Interview With BL Ochman Of What’s Next

And before that?

I used to work in PR, I ran an agency for 15 years. Then in the 90s I got seduced by the internet, took time off and retooled myself.

So, what’s your site about?

The b l og is about internet marketing mixed with a little politics and trends. My website is about my Internet marketing business and has a library of my articles over the past 10 years.

I sometimes get the impression What’s Next is a PR blog…

The blog is not about PR. I”m a recovering publicist. I cover PR as part of marketing, but I don’t focus on PR. It’s about internet marketing. There are bloggers with greater PR focus such as Steve Rubel.

What drives you to write a blog?

It’s the community that has been created amongst bloggers. I have created new relationships with new friends that have refreshing ideas that are ahead of the curve. In fact, it’s the first time in my career that I feel I am truly a journalist.

I also do get a good number of sales for my reports through the web. And , because people get to know you through your content, they get to like you and then they hire you.

My recent experience with Business Week was a remarkable example of the power of blogging. I was misquoted in a story and I used my blog and theirs to complain about it. WIthin a matter of hours the reporter posted an apology, changed the story online, and promised to include a correction in the next print edition.

You get quite a few readers. Why do people visit your site?

People use it for news and information. They also use it for my commentary – there’s something to be said about having 30 years experience and the perspective that comes with it.

Soon, I’m going to launch daily newsletters – it’s important to give people information in the way they want it – in RSS, on the blog or via email.

So what do you advise your clients about blogging?

I tell them that blogs are a wonderful tool – but they’re no the be all and end all. Blog software has changed the scene – we now have these wonderful tools that give people with no tehcnical skills or html knowledge 100% control over Internet publishing. You can update anything in an instant, you can control the look and feel of the blog with templates or style sheets .

Can you tell me some great examples of brands that use blogs?

Stonyfield Farms http://www.stonyfield.com/weblog/ – you get a sense of their company, learn about the cows, see that they’re listening to customer’s worries, ideas for kids lunches. Also Jones Soda – current, community, kids have their own blog. And the Nokia lifeblog is simply brilliant.

Blogs allow brands to join the conversation with their customers. There is a lot of vigilante journalism out there. Brands must get involved and understand the roots behind the classic “your product sucks.”

So how do your fellow PR professionals retool? Is there a course?

No. You have to go on line and ask the questions. You have to understand where your brand fits in.

If there’s one point they should remember: the same old bullshit brands have been generating for years isn’t going to be accepted anymore.