CEO blogs: ten reasons to get your boss blogging
Does your CEO flinch when someone proposes they write a blog?
If so, you are not alone. Research indicates that in the US, fewer than a third of CEOs of leading companies have any social media presence.
Of course there are dangers to launching your CEO into the blogosphere without thinking it through first.
Even so, there are compelling reasons why your CEO should get blogging. Here are ten:
1. We all look to leaders – In every field of human activity, we all look up to leaders. Staff, customers and stakeholders want to know who the leader is and what they think. Blogging is therefore an effective way for leaders to project themselves positively and thoughtfully to those who look up to them.
2. Blogging is direct and unfiltered – Blogs come direct from the individual. They are written by the individual and come straight ‘from the horse mouth’. CEOs aren’t going to write anything that contradicts the corporate ‘line’ or policy. But they can offer their own explanation on what’s going on, in their own voice. In this sense blogs are authentic and real.
3. No one likes faceless organisations – Blogs put a face to the name. In fact, they put flesh on the face. They connect your CEO directly with staff, customers, stakeholders and anyone else who’s interested, making them feel that they know them better. And if everyone feels they know your CEO better, they are more likely to feel positively about them and your organisation. Even if they don’t feel more positively, at least they feel that they know more about the person at the top. They feel more connected.
4. Blogs building trust – Research in the US suggests 82% of those surveyed thought they are more likely to trust a company whose CEO and leadership team engage in social media. Consumers want it. It may not be possible for your CEO to spend hours on Twitter every day, but putting a bit of time aside regularly to write a blog could be manageable.
5. Sharing your vision – It’s not just SpecSavers who talk about the importance of vision. Conveying what you are trying to achieve and what’s the overarching objective is important for any organisation. The best person to do this is the individual who’s in charge. And that’s the CEO.
6. Blogs are transparent – Blogs are not internal memos or discussion papers. They are not restricted to specific groups or audiences such as staff, customers or shareholders. They therefore enjoy an openness that other forms of communication can never possess. This in turn means they are more likely to be believed and positively received by readers.
7. Enhancing corporate reputation – What key stakeholders think or feel about organisations is partly shaped by the views of their CEOs. What business and organisational leaders write and say therefore has a big influence on corporate reputation generally.
8. Shaping the debate – By blogging, CEOs can help influence discussions and debates within their industry or field of work. Some call this thought leadership. It shows that your organisation has a leader who thinks about future developments, and the big picture.
9. Effective social media resource – Many consumers now prefer to connect with brands via social media, rather than the through websites. CEO blogs can be used as effective content for Facebook, Twitter and other social media feeds. They therefore reinforce organisations’ wider social media profile.
10. Don’t let others define what they think – While CEOs may not be keen on following the trend of personal branding, blog writing helps to develop a sense of personality and to shape what stakeholders think of them. This is particularly important if other media (both social and conventional) are writing and commenting about them.
If your CEO needs help getting started with their blog, you can always contact us for assistance.
