Today’s poll analysis post was written by Erik Deckers, the owner of Professional Blog Service, a corporate blogging and social-media agency. He is also the co-author of “Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself,” due out in December 2010 from Pearson.
SmartPulse — our regular reader poll in SmartBrief on Social Media — tracks feedback from leading marketers about social-media practices and issues.
Our most recent poll question: Do you believe that ghost-blogging is an acceptable practice for businesses?
- Yes — 54.49%
- No — 45.51%
If you want to start a shouting match at a social-media conference, ask any of these questions: Who talks better smack, Jason Falls or Gary Vaynerchuk? Is WordPress or TypePad better? Is ghost-blogging ethical? While the first two questions can generate some energetic debates, if you want to enrage dozens of people at once, pose the ghost-blogging question at a conference, and then watch the fireworks.
But despite the controversy, ghost-blogging is an acceptable business practice, according to you, the social-media practitioners who responded. But just barely. (Insert your own hanging chad joke here.)
We asked you whether you thought ghost-blogging — writing blog posts on behalf of a corporate client — is an acceptable business practice, and 156 of you responded. The results are a little surprising, as 54.49% said “yes” and 45.51% said “no.”
The surprise was that it was so close. I actually believed the “yeas” would be around 60% or higher, so this shows that while blogging as a marketing tool is growing in acceptance in the corporate setting, and the need for ghost-blogging has grown, it’s still not getting much respect in the social-media community.
That’s because transparency and authenticity are still the battle cries for social-media purists. And while ghost-bloggers and their allies don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, people on the other side still believe it’s bad for companies to hire someone to write their blog posts for them.
Still, that doesn’t stop marketers from recognizing that blogging is important, but that they don’t have the time to do it themselves. So where will it end? Will ghost-blogging continue to grow in acceptance? Or will these numbers fall in the coming years?
What do you think? What’s good or bad about it? Why is it OK, or what makes ghost bloggers moral reprobates? Here’s the real challenge: Can you give your answer without using the words “transparency” or “authenticity?”
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Good point, well made, and useful too.
Of course the other reason for using ghost bloggers is that some business owners just don't have the skill, never mind the time – not everyone can write blog posts.
I look forward to getting to one of these shindigs where such discussion is rampant – must be great fun
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At the risk of being attacked, yes, I think ghost blogging is acceptable. I am a ghost blogger and wrote a post on it. Here is a link (it was too far back on CommentLuv)
http://simplystatedbusiness.com/2010/04/26/is-gho…
As I said in my post (which agrees with Babs), some of the best orators or business people are not comfortable writing. It's their ideas and I help them communicate them.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SmartBrief on SocMed, Barbara Saul, Kathy Meyer, Rob Birgfeld, Jason Murphy and others. Jason Murphy said: Is ghost-blogging an acceptable business practice? – Today's poll analysis post was written by Erik Deckers, the own… http://ow.ly/19qxhK [...]
I think it is perfectly acceptable, as long as it is not duplicate content. I hate that in the mortgage industry that we have a whole class that just lets one company do all of the content and none of it is original.
My word of caution though, eve though you are not writing you are still responsible for it and you better know what it says if your customers are reading it, you better read it and know it inside and out.
Dave
My recent post Where should I Market
I agree completely! As long as the person is informed about what's going on in the company, and it's reviewed by someone internally, I don't see a problem with it!
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rachel Levy and Rachel Levy, ghostwhisperers. ghostwhisperers said: @NEMultimedia Just commented. Thx for the push! http://bit.ly/b7yHQR: @NEMultimedia Just commented. Thx for the … http://bit.ly/bSsU9d [...]
I think it's fine to have a "ghost" for articles and posts, but I agree with Michelle. Social media is about finding an authentic voice, so if a company is hiring a "ghost" for the CEO and any other executives then they should state who this is written by. Why else do we call it transparency and openness? Michelle, why couldn't they put something like "thoughts of X CEO" and "written by X ghost"? I would appreciate that a lot more from a company.
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Mirna, I'm even willing to concede the writer's prerogative to have their name on the piece, as long as the CEO isn't taking credit for writing it.
Options:
"Endorsed by Joe CEO"
"Written for Company X , Endorsed by Joe CEO"
"By Amy Writer for Company X, Endorsed by Joe CEO"
Here's the thing — Joe CEO isn't the only person who knows he didn't write it, but that he's taking the credit for it. People talk, even if it's behind your back. Integrity matters.
Michelle Quillin for New England Multimedia
My recent post Your Brand- Your Name- Your Reputation- Who Are You- Really
Agreed Michelle! Great idea…there is a solution to everything!
My recent post 10 Must Have Free Apps for the Droid Phone
YES. Do you think the President writes his own speeches? Even CEOs and Executives do not write their own stuff. When Obama finishes a speech does he say "written by Joe John"? No. All businesses have multiple team members. Copywriters, writers, etc. Even Jay Leno does not write his own stuff anymore! But he gets credit, and the money. We live in the real world people.
I know it's common practice, but it doesn't pass the sniff test with people who expect integrity. And I think it even makes the CEO look underqualified — but only if he's passing the writing off as his own and he's discovered. In the real world, people talk about their bosses, and how "Mr. CEO didn't really write that. Amy did."
I think there's a better way. Perhaps "written by Amy Writer for Company X, authorized by Joe CEO" or even a simple "Endorsed by Joe CEO."
Michelle Quillin for New England Multimedia
My recent post 5 Cool Ideas to Get More Blog Traffic
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mirna Bard, Lance Gross. Lance Gross said: RT @MirnaBard: Commented on Is ghost-blogging an acceptable business practice? / SmartBlog On Social Media http://bit.ly/dfSTnY [...]
[...] to my blog post on the acceptability of ghost blogging. (Ignore the bad photo they’re [...]
The problem I see is ONLY with non-disclosed ghost blogging. Blog readers expect posts to be written by the blogger unless they are told it isn't. It's not like a presidential speech or ad where the audience knows it was created by a professional. Blog readers think they are getting to know a person by reading the thoughts and ideas of that person. When they comment, they think it is a discussion with the blogger. When they finally meet you in person and your knowledge,vocabulary, speech pattern, or even your sense of humor isn't what they expected, they will feel betrayed.
Karen, I see your last point. But that makes it a double standard for writing vs. speech. Again, The President is elected NOT just on his ideas. It is how they are presented. Everyone knows he has speech writers. Does he endorse them> You read brochures with the CEO on the flap. A lowly copywriter wrote the welcome. Is his name anywhere? no. So why should blogging be held to a greater standard? Not that I have a death wish saying it on this site but… Most Americans view blogging as a lower class of writing and information. The cousin of "real writing". It is presented as recreational writing. A sort of entertainment. It is the Entertainment Tonight of News Shows. I believe this is the wiggle room viewers are giving for Moral standards. Honestly, does anyone care whether it is really Perez Hilton writing the blog?
Not everyone can write well – and anyone that possesses the humility to know they don't write well should be commended – not forced to write "authentic" posts.
What I'd really like to know is why this site thinks SPLOGGING is acceptable? You're all over my trackbacks with this article. Ghost Splogging?
Welcome to Project Honeypot. You're now listed as a SPAMMER.
Hi Steve,
Wondering what you're referring to on this post. We definitely don't spam for trackbacks or anything else on this blog– so if it's happening, it's either a glitch or a innocent mistake. Definitely let us know so we can rectify. Thx.