Amanda Watlington relates to USAToday article on Blogging and CEO on a post Blogs and Feeds: CEO Blogs — Where Angels(?) Fear to Tread. I am a CEO of a new venture company and a blogger for the last four months and I wanted to write down what do I get from it:
1) Feedback on my thoughts – As a CEO and a person in general I have different opinions on various subjects related whether to my industry, other industries, innovation, regulation, and other market conditions. Through blogging these opinions get the most candid responses that truly reflect what other people think. I rather listen to these thoughts than not.
2) As a blogger people are more open towards me and are less intimidated by the CEO curtain – a plus for me.
3) People know that I am accessible and that they have the option to communicate with me at any time they like if they see it fit. These give customers/partners/prospects more confidence in the company and its products and services. Good for business.
4) As for the fear of making mistakes – I write the content for myself so I control what to write and what not to write and mistakenly exposing secrets is not higher risk than the one that exists in other public engagements. Actually, it is lower. I do agree that this is a platform that lets you talk more than I used to do before it and that naturally creates a risk for doing mistakes.
5) Audience that hears me – after building your audience you have an unparalleled public relations tool that is accessible in real-time for any announcement.
6) Time – the only disadvantage I find in blogging is the time it takes to do it right. I hope that within time blogging tools will become more convenient and easier to use to save some time.
Although I am talking from the hat of a new venture CEO and not as a CEO of an established company I do think that these points are valid to any kind of CEO and other top management.