In two of my previous posts on corporate blogging, I discussed the CEO blog. There are many opinions about who should manage the blogging function in an organization. Some experts think the CEO should blog, and others think they should not. Whether it’s the CEO, the corporate communications department, or a hired individual or group, it would be wise to designate one of them the “chief blogger.”
The Advertising Age article “Does Your Company Need a Chief Blogger?” shared that companies such as Coca-Cola, Marriott, and Kodak all now have a chief blogger. It is their job to tell the companies’ stories and engage consumers. The chief blogger shares the brand voice. Companies that have a chief blogger are more focused and effective. This makes sense because there is only one person trying to post an idea. One blogger also ensures that all the posts have the same brand voice.
In the video below, Shel Israel expanded on the importance of chief bloggers telling company stories. I think he was on point when he said, “When you’re blogging, you need to be giving something to your reader that compels them.” I think that readers will only continue visiting a blog if they are getting something interesting from it. I also thought he was right on target when he mentioned that people don’t want to hear lists of “corporate pearls.” His blunt thoughts on boring blogs from corporations, PR people, and legal teams warned bloggers to keep their posts focused on stories.
A story is important to keep the reader’s interest. I agreed with Israel when he suggested that companies should tell stories about their struggles and times when they failed. I feel that blogs are successful when they share company interests and tell what the organization is really like, because the audience will feel like they can trust the company.
