Like every other tech communications tool, today's blog is morphing quickly into a collaboration tool, allowing companies to expand the brand, push out news, offer insight and provide a fast exchange of ideas on the fly. But there's more than a few downsides that come into play as well. Like any new tool or solution, you need to establish business rules and a strategy plan. Find out why big players like McDonald's and small niche businesses like a bicycle maker are using blogs and what they're gaining from the effort. One hint: improved customer service.

For more on the value of corporate blogs:
- read this article at BusinessWeek