Yahoo has publicly published its employee blogging guidelines (version 1.0, no betas) and they are concise, intelligent, and actually quite helpful.
If you are blogging, whether for any company or not, they present some good advice you should take to heart. In fact, almost all companies could use Yahoo’s guidelines, just by crossing out the word “Yahoo”.
I say “almost all” because some companies are a bit paranoid about what their employees say. For instance, I have been leaked the first two sentences of Google’s blogging guidelines:
- 1. The first rule of Google is that you do not talk about Google.
2. The second rule of Google is that you do not talk about Google.
I wish I could legally reprint the rest (there’s a surprise ending).
Anyway, besides publishing the two-page+ PDF, Yahoo has linked to four of its bloggers and their advice. Jeremy Zawodny says:
- Basically, just about anyone can and will read what you publish. So keep that in mind. If you’re worried about what your Mom, manager, ex-coworker, or Terry Semel would think, listen to that instinct. And realize that once a cat is out of the bag, you can never get the damned thing back in. The blog world is incredibly efficient at spreading rumors, secrets, rants, hyperbole, and your mistakes. You’ll make mistakes. We all do. Just try to be smart about it.
- Yahoo!’s policy is wonderfully transparent:
1. We’re not going to save your ass.
2. You still work for us, so don’t blab secrets or we’ll hurt you.
3. Get someone smarter to do follow ups with money people.
4. Be nice to the people you spend eight++ hours a day with.
5. Get your facts straight BEFORE you post.
6. “It Sucks” is not a good post.
7. Blab about everything and nobody will like you.
i’d also love if more companies realized that their biggest asset is really their biggest asset. People want to hear from real people.
Hi, my name is JR Conlin and i work for (Will you cut that out‽)
i work for Yahoo!.
The others (Russel Beattie & Jeff Boulter) have yet to post their advice. Oh, and a something I noticed: Mark Jen shows up in Jeremy’s comments. Boy, that takes me back.
Link: Yahoo Publishes
Nathan Weinberg writes the popular InsideGoogle blog, offering the latest news and insights about Google and search engines.
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