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• Marketing and marketing
  I work in the field of marketing, but have been involved in the
  social media thing for some time, so can probably see both
  sides reasonably well. I am also English so hate to be sold at so
  that also may introduce some bias.
  
  Essentially I think that marketing comes in many degrees. For
  me it is fine to use say Google adwords and SEO to ensure that if
  someone searches for a generic term our name comes up. I
  don't even have a problem with advertising against a competitor,
  or them advertising against us. This seems like it is offering the
  consumer another option that they may like to consider. Another
  thing I think is reasonable is using Google's content network to
  serve ads to blogs and website that may be discussing things
  relate to your product.
  
  Yet another thing that is acceptable as far as I am concerned are
  things like white papers that provide valuable content, and the
  added marketing benefits of incoming links to your site.
  
  Having said what I think is acceptable I have been reading
  research recently that discusses reducing spending by
  enmploying people to 'seed' blogs. This is a conversational form
  of marketing but in my book is just not acceptable. Involving
  yourself in blogs and conversations should only be done if you
  genuinely have something to add to a conversation, and not as a
  way to sell your product. Why, because it is intrusive and often
  done in a misleading manner, with the person in many cases
  failing to declare their interest, or conflict of interest.
  
  In short I believe that there are places to sell in a blog, but these
  should be clear that this is what is happening. After all if TV
  programs now have to declare their interests, why shouldn't
  bloggers and contributers do the same.

  September 13, 2007

  0 replies