http://blog.craigslist.org/ (CraigsList: Jim Buckmaster)
http://blogmaverick.com/ (Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban)
http://www.blogs.marriott.com/ (Marriott: Bill Marriott)
Blog is not dying. For many times, it is more effective to interpret ideas and opinions than to twittering with a limit to 140 characters.
You may keep a blog to complain what happened to you, writing reviews about restaurants you had dinner, places you visited, movies you watched…
But what do these CEOs post on their blog? Today, let's look at Mark Cuban's blog.
Mark Cuban's blog is really a popular one. Every single blog post has many comments, and some of them are quite long and thoughtful, which means those audiences cared about what the blogger’s opinion and they also thought hard after reading the posts.
Cuban did not often write about corporations that he works for (there are some posts related to topics including NBA, sports business and sporting events), on the contrary, he wrote most of the blog posts about current national issues such as tax, employment, electronic books, and social media. He also talked on the blog about himself – his childhood, his experience when he started business and what hardships he underwent.
It is very easy to know what political stance he takes, what exactly his view is to certain events and issues. The pros to this kind of CEO blog are:
1. The blog gives readers an impression that a real person is writing all the articles, rather than some other anonymous guy on behalf of the CEO and the company. Readers can feel the personality of the CEO from what he has written. Generally people find it interesting to listen to a person, rather than an official voice. When people notice a real CEO is writing a blog, they may feel more close to this person and also the company – a feeling that they are not far away from our lives.
2. Current issues invite more discussions on the blog. Some of the issues such as tax and employment are under fierce debate. They are closely related to everyone’s life in the country. When the public are discuss these issues and watching how different parties arguing about them, they also want to know how a influential people thinks about these issues. If he/she makes sense to what he/she says, people will feel positive about the CEO, and hence the company.
3. Posting thoughts about current issues keeps blog updated. People will stop visiting a blog if they find the blogger has stopped writing for too long. Sometimes, CEO may not have so many appealing things to write about their own company frequently. Therefore, current issues will help keep the blog moving forward.
4. CEOs’ blog promote their own visibility and also the companies’.
How about cons for a CEO keeping a blog?
The blog may be appealing to the public when the CEO post current issues on it. However, as I just mentioned earlier, many of the current issues are under a fierce debate, which means some people may agree with you, while some do not. It would be great that people agree with you and comment supportively, especially when the CEO’s stance is on the mainstream side.
But what if he/she makes a very controversial argument? Remember he/she is a CEO. He/she has the right to express their opinions, but sometimes that reality is so cruel that the person as a CEO may think more times than a nonpublic figure before posting an article on a blog. Because what he/she says may jeopardize his/her company.
I believe there are more pros than cons for a CEO to keep a blog with personal characteristics in it and personal opinions about current issues. Because this is how communication between people (or between a influential person and the public) can continue and how this relationship maintains.
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