checkout Blog , Elevenmoms.com , etc.

Microsoft: Channel 9

(BTW, it’s not a coincidence that these companies have their share of “haters”)

Questions? Answers? Scott Gow [email_address] Or… Tweet me on twitter, Friend me on facebook, Read my blog (when I have one), join my network on LinkedIn, BlackBerry Messenger me… Just don’t poke me

Scott Gow

[email_address]