Enterprise as Publisher?

Great observation from Tom at SiliconValley Watcher:

...blogging will enable effective and honest communications. Companies will communicate with their communities of customers.

The future is about the enterprise as publisher/publication.

Here is some proof of this trend, I've been sitting on this one for a while because it is so hot: Did you know that Cisco Systems' highly regarded online magazine, news@cisco.com, gets more hits than several of the largest US business and computer trade publications?!

I can step you through this one if you want ... but I think you already know what this means.

I see where he's going and it's an interesting thought. Customers want information, not just products. But instead of "enterprise as publisher," I prefer "enterprise as communicator." We need to listen before we speak. The Cisco news site is currently a one-way information street... yet the company is well-known for being close to customers. It shouldn't take long (operative word: "shouldn't") before their news site becomes more of a community with two-way dialogue. Cross fingers.

Side note: I'm curious as to why this Cisco example was used in a post about corporate blogs (they do have RSS on their news feed, which is a good start). Tom, if you read this, can you comment?

Comments

[jbr]

hey, me again....i happen to have contacts at the company of interest and will find out if, in fact, they do anything internally....

[john winsor]

Companies as the new Fourth Estate? Interesting...