Blegomaniacs!

You knew it would happen sooner or later. It’s inevitable, really. Blogging has provided individuals with a new pulpit and PR folks, in particular, a lapping up the limelight. As a result, I’d like to introduce a new term, Blego; defined as your blogging ego. Those with a big Blego are Blegomaniacs.

I guess the question we all asked ourselves when we started blogging is, “Why do I want to start a blog?” My answer is that I want to better communicate with my industry peers. I learn something new each day and it makes me a better PR consultant. I also didn’t want to recommend this form of communication to my clients without being a participant. Lastly, I enjoy spreading the word about my firm, Voce Communications. I’m proud of our team, our firm, and pf my chosen profession, and I want to engage in an online discourse with my peers to learn more about PR and sharpen the skills I offer my clients.

Why are you blogging? Are you a Blegomaniac? Have you always wanted the spotlight for yourself instead of turning it over to your clients? Or are you helping to brand your firm? Are you branding yourself so you can strike it out on your own?

I don’t care how long you’ve been blogging or how many links you’ve chalked up around the blogosphere. I care about content. What do you offer your readers? And we should all agree on something else. Just because you blog doesn’t mean you’re a journalist. That’s an insult to journalists. Writing a few paragraphs is not the same as chasing a story, managing a list of sources and writing under deadline. Tell me when you start making money from your blog and then you can carry that title. For now, we are all bloggers – online writers. Like all the “actors” that are waiting tables in L.A. Let’s enjoy this for what it is – a new form of online communication. A way to connect with our peers, our contacts, and our family and friends.

PR bloggers need to stick together. Practice what you preach, folks. Validate this form of communication by encouraging others to join us. Compliment one another. Open source your ideas and help make this a win-win for the PR community. Don’t let your Blego get in the way.

Comments

[Matthew Podboy]

Great point, David! A jerk off who starts a blog is still a jerk off.

[David Burn]

I like the terminology and the check your blego at the login thinking here. One thought to add. Perhaps the offending bloggers were jerk offs well before they started blogging.

[Bobby Masteria]

Hi, you might want to reconsider the blego and blegomaniac terms because the verb to bleg and the noun blegger are already defined and in use and have a different meaning that might confuse users.
I suggest blogego, instead.

[Jeremy]

Very well put. I have this argument with our old colleague, Richard, all the time that most of the bloggers out there are in it for self-aggrandization. Well, I use the term mental ...

But, as you can probably tell in my blog, I go on my Quixotic campaigns. I blog about PR, and other issues, and things that I think we should get behind as an industry. And, if I want people to read a certain post, I email it out - like the War Eagle post.

Egoism is just a part of humanity, and the sniping amongst blogs will always go on, because someone always has to be top dog.