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Monday, May 29, 2006

Is There A Blog in SEMI's Future?


An abbreviation of "weblog," blogs are websites that take the form of online journals, updated frequently with running commentary on one or many topics. A blog is the easiest way to provide regularly updated information to specific audiences. Consequently, blogs are replacing many intranets, knowledge management applications, and other info-sharing solutions in-front-of and behind corporate firewalls.

This blog was created in just a few hours to demonstrate how blogs could be used in SEMI. The posts below provide information on how blogs are used in both internal and external enterprise communications and contain links to articles and websites on enterprise blogging (the “dummy” links to the right are setup to provide an example of how a Marcom blog would link to dynamic content on schedules and tools that need to be shared SEMI-wide). I have added comments to the blog to showcase the interactive dialog that these tools enable and encourage.

Because the blog creation process is simpler than websites or print design, blogs enable organizations to easily publish a stream of constantly updated, linked content. Most blogs are directed towards external audiences and cover alerts, news clips, human interest stories, and opinion. Blogs are also increasingly being used as internal communications tools, often replacing Intranets, for organizations to update co-workers on progress, department activities, company news, and other proprietary and internal-interest information. What's very distinct to blogs is the personal voice in which these stories are told. Another key feature of blogs is their interactivity; responses to blog postings (and links to other blogs) create a dialog with readers and help nurture the formation of online communities. Blogs usually feature:
  • Brief entries running one-three paragraphs in length.
  • One or more columns on the page, with new content added to the largest column.
  • Sidebars linking to other blogs, previous posts or other comments.
  • Updates added at the top of the blog, so that entries read in reverse chronological order. This approach makes it easy for readers to find the most recent content.
  • Lots of links within blog entries (to other blogs, websites, and articles in your e-newsletter, as well as audio and video files). Some blog entries also feature photos.
  • Frequent updates, with updating schedules from several times daily to two-three times each week.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I have been quoted saying that, in the future, all companies will be Internet companies. I still believe that. More than ever, really"
Andrew Grove

Anonymous said...

"The new information technology, Internet and e-mail, have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications."

Anonymous said...

This is terrific - I'm happy SEMI is moving into the new age of communication! I'm not a blog expert but it seems to be a fast, easy and interactive way of sharing information. Much more efficient and dynamic than email. Thanks, Marketing!