MARKETING: The Next Big Interactive Thing

Blogs, blogs, social networking, blogs, handhelds, blogs, and blogs. According to AdAge, those are the next "big things" coming from the iMedia Brand Summit in Florida. Sometimes we think people just like saying the word blog. As marketers look to capitalize on the blog phenom more commercial marketers are buying ad space on niche blogs and some are looking to bring bloggers into the fold with freebies or cash (blogola) or seed blogs with fake posters. The last two tactics present obvious challenges for the blogosphere as it looks to make good on the promise and maintain the validity of bottom-up media.

Groups looking to push an issue through a blogger or seed blogs with fake postings be warned. The blogosphere can smell a rat a mile away and they will unleash a backlash that can undermine your campaign. Business 2.0 shakes the backlash stick at MTV2 for seeding blogs with fake insider postings in its MTV2 viral campaign.