REI to use Blog software to post content to their website

Interesting story posted on Internet Retailer on how REI is doing a limited rollout of blogging software to post content on the REI website.

Blogging software developed by Seattle e-mail technology
developer What Counts will, in effect, make bloggers out of store personnel who
use the tool to post local events and schedules. While that content will reflect
the personality of REI as a company to the extent that it supports company
values and mission, it's not, at this point, intended as an extended platform
for the personal attitudes of the individual blogger.

"We're using blogging technology, but it really will not be
presented as a blog," says Reynolds. We are not educating the 50 or so users
that they are going to be blogging. We're simply creating a new user interface
that makes it incredibly simple to post content."

This was a topic of discussion in my last 4As IT committee meeting and I poo-poo-ed the idea! Even the Mason Technologist gets it wrong some times ;-). Well, obviously blogging software will never replace robust content management systems, but its an interesting idea.

Actually I suggested doing a similar thing on the bruegger's news page. We have added an RSS 2.0 feed, but why not make the news page a "blog" to post not only press releases, but video and audio news as well as other news items that don't necessarily warrant a full press release. I'll let you know when it goes live.