A blog by any other name…

Michael Arrington just started an excellent discussion, wrapped in a really silly question. He wants to know if blogs that don’t allow comments actually meet the definition of blogs. Um… do we care what we call them? It doesn’t matter whether it’s called a blog, a journal, a forum, or what-have-you. The key question here really is whether companies are committed to engaging in dialogue with their customers (which, to be fair, is Arrington’s point). According to one comment, arguing (ironically enough) against the need for comments, “…you can still respond on your own blog.” Sure. But why would you want to, how does that resemble a dialogue, and how do both you and the company benefit from that arrangement? Customers have always been able to commiserate with their friends and neighbors about companies they didn’t like. How did those companies have a way to engage in the discussion? What the web in general, and Web 2.0 specifically, has done so well is provide a voice to consumers that enables collaboration between companies and their customers. Both benefit from the opportunity to talk directly to one another.

Historically, customers voted with their feet and bought from someone else when dissatisfied with the products and services they received from a given company. However, that resulted in companies left scratching their heads, unsure what happened to lose that customer. Today that reality doesn’t need to exist. Call it what you will. Companies who plan to succeed in the long run must recognize the fact that customers now want to participate in a dialogue, and provide the opportunity for that to happen.