When my series on the future of blogging was in full stride, I noticed one site that referred to it was Pheedo.com. Not knowing who they were at the time, I paid little attention. However, I took a few minutes recently to research the site and, boy, I'm excited about what they're doing.

First things first. In the Pheedo blog they added their own thoughts about blogging's future. What they have to say is well worth reading, so please do. Now, down to business. . .

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In yesterday's post on Pheedo, I barely referenced the fact that they are an internet advertising company. Well, that is their business. In the bigger picture, they are harbingers of the next incarnation of the web. Ardent advocates of the new genre of social media - blogs and RSS specifically.

According to Pheedo "consumers are exasperated by the onslaught of spam, pop-up advertising and general web clutter." Amen to that! Preach it, brother!

I also like the stab they take at contextual marketing (AdSense). . .

"Today's online advertising landscape is "one size fits all." It seems all the talk is around placing any ad on your site as long as it's text, contains 2 description lines and a display URL. You've created your weblog to express your passion and uniqueness. You shouldn't have to rely on a "cookie-cutter" advertising system to monetize your traffic."

It all comes down to a phase shift in understanding the purpose of the internet. It's not only about gleaning information. It's more about engaging in conversation. Pheedo understands that, and are posturing themselves to take advantage of this new paradigm.

Actually, I'm just trying to come up with a catchy title for what has been an odd day in terms of opportunities to discuss blogging. . .

I've had three back-to-back opportunities to evangelize about blogging with three different people, all from different walks of life, professions and such. The first was a phone conversation with a political pundit who is considering blogs as a way to enhance her presence on the web. The second was with an attorney I met at the local airport where I fly. The third was with a very articulate Methodist pastor who is looking for an outlet for his sermons and such.

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Friendster, known for breaking new ground in online social networking and promoting self-expression among peers, fired one of its employees Monday for her personal blog.

Joyce Park, a developer hired in January to rewrite the site's code, changing it to PHP. She blogged about it using the phrase "unacceptably poky site performance." That post got her fired.

Two comments. . .

• Woe be unto Friendster. If they weren't a company whose sole purpose was to promote social networking and interaction, it might be different. The blogosphere will not be kind to them.



• Employees who choose to blog about your work on your personal blogs. . .let's put it this way, "forewarned is forearmed."

Here's just another article on the growth of blogging and its entry into the mainstream. Ho-hum!

Just be patient while I get this out of my system. . .

I googled the keyword phrase "future of blogging" and found numerous voices speaking to the subject. In an effort to be the de facto site speaking to this subject (just kidding), I am listing the best of the best that I found.

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In commenting on my previous post on this subject Fredrik Wackå, of CorporateBlogging.info, mentioned his own classification of business blogs. His discussion of that topic is excellent and well worth reading.

What makes for a successful blog? Is lots and lots of traffic a clue? If so, then Instapundit, Andrew Sullivan, and Doc Searls have successful blogs. Is it the bloggers ability to consistently update the blog with substantive information? Is it personality or style? How well the site is designed? Other?

I'd really like to hear from you, get your opinion. My comments are turned on. So. . .comment! To prime your pump, here's a post from D. Kenneth Robinson that might be of help.

I told you. . .I'm not good with birthdays.

This past Monday, August 23, Blogger turned five years old. Can't believe I missed the party! Congratulations guys! (Now, if you'd just add trackbacks.)

If blogging is five years old now, I guess that means it's in kindergarten. Just think where we'll be in another five!

It's obvious a marketer didn't coin the term "blog." With blogging moving into the mainstream I think the word actually works against the advancement of the technology.

Before blogging reaches a tipping point, let me propose we come up with something a bit more palatible from a marketing standpoint. (Yea, I know it's too late. . .but, then again, maybe not!) I mean, be honest, the term sounds like part of a title from a 1950's B movie: "The 'Blog' That Ate Cincinnati" or some such gosh-awful thing.

I'm not the only one thinking this way. A company known as Business Logs, as the name implies, develops blogs for business. Only they don't call them blogs. They call them business logs. (Again, as the name implies.) Why? Because, like me, they feel business executives associate the term blogs with "personal ranty dialogs run by teenagers." To them blogs is a dirty word.

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