I Guess CU Blogs Aren't Dead

It wasn't long ago that I lamented the near-death of the credit union blogosphere. Boy, was I wrong. In the past few months I have discovered a wealth of new blogs that have revitalized the online conversation.

Here are some of my favorite new (or at least new to me) credit union land blogs:

AndyJanning.com
Andy Janning is the training guru from Indiana's Forum Credit Union. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak at the Forum Solutions Partnership Symposium in 2008, and have been a fan of his ever since. Turns out, his blog is as good as his speech. Well-written, well-conceived, and full of takeaways for anyone interested in employee development.

Marketing Tea Party
Our old friend Ron Shevlin brings his unique wit, wisdom, sarcasm, and keen analytical ability to a new blog that calls out the insanity of commonly accepted marketing practices. His posts will make you laugh, think, and, often, feel ashamed of your marketing ineptitude. It's a slap in the face for financial services marketers like myself, packaged as a brilliantly written online rant fest.

That's So Northwest
Northwest Community Credit Union has really done a great job with their "That's So Northwest" blog. What I'm most impressed by is the personal stories and informal voices the authors use. I don't know a soul at NCCU, but I already like them. I think they have a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish with their blog, who their audience is, and how to write compelling posts.

Verity Mom
I don't think I could be more excited about this program. Seattle's Verity Credit Union has launched an elaborate search for a "mommy blogger" to manage content on their new Verity Mom site. At last count they have 34 excellent candidates to get the job, along with some amazing perquisites. This is a program to keep an eye on...Verity never ceases to amaze me with their creative initiatives.

Shared iDiz
I've really enjoyed the posts I've seen on this effort from the marketing agency iDiz. Multiple writers, including Twitter pal Kelley Parks, bring a variety of perspectives and creative insight into the world of credit union marketing. Definitely worth checking out.

Credit Union Cheatsheet
This blog by Tom Dluzen is billed as "Cliff Notes for Credit Union Managers and Board Members." Content is regularly updated, well-researched, and clearly written by someone with extensive experience in the movement.