Piaras Kelly PR - Public Relations in Ireland

When it comes to things like blogs and podcasts, everyone seems to be shouting about the fact that organisations should use them for their corporate communications. Seriously though, do I really want to hear what Bill Gates has to say everyday and does he really want to put up with Apple fanboys berating Microsoft? Corporate blogs and podcasts are wonderful things, but in the greater scale of things effort could be put into alternative efforts which would give a better return on investment.

For example, we got our neighbour an iPod shuffle for Christmas as I hoped to introduce him to the world of podcasts. He is an avid photographer and golfer so I thought that those would be the subjects that would be of most interest to him. However, after showing him how to use iTunes, it turned out that he was really interested in this Excel video blog. Despite the fact that my second cousin has only really gotten into computers over the last three years, he is really eager to master every application he can get his hands on. Hence the latest obsession of being able to use Excel like a master.

The Excel video blog looks like a great resource and you have to wonder why more software companies aren’t using them more often. Manuals are great, but often something gets lost in translation and you have to see it done to understand it. The Excel video blog is a perfect example of this. It’s like the modern dictaphone, except that it’s visual.

My point is that Microsoft would be far better off setting up video blogs for their various applications than just pursuing a coporate blogging strategy. Everyone keeps referring to Robert Scoble, but the average member of the public doesn’t have a clue who he is. Blogging about blogging only connects with a tiny audience. The phrase itself, ‘blogging about blogging’, sounds horrible and probably means nothing to the majority of people reading this.

However point people in the way of websites like the Excel video blog to show them how to use the application or SSIA Watch to give them advice on how to spend their savings, and suddenly their interest has perked.

The big debate going on among PR circles on the Internet is that all press releases should be newsworthy and pitches should be applicable to the person you are sending them to. I think the rationale behind those arguments applies to all aspects of communication. It boils down to one simple idea - if don’t have anything interesting to say, then don’t say anything at all.

Organisations should pursue online communication initiatives that will be of interest to people and provide a good return on investment instead of just jumping on the bandwagon and setting up a blog or podcast for the sake of it.

Technorati Tags: Blogging, Blogs, Excel, Google, Microsoft, Mr Excel, Piaras Kelly, PR, Public Relations, Robert Scoble, SSIA Watch