Blog = Swiss Army Knife?

I don't have a personal blog but after reading about some of the advantages listed on other posts here (ie. networking, jobs) maybe I should! One person that I work with, Kanye West, does however have a blog - in fact he has two (kanyewest.com & kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/) - and he recently asked me to help him redesign the newer kanyewest.com one. As lifestyle sites, his blogs are popular destinations for those seeking the newest and coolest in art, music, fashion and design. So much so that a mention in his blog can actually help launch an artist or designers career from obscurity to uber-coolness practically overnight (see Chiddy Bang and CyHi Da Prince). A friend from Brazil was recently telling me about a local band there who admits to their fan base growing exponentially and touring for two years based upon a Kanye blog posting of their video. What is exceptional about these blogs is that, despite offers, it's strictly editorial and posts cannot be "bought" or "sponsored" - they're all genuinely what Kanye likes.

What's more interesting to me is something I came across one of the last times I looked his blog. There were several great pictures of Michael Jackson's belongings. Looking into it a little further it appears these pictures are from a new book, Neverland Lost, and the never-before-seen-photos were actually being premiered on Kanye's blog - years ago this probably would have taken place on TV or in an art gallery. Further, on the post, there's a button to pre-order the book directly, making it easy to consume while you're surfing.

This, to me, underlines the expanding capabilities of social media and specifically the blog -what was originally an online diary has now become not only an editorial destination, but (among other things) a community, entertainment portal, promotional tool, educational device, and a viable distribution channel.