Blogging Question: How do you deal with racy content?

Got another great question from The Publicity Hound, Joan Stewart, today.  Since you too, may encounter this dilemma, I'm posting her question (with permission of course), my answer and a link to her blog post so you can decide for yourself...

I’m asking your advice on a sensitive blogging issue. 

Here is an item I’ve written for my blog. My question is, should I link directly to the videos, which many business people in my audience might consider raunchy, but which younger guys---the target market---would view as funny? Or should I make readers who are curious go to YouTube and hunt for the videos like I had to when I didn’t see links to them in the Wall Street Journal article?

I consider my blog a business blog. So is my warning in parenthesis adequate? Or should I remove the links? I think this is an interesting question and am eager to hear your response. I’m leaning toward leaving it in and letting the reader decide whether they want to click or not. 

My answer...

I would link to the videos and let the reader decide.  Your readers are adults.  Also, you can write a stronger warning perhaps to really make your point.  My guess is that most everyone will want to watch them and will appreciate that they don't have to hunt!

Maybe even say that you had to hunt for them because WSJ didn't include links but you respect that they can make up their own mind about whether or not they watch.

The fact is that blogging is about transparency and authenticity.  When you read Joan's post, you'll see that she has decided to go with my advice and she has posted a warning. 

By telling her readers why she's including the link and giving them fair warning (she had to hunt for 10 minutes to find the videos), Joan is 1) saving them time, 2) letting them make up their own minds, and 3) acknowledging that some people will be offended and others won't and the videos don't represent who she is, but illustrate a point about new PR tactics.

My bet is that most readers are going to click through to watch the videos!

This post is sponsored by How To Pitch the Best Bloggers.

Comments

[Kare Anderson]

Great question.

One idea would be to have a brief, up-front policy, available on the blog or social media site. Because of your collaborative approach to work, Denise & Patsi, you might invite people to contribute their succinct, specific policy statement on it and ask your subscribers to vote on the best, overall policy statement for a business-oriented site.

Also, another question you might ask:

What is one of your favorite businesses that has both an online presence and, a "social" component?

Since the definition of "socially responsible" businesses is still blurry, you'll probably get a wide range of responses.

One of my favorites is LaborFair.com because it helps the independent working poor at the bottom of our economic ladder get more take-home pay - and it helps other time-pressed people in the S.F. Bay Area (where I am) to find and hire reputable help fast.