Why should a CEO blog? Because it can make all the difference in a company’s success or failure.
In today’s Internet economy, establishing an online presence is vital to successfully competing in the marketplace. With more than a million blogs on the Web, not having one can put a company at a serious disadvantage. The CEO is the best person to write the blog for a number of reasons.
Knowledge.
No one knows more about the company, or should, than the CEO, who runs it. With all the relevant information at hand, the leader of the organization can incorporate statistics, facts, anecdotes, and forecasts about the company’s operations. More importantly, the CEO knows what should become public information, and what should be kept confidential.
Access.
If the CEO happens to need a few details or figures for a blog post, he or she knows exactly who to ask for them. It won’t take long to collect necessary information to include in the post, while someone less familiar with the organization might not know where to get the desired information, and when it was located, that person would have to seek rights or permission to publish it.
Visibility.
The CEO as head of the company is the public figure associated with the business. He or she can become a familiar face, or blogger, with which the public can connect to the company. The CEO blog post can position the company in an attractive way to readers, using subtle marketing tactics to incite curiosity and attract interest.
Networking.
Many bloggers are invited to post guest blogs for other bloggers. When they accept the offer, they get to link their company’s website and contact information to the other blog, which multiplies the CEO’s visibility and marketing reach exponentially. As the company’s reputation expands, it will continue to grow and attract new customers.
Expert status.
Bloggers are acknowledged as experts in their field, to a greater or lesser degree. The CEO who blogs will likely be perceived as an expert in the business, and probably in the local area as well. His or her influence will contribute toward the perception that the blogger and the company are leaders in their field.
Additional publishing.
As a blogger becomes established, recognized, and trusted, he or she may begin to think about sharing insight through other media. Often, a blogger is invited to write an article or contribute in other ways to large audiences interested in that business. Some bloggers have even been sought out by publishers to write books about their industry experience. Writing blog posts often leads to more writing opportunities that extends the sphere of influence through other media, whether digital or print.
Media exposure.
In addition to potentially more writing opportunities, bloggers who develop a well-known persona may be invited to give radio, television, magazine, or Internet interviews on their areas of expertise. Sometimes they are asked to be guest speakers at trade shows, industry events, and local civic business activities.
In-house respect.
Within the company whose CEO blogs, employees may come to respect the leader even more as they begin to see the depths of his or her knowledge, experience, insight, and growing popularity. It is possible many employees do not know the CEO very well, so reading his or her blog posts, even when they focus on company information, can reveal much about the blogger’s interests, writing style, and personality.
Blog posts can richly enhance a CEO’s reputation and the company’s image. The public’s interest will likely increase as a result, which may lead to increased sales. CEO bloggers attract attention.
Ronn Torossian 5WPR CEO and author of ‘For Immediate Release” and understands the importance of a companies leader maintaining a blog.
