Wal-mart is no shining example of how to use blogs for marketing/PR purposes, but their latest attempt, Checkoutblog.com, has an air of authenticity about it.
I wrote a not-too-congratulatory post back when it kicked off last December and, considering the NY Times has now covered it, decided it was time to revisit the site to see what improvements, if any, have been made.
What I like...
It's personal - The bloggers, who are all Wal-Mart buyers (for electronic gadgets, gaming and green products), share personal anecdotes and insights. Even with a business blog, there is room for such practice, so long as it doesn't overshadow the main topic of the blog.
For example, this anecdote from the Super Tuesday Recap post...
"Am I the only one that has been completely engrossed by this election cycle? I have found myself relieved that the NFL season is finally over so that I can take ESPN out of my new channel routinue...now it is Fox News, CNN, and CSPAN. I am still searching for a Capitol Hill Fanatasy League I can dominate!"
It's unfiltered - That's what the Times said, and it does appear to be. There's even an unfiltered feel to the comments, not all of which are complimentary. (That was my first clue. Heh.)
It's frequently updated - Posts appear on a daily basis, or nearly so. Of course, with nine bloggers that's not hard to do.
What I don't like...
It's somewhat superficial - Engadget it ain't, but, then again, it's not trying to be. Many of the posts come in the form of announcements about new products, which, when you consider that it's W-M buyers writing the stuff, would be what you'd expect.
It covers too wide a range of topics - I'm thinking of its impact where search engines are concerned. I mean it covers everything from gadgets to movies to lawn care. I tend to want blogs to be very niche-focused and this one is a bit wide. Probably SEO is not Wal-Mart's biggest concern here though.
In summary...
Having created blogs for companies over the years, including one for a fertilizer and grass seed company, I think this attempt at using blog technology to stimulate conversations between the retail giant and its customers is largely admirable. Could it be that W-M is finally getting it right? What do you think?
Does Wal-Mart believe in this site? If so, why isn't Wal-Mart promoting this site? If not, how authentic is it?
Posted by: Duke Hillard | March 05, 2008 at 04:11 PM