I was intrigued to see the launch of Crikey’s blog network (blogs.crikey.com.au) this week, which along with Duncan Riley’s Tyranny of Numbers (www.duncanriley.com) post highlights how the Australian social media landscape is evolving.
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I've been watching the changes with interest and thought this was as good a time as any to reflect on Telstra's status as Australia’s largest organisation that blogs and more importantly ask what you think of our approach.
The origins of nowwearetalking.com.au
Three years ago, Telstra had a difficult time getting its point of view across in the media. To help address this problem, nowwearetalking.com.au, was established as an alternative communication channel to promote Telstra’s point of view. For example, unpublished letters to the editor were given a second life through exposure on nowwearetalking.com.au.
Telstra also wanted to encourage genuine two way communication between Telstra and its stakeholders. To initiate the conversation, a central focus of nowwearetalking.com.au was a series of Telstra blogs written by Telstra staff on numerous topics – a first by a major Australian corporation.
nowwearetalking.com.au would also source and produce written and video content from all perspectives – including those who did not agree with Telstra. The goal was to stimulate debate on issues related to Telstra’s contribution to the future of telecommunications in Australia, in terms productivity, economic contribution, the environment and so on.
Broadband Australia Campaign
Apart from being an additional communication channel, nowwearetalking.com.au became the ‘virtual headquarters’ in the Broadband Australia Campaign. The aim of the campaign was raising the profile of broadbanding Australia to become a national issue in the months leading up to the last federal election.
Telstra’s former head of Public Policy and Communication, Phil Burgess, spent his days travelling across Australia promoting the social and economical benefits of a national broadband program. Phil gave more than 80 official presentations and countless other informal presentations outlining why telecommunication is too important to be left to politicians or regulators to decide Australia’s future.
When Phil speaks, the media reports, and this in turn generated greater public awareness and interest. In Phil’s presentations he directed the audience to nowwearetalking.com.au to learn more about the issues.
nowwearetalking.com.au used multimedia tools to communicate the campaign’s key messages and allowed users to share and debate viewpoints in a public forum.
As the virtual headquarters of the Broadband Australia Campaign, nowwearetalking.com.au successfully recruited and energised employees, shareholders and people interested in the issue.
This group became known as the Telstra Active Supporters. This engaged group of individuals were encouraged to share the benefits of broadband through letters to newspapers, calls to talk radio, and discussions around the backyard BBQ.
- Check out Tony Boyd’s commentary in Business Spectator (www.businessspectator.com.au) that highlights the pros and cons of the site.
Does nowwearetalking.com.au add value to the Australian social media scene?
When Telstra couldn’t get support from institutions like mainstream media and the government, it used the Broadband Australia Campaign to recruit like-minded individuals. During the campaign, nowwearetalking.com.au was the communications hub of an integrated communications strategy that allowed site visitors to share their thoughts and ideas.
Another important aim of nowwearetalking.com.au is to give room for Telstra's many audiences – customers, shareholders, employees and others – to make their voice heard
Regardless of the blogosphere’s criticisms of nowwearetalking.com.au being biased and pro-Telstra, it is transparent and posts comments that traditional corporate affair managers would dismiss in a second.
Tell me what you think
The Broadband Australia Campaign showed that nowwearetalking.com.au isn’t just about publishing Telstra's perspective – it’s also about listening.
I’d like to request a favour from you – to share your honest opinion of nowwearetalking.com.au.
I've read most of the commentary out there in the years since nowwearetalking.com.au was launched. Despite some of the criticisms I believe nowwearetalking.com.au is committed to an honest and open conversation, and in that spirit - I invite you to leave a comment below or post your thoughts on your own blog.
I'll be sure to feature comments and posts in an upcoming post here on my blog, as well as pass them around our team.
To get us started - I’ve tagged some of my favourite Aussie bloggers – so Darren Rowse (www.problogger.net), Duncan Riley (www.duncanriley.com), Cameron Reilly (gdayworld.thepodcastnetwork.com), Trevor Cook (trevorcook.typepad.com), Stephen Collins (www.acidlabs.org), Gavin Heaton (www.servantofchaos.com), Lee Hopkins (leehopkins.net) and Laurel Papworth (silkcharm.blogspot.com) – care to share your thoughts?