You may have noticed all the new websites recently – LegalPubs.ca, Lawblogs.ca, the Clawbies. While mostly associated with the Canadian legal market, there’s also larger long-term goal in play here: to develop quality legal web content. This network will not remain entirely Canadian, and the number of websites will not stop at five. My goal for Stem is to expand this group of sites to 12 by the end of the first year of operations, in August/08.

So to that end, I offer a new page that defines Stem‘s legal web publishing network.

It’s no secret that I have an open view to web publishing and advertising. I don’t care much for conceptual barriers when it comes to developing content online. Whether a concept evolves from me directly, working with a client, partnering, advertising, or integrated with SEO, the end purpose is the same. You must do something of substance to get noticed online (ie. the attention economy), and how that occurs really doesn’t matter.

These additions reflect my wider vision for Stem, and also how I believe web marketing will be done in the future. Word of mouth advertising can have a huge impact; and while I am contractually protected from having to endorse clients and their projects, it’s often very easy for me to do. Mostly because I am advising or developing with the client, rather than being an outside third party. When you’ve been working for months on a site, or developing a strategy for someone, supporting the end product with an endorsement isn’t unreasonable. It’s very natural.

I would also direct your attention to the Vancouver Law Librarian Blog which is now sporting Stem’s first featured client, BC Legislation service Quickscribe.

Is this advertising? Well, yes and no. While I am promoting Quickscribe’s services, my endorsement is based on months of talking strategy with Mike Pasta, Quickscribe’s President. And back in October when I blogged about Mike’s Legislative RSS product, I did so because I believe it’s world class!

Advertising? Endorsements? Marketing with quality content? Yes friends, the lines are blurring. It needs to be done with the audience’s interests in mind. But then again, good quality advertising is always in that realm, without offending anyone.

And again, it must always be backed with substance.