According to recent data from Technorati, 120,000 new blogs are launched every day, and1.5 million comments are posted to blogs daily…that’s 17 per second. But transparent and open communication can be positive for most consumer brands. And today more and more companies are finding a way to join online conversations.

Historically, conversations between marketers and consumers have been one way: companies run advertisements and sponsor promotions. But today’s culture is a conversational culture, largely because of the Internet and what it’s allowed people to do. Social media is the part of the online world where people interact with each other, often changing roles from reader to author. One result has been the need for managers to move from gatekeepers to partners in shaping a brand’s image.

"It can be a tough new role to adjust to," says Laura Deaton Morarity, PR Account Supervisor and Wordsworth Social Media Consultant. "People accustomed to pushing messages at prospects are all of a sudden expected to collaborate with customers on what their brands communicate."

But transparent and open communication can be positive for brands. And today more and more companies are finding a way to join the online conversations. Much online chatter concerns product advice or customer experiences. Shoppers and consumers have proven eager to have online conversations with brands that are relevant to them. That’s where engagement starts. But today’s brand mangers have to be able to bring that conversation back into the brand experience and back into the brand idea to refine it in a continuous feedback loop. What results is a way to examine stories that emerge and anecdotal evidence to make more incisive decisions around brand strategy.

"Reaping the benefits of social media takes time," Deaton Morarity adds. "And for companies that have traditionally taken a controlled communication approach to marketing, it takes courage too."

For sure it is difficult to loosen your grip on your brand identity and venture into a space where conversations flow freely – good, bad or indifferent to your preferred messaging. But realize that such conversations are going to happen with or without you, so don’t wait on the sidelines.

A number of marketers are finding undeniable success in this space, whether in terms of gaining consumer insights, building strong consumer relationships, or making news available directly to the stakeholders in an engaging way.

The Kellogg Company, for instance, has been an enthusiastic adopter of social media. Mark Baynes, Kellogg’s chief marketer, said that a recent social media program for their Special K brand exceeded returns on TV advertising by a "Factor of well over two." As a result Kellogg, which spends more than $1 billion on advertising alone, may produce fewer commercials in 2009.

So following the initial discomfort of venturing into uncharted territory, there are enormous benefits to be reaped from engaging customers online. But remember: when you feel the urge for good old fashioned message control, it might make more sense to give it up for social media.