« A Report on Blogging | Main | Google's G1: Something Else To Get Unjustifiably Excited Over »

September 23, 2008

Blogger evolution

Posted by Bruce Clay

Two and a half years ago Susan and I thought that we needed a blogger to help get the word out about our beliefs and support for our still emerging industry. We were in need of a new writer. The industry and business was growing, opportunities to comment constructively and with a bit of humor were plentiful and Susan was complaining that she needed to sleep at least once a week. Still hasn't happened.

When Lisa was interviewed, she was a sweet, shy, quiet girl. Or so we thought. It was obvious that she was a great writer, and from a great school newspaper so we knew she could speak her mind. And so we gave her the new Bruce Clay Blog. Sometimes things come together just the right way and you get magic. You hope it will be exciting and a leader in the industry. We wanted it to take on a life of it' own, and through Lisa it did just that. We found that, quite by accident, we'd found exactly the right person for the right task. It turns out Lisa wasn't just a writer; she was a blogger and an engaging one at that. Her fresh, witty, snarky style (we have other adjectives) gave a new twist to the same old news and it was our privilege to help her grow her voice and find her footing. She's made the blog a must read in an industry full of incredibly smart people and she developed the style for the incredibly complete BC liveblogging style that makes our coverage the best out there. Losing Lisa is a setback for us all.

If we could have kept Lisa forever, we would. Chains, rope and duct tape simply were inappropriate, and the handcuffs offered by cupcakes only go so far when you miss your home. Life intervened and Lisa will be moving back to New York. We'll miss Lisa's voice around here. Her passion and drive were as valuable to the success of our company as her way with words. She has always stood up for what she believed in, fought for those who needed a voice, given a spotlight to emerging talent and shared knowledge freely to everyone. She fit well here and projected the spirit of the company with every post.

I do not think any of our industry blogs has lost such a significant voice, and I'm sure this is not the last. Don't worry; the blog will still be here, albeit in a different fashion, while we try to replace The Lisa. Like a TV newscast that has lost its anchor, we will undergo "Blogger Evolution" and continue to bring our views to the industry. We don't want someone to just imitate Lisa--she's irreplaceable in that sense -- we want to bring in an equally strong voice to move the blog forward from here. And we know that Lisa's voice isn't one that's going to be quiet for long either. You can't keep a good writer down.

She's been part of our team for a long time and she will continue to be part of our family. We wish her all the best and thank her for everything she's given us. Now where's that duct tape?

Posted at September 23, 2008 1:55 PM
View related entries in: SEM Industry

Comments

Posted by: derrick wheeler at September 23, 2008 2:56 PM

Posted by: Kate Morris at September 23, 2008 3:34 PM

Posted by: Adam Audette at September 23, 2008 7:26 PM

Posted by: Lily at September 23, 2008 10:21 PM

Posted by: Pam at September 24, 2008 12:28 AM

Posted by: Alan Bleiweiss at September 24, 2008 1:44 AM

Posted by: Angela Moore at September 24, 2008 5:32 AM

Posted by: Dan Perry at September 24, 2008 7:32 AM

Posted by: Jeremy Bolt at September 24, 2008 8:48 PM

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? Yes No

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)