ClickZ expert and Jupiter Research analyst Gary Stein takes a look back at 2004. His favorite topic? You guessed it:
The ability to tap into consumer conversations is fantastic and powerful. Companies are falling all over themselves trying to figure out how to use the blog phenomenon to their advantage. All too often, they conclude they should use blogs to talk. Please. Brands do enough talking as it is. Use the blog space to listen.
I read (on a blog, of course) Microsoft is doing just that: It uses tools such as PubSub and Bloglines to capture consumer feedback on its products. From that insight, it culls the most appropriate and appealing bits, which go directly into the next development meeting.
