Gary the mastermind behind the SkyBox by Maytag product blog pointed out that in yesterday's post I forgot to include the upside of what the Skybox blog is doing. So here are some quick points.

Great Memorable URL - ka-thunk.com Easy to remember, to publicize and most importantly tell others. Extra points for being evocative of the product itself. It's the sound of a can dropping out of a vending machine.
Some Great Content - Some of the posts are home runs. A recent post answers a good question from a new Skybox owner. Another post calls for user submissions. "Show us your ManCave" is a great idea that needs follow up. Several posts introduce cool new front panels for the product. Sports fans can customize their Skybox by adding a backlit panel depicting their favorite sports team. There should be a master index list of panel options on the sidebar. Relevant packaging and beverage news is the topic of some posts. Cool new aluminum bottles which would be cooler coming out of a Skybox are posted. There is some good content but my previous comments stand.
Blog Goodies - Comments are turned on. RSS feed is on. The site could use trackbacks but that may be a technical limitation of the publishing platform. These features facilitate participation in conversations and community.
They are doing it! - perhaps the greatest upside is simply the fact that Maytag is doing a blog in the first place. I suspect it's Gary's personal enthusiasm for blogging but I hope management is watching because the tipping point is coming. Additional funding and support and this could be a huge resource for Maytag

Product blogs can be challenging to set up and run right but the potential return in igniting buzz and supporting customer evangelists is huge. Think about it. When people Google your product do you want the opportunity to shape the community and the messages they find? A good product blog is the way to do just that.

Read "Thinking About Product Blogs"

Update: Read Why Have A Product Blog