Web 2.0

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.

General Motors is trying to patch up whatever reputation it had as an environmentally aware corporation. The company is holding a series of online chats with environmental critics after GM’s blog was slammed with comments that were critical of the company’s environmental efforts. The environmental activist group Rainforest Action Network said some things that GM didn’t like, and the big car company pulled the plug on the comments function of the blog, defying all the rules for openness and transparency in a New Media world.

In today’s world of communications, corporations or organizations must behave with openness and transparency. When engaging audiences - even critics - in conversations using the communications tools of Web 2.0, companies need to accept the risk that not everyone loves them.

Now, GM has backed itself into a defensive, duck-and-cover position and has been responsible for creating adverse media coverage about itself. Not smart.

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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