Mozilla Foundation wants at making RSS usable by mere mortals: If they're going to do anything with RSS like they've done with FireFox and Thunderbird, then I have faith that RSS will grow like wildfire with a few evolutionary tweaks. [via ZDNet]

BlogHer comes under fire for playing by the rules: The rules are that white men run everything and women need to carve out their niche. Ideally, according to Elisa, we'd all be on the level and let the meritocracy play out as it may. Until then, we need events like BlogHer. Stop bitching. You could have gone if you wanted to. On second thought, keep bitching, any good cause needs opposition and they could use the continued press to fuel the growth of the organization.

Journalists still writing the phrase "Blogging enters the mainstream" indicates that they are surely not in the mainstream. Shit people, blogging is so 2003. Write about something beyond the bubblegum BS.

Top (hosted) blogging services among bloggers are Blogger, Livejournal, Typepad, Xanga and the rest just trickle off. Movable Type, obviously not included, probably due to the lack of convience of sniffing out all of the sites run by MT, or WordPress for that matter, likely takes up a spot high on the list as well. [via ZDNet]

Blogging doesn't pay off for everyone: Kirsten posted some time ago that she was shutting it down. Her blog, that is. Many of us have blogging and bloggers to be a boon to our respective businesses. As we always say, it's not for everyone [via Chicago Tribune]

Hey Dana,

That's my hometown newspaper on the "mainstream thing" - take it easy. Don't worry though I have an interview scheduled with the reporter and I might even casually mention the word podcast.

John

Hmm. Interesting points.

As I suggested yesterday on ABC News, we need to ask two questions:

(1) Are blogs profitable? No. I don't know of any company that has perfected this business model.

(2) Are blogs valuable? Yes, for trumpeting your company message and sharing tools and resources with your customers or clients. Depending on your target market, however, there may be more efficient marketing vehicles.

In the end, it all comes down to setting objectives and measuring results for your company blog. MMROI (measuring marketing return on investment) is especially important for small business owners with limited time and tight budgets. Our company, re:invention, helps women-led businesses increase sales and gain national media exposure. We also work with Fortune 1000 companies, helping them build marketing plans that reach women executives and entrepreneurs. We have found that other marketing vehicles -- namely sponsorships (such as Springboard Enterprises Venture Forum Midwest), public relations, conferences, and tradeshows -- are more effective and appealing means of engaging our potential clients. Few Fortune 1000 executives are trolling online reading blogs. And blog readership skews heavily male and under 35.

Thank you for considering my comments. Appreciate your musing over the Tribune article! Too bad the Trib photo of myself and my SVP Melissa isn't online (it is my last photo as a blonde, and may someday be worth a mint.) LOL. ;)

P.S. Note to John Jantsh...Podcasting? Ho-hum. Community commerce platforms where entrepreneurs can sell and exchange products and services rather than merely advertise them. Alternative mobile devices that ping you when someone in your Linkedin network (even twice removed) is 10 steps away from you. Ahh! Those new generation media technologies get my heart a'pounding.