Our company (a medium sized global corporation) is considering new
ways to communicate with customers.  What are the advantages & disadvantages of
setting up a Blog site vs. an online Bulletin Board?

Dear connie12,


The characteristics that set a blog apart from other types of websites
are that its information is frequently updated, chronologically arranged,
and authored by a small number of content creators. A bulletin board is
also frequently updated, but its information is arranged not so much
chronologically as topically, while its content tends to be authored
by a far greater number of people, with much less distinction between
users and administrators than one finds on a blog.

In light of these differences, the advantages of a blog over a bulletin
board for the purpose of advertising and customer relations are as
follows.


Advantage: Blog
---------------

- narrow focus:
    chronological updates ensure that newest article is seen first,
    whereas bulletin boards show content from past and present on
    the same page

- information aging:
    with linear archiving, oldest content is farthest away from user,
    while bulletin-board users can bring old content to the fore
    merely by accessing it

- content control:
    the limited number of authors eases content filtering and message
    shaping, whereas the more democratic nature of a bulletin board
    means that users can introduce poorly wrought or controversial
    material

- ease of use:
    blogs offer a simple interface with little choice besides reading,
    while bulletin boards offer many more options -- responding,
    quoting, linking -- that can dilute the company's message

- technical simplicity:
    the back end of a blog is easy to install locally or to administer
    remotely as a hosted solution, requiring a lower level of computer
    skills than a bulletin board


On the other hand, a bulletin board is superior in the following respects.


Advantage: Bulletin Board
-------------------------

- user involvement
    the interactive nature of a bulletin board means that users can
    have their own say, easing two-way interaction with the company
    and potentially acting as an abundant source of free content

- dynamic categorization
    in contrast to a blog, which tends to organize information
    in strict chronology, a bulletin board can sort articles
    hierarchically and topically, so that old but useful material
    remains persistent and easily found

- market studies
    a blog is a mouthpiece for the corporation, but a bulletin board
    with an active user base affords the corporation an opportunity
    to observe its customers and potential customers, giving it a
    barometer or even a laboratory for market research

- hands-off administration
    in contrast to a blog, which requires constant servicing by a
    qualified team of professional authors, an active bulletin board
    can eventually assume a life of its own as its most prolific
    users become the de facto content creators, leaving mainly
    back-end technical service as the company's responsibility


It has been a pleasure to address this question on your behalf.

Regards,

leapinglizard

Thanks..this info will help us in our evaluation!