Ours is Not to Reason Why…

Shel Holtz wrote a timely post for me today, regarding a call for a true definition of transparency in business. As it happened, I was discussing that very topic with a group of young communicators today during a presentation about CustomScoop.

After giving the group a basic primer in social media, I fielded a question asking why it is that a company wishing to respond to something on a blog or forum couldn’t use an anonymous voice to do so; why is it that we have to be transparent?

I am doubtless not the only social media enthusiast to encounter this question from newbies. When it comes to anonymous commenting, ghostblogging, etc…what’s the big deal about full disclosure?

My answer was simple, and is the response that those nixing the idea of ghostblogging have been screaming from the rooftops: If you don’t disclose your agenda, not to mention who you really are, the conversation is not authentic.  We have been saying all along that what makes a blog such a powerful communications tool is the opportunity it provides to truly communicate directly with the consumer. Communication from behind the shroud of another organization or writer isn’t direct, nor is it a conversation.

And no one will be quicker to point that out than the blogosphere. Ghostwritten blogs and comments have a way of being called out, and fast. So why risk the embarrassment and backpedaling? The honest approach will always win you more support than attempting to pull the wool over 70 million plus very watchful eyes.

In his post, Shel takes a definition offered by Paul Argenti, who defines transparency as “a strategy and a condition.” Interesting way to put it for an industry so used to strategies quite the opposite of transparent.  Today’s PR pros are more accustomed to remaining in the background, and taking more circumspect approaches to spreading and controlling their client’s message.

The group of young communications professionals I met with this morning all seemed surprised by the idea of full disclosure, and why wouldn’t they? Until recently, the mentality has been to promote the client, not ourselves. By admitting who we are and who we work for, do we undermine our clients?

Not so long as we act wisely and professionally, and avoid dunking them into hot water via misuse of social media. While the game-changing nature of the new media landscape may not be news to some of us, it’s important to remember that for most, it is an entirely new ballgame with an entirely new set of rules to learn.

Technorati tags: Shel Holtz; transparency, ghostblogging