I’ve been having a running conversation with Chris Kieff about the ideas of authenticity, transparency, and flogging. We agree on most things, disagree on some others.

I have a problem with something he says. Not because I disagree, but because I think he may, in the end, be correct. And there’s not much we can do about it.

Until last week, he was one of the purists. Someone who would be upset at flogging and want to point it out. Then he had a conversation with his favorite focus group. It was a focus group of one. His wife.

A couple of years ago I was talking to a friend of mine. She’s the head of a decent sized ad/PR agency here in the DC area. She had someone that had been doing SEO work for her for just a short period move away. It was more project work and he’d no longer be avialble. Now no one else at the agency knew SEO or even SEM.

That’s typical of this area. So I mentioned to her that she had a great opportunity to hire someone to provide the service as it is becoming increasingly important in the marketing world. Her agency would stand out.

by Jonathan Trenn

This is a post I could probably update every three months.

I just was part of a conversation over at Mac Collier’s blog, The Viral Garden. It’s one of the top social media blogs, and deservedly so, as Mac is one of the top strategists in this burgeoning field.

Check it out. No sugar coating this.

19% of top marketers admit to having bought advertising in publications in return for favorable coverage. That’s about 1 in 5.

10% of senior marketers have developed implicit agreements with editors or reporters to get favorable coverage. That’s about 1 in 10.

8% have admitted to having their company give a gift to an editor or a producer to get a favorable story placed in a publication or program. That’s about 1 in 12.

An essential part of marketing conversation is being who you are. Moreover, best practices indicate that you should be open and honest about your identity. Resist the temptation to base your online identity what you want to be or some ideal form. Being accessible, approachable, and human is the best bet.