Online Strategies

In today’s world of intense message chaos, blogs have provided an effective online channel for expression of voice and words. But, what are the rules, best practices and ethical boundaries in the vast blogosphere?

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders has made available online and for free download its “Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents.” It is the most credible standard for basic ethical and journalistic conduct in the world of blogging, in my opinion.

All of the PR people, including major agencies, who are now struggling to figure out online strategies might want to hear Jeanette Gibson. She is the visionary Director of New Media at Cisco Systems in San Jose, CA. I spoke with her recently to get her thoughts about how organizations can use the Web for competitive advantage into the future.

While full detail will be in my upcoming book, The Media Savvy Leader, I wanted to share some highlights on how an executive can take charge of his or her organization’s online strategy, using the tools of Web 2.0:

• Consider your organization’s culture – What is acceptable, and what is your tolerance for risk? Any New Media program involves a sense of recognizing that you are no longer fully in control, a big challenge for many executives.

• Accept that we all are doing business in a new world – The landscape has changed. Doing business today requires a sense of transparency and new ways of engaging customers, employees, stakeholders and other important audiences.
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