Comments on: Woot, you may be witty, but that’s not a real blog

By: A bit too cheeky? » Shop.org Blog

A bit too cheeky? » Shop.org Blog — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:35:53 +0000

[...] blogged before about Woot.com, one of my favorite online retailers. Their writing style is incredibly witty, often [...]

By: Content Blog

Content Blog — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:40:47 +0000

Are Product Descriptions Blog Posts?…

If you just want to publish product descriptions by someone cryptically called “pod” it’s better you just have such pages on your main website.

……

By: Are Product Descriptions Blog Posts? | Content Writing and CopyWriting Blog

Are Product Descriptions Blog Posts? | Content Writing and CopyWriting Blog — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:40:47 +0000

[...] Stephan Spencer on Business Blog Consulting says Woot, you may be witty, but that’s not a real blog. To an extent I do agree. No matter how funny the blog is (it’s actually a rehash of whatever is published on the actual website), it’s after all a collection of product descriptions wrapped in the packet of humor. Where’s the room for conversation? Where is the room for controversy? Or even truth? [...]

By: Bloggers For Hire - A “day in the life” of a Corporate Blog Professional

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:47:39 +0000

[...] Stephan Spencer a fellow contributor at Business Blog Consulting, discusses what makes a corporate blog. He calls out Woot.com for their corporate blog. Stephan echoes ( there is that word again) my sentiments: [...]

By: Jim Turner

Jim Turner — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:22:59 +0000

*runs to see if Woot.com has blogger job opening*

A blog that merely scrapes and publishes previous copy. What a great job. A typical work day for Woot.com blogger:

Blogger: Hi Frank, nice game last night huh?

Frank: Yeah Mary, I can’t talk about it right now I am preparing for that board meeting and I have yet to get all my spreadsheets done and I have yet to get it collated and fashioned for presentation. I have been here since 5:00 a.m.

Blogger: I’ver had a rough time of it recently too Frank. My Control + C and Control + V buttons have been down all week. I have had to hand code all of that content after right clicking since Monday. I’m told it will be up and running again by next Monday.

Frank: That’s rough Mary. Hey can you hand me that stack of data over on the floor? I need to make sure it is in my report.

Blogger: Sorry Frank, the IT group is here to look at my problem. I have to go, and I told my husband I would pick up the kids after I deposited my paycheck. Did you get the Christmas bonus this year? Wow, who knew production was up 26% huh? Good luck on that presentation!

Okay, am I the only one seeing the old crew from SNL doing that skit? Whew I spent a long time on that comment, I need some coffee, and return to my feed reader. See you guys later. Rick have you sent the advertising revenue share this month? My kid wants one of those new Mac book things.

By: Stephan Spencer

Stephan Spencer — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 19:04:22 +0000

Point taken, Dave. But I think if they are using a blog platform solely as a content management system, they are mislabeling it by calling it a Blog. We use WordPress as a CMS for netconcepts.com, but we don’t call it a blog. Maybe it’s just semantics, but I wouldn’t say that woot.com has a “blogger” on staff, or that they are a “blogging” company. Their “staff blogger” is a scraper script.

By: Dave Taylor

Dave Taylor — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:50:07 +0000

Oh how I wish you would say “product descriptions does not a GOOD blog make” because, of course, a blog is just a tool for publishing and managing content. Woot is unquestionably a blog in that sense. Is it as good as it could be? Is it accomplishing the goals they seek? Maybe. Maybe that’s just how they’re pushing out a different flavor of RSS feed.