Blogging the eBay Way

If you witnessed the recent uproar over eBay's decision to restructure its fees, you know that website's users can be an opinionated crowd. And you can bet the company put plenty of thought into its new corporate blog, which is sure to be critiqued nine ways to Sunday.

So as you plan your company's blog—or brainstorm potential improvements—you might want to consider these points, from an interview the blog's author, Richard Brewer-Hay, gave to Fortune Small Business magazine:

-Hire an independent blogger to bolster credibility.
EBay assigned an outsider to oversee the blog. And Brewer-Hay insists on independence. "My words go straight up onto the blog, unedited," he tells FSB. "There's got to be an authenticity to it, an honesty to it, otherwise there's no point in doing it in the first place."

-Offer rich content.
The blog will cover everything from conversations with eBay's CEO to discussions of the company's "green" credentials. Watch for employee contributions and Q&A sessions with the blog's readership.

-Allow all voices to be heard.
"People can comment … and comments are going to be open. You're going to get the good, the bad, and the ugly," Brewer-Hay says.

The Po!nt: "[T]his is first time [eBay users] will have the opportunity to talk directly to us," concludes Brewer-Hay. "I've read things out there in the blogosphere. They are one-way dialogues right now, and I'm looking forward to making them two-way conversations."

Source: Fortune Small Business.