Should Every Outward Facing Employee Have a Web Presence

Do you specifically mean having your own blog by establishing a web presence? I agree that those involved should be on the web. But if they have a Facebook account, LinkedIn account I would consider that to be a very good web presence. Twitter would even be one step further.

Craig
www.budgetpulse.com

Hi Chris,

I think it's a great idea. Zappos is one example of a company that has put this to great use. The CEO of Zappos keeps investors and customers up to date via his blog.

http://blogs.zappos.com/blogs/ceo-and-coo-blog

And employees even post videos online:

http://blogs.zappos.com/blogs/zappos-tv

They have a lot of externally visible presence and it seems to be well done.

Chris,

You're right. I've been beating this drum for a while now. To keep this specific to newspapers, every reporter in every newspaper is a subject-matter expert in at least one area of high-interest to its local market.

It’s no longer sufficient for a reporter to remain plugged into the happenings in his beat but report only the most significant. The reporter as curator takes on the role of the the most plugged-in person in the room about a particular area of interest and uses that knowledge to engage readers in further discussions, using multiple methods, including linking, blogging, participating in blogs outside of the newspaper and engaging in one-on-one conversations with readers.

I blogged on this topic here:

http://timwindsor.com/2008/09/17/turning-report...

...then took it a bit further down the road here:

http://timwindsor.com/2008/10/21/budget-cuts-he...

Chris,

I think you're correct. Outward facing employees should have a web presence. I think it could be as simple as a bio on the Gannet site (or wherever they work), but I think it is critical. I've found that when I discover an interesting post with few links vs an interesting post with many, I'll get far more in depth into the issue with the later, and leave/forget the former.

Outward facing employees define the brand - so attention should be paid to their web profiles - because that is an aspect of control of the brand.

Great thoughts!
Steve

Oh, he is on linkedin:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jlenahan

Absolutely. Having a web presence for your "top brass" especially in these times of economic uncertainty gives your potential customers a sense of comfort that they are dealing with company that they can trust. When the people that make the decisions of a large company "hide" behind the name of the company it is disconcerting for some. Stand out and interact with your consumers and they will love you for it.

I agree with Craig that Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter count as an outward facing presence, but I also know that not every person treats them as their "company face." Some of our employees use theirs at very much a personal social level.

Regardless, that makes your point Chris -- it's a missed opportunity for personal and corporate branding, especially when folks are involved in the media.

Must confess now, I don't have a blog. Thought about it. But I'm not a reporter or other personality for our TV station. And I've yet to identify a niche that would raise my voice above the clutter.

Does that make me prudent or coward --ha!

LORI
twitter.com/blorimiller

It makes sense. I think a company looks more "forward" and knowledgeable by having key outward employees have a presence.

This also impresses me because it makes the brand personality seem more reachable.

On the other side of the coin, Chris, sometimes when I mention someone on my company blog I then link to them on their blog, Twitter or LinkedIn account to give them some appreciation. But then I think: "Maybe they don't want to be linked for some reason?"

It can be a scary thing for all those incoming eyes for people who aren't used to it.

Cheers,
John.
@johncarson

I think it's a must. Any business in this day and age has to have a web presence to succeed. Even if it's not a full fledged blog presence, creating conversations on Twitter can do wonders. People like to know who they're buying from and enjoy being part of a community - even if it's a community built around a product. Businesses have to tap into that nowadays.

Molson's is one company that does it right, in my opinion. I love their blog http://blog.molson.com/community/ . It makes me want to learn more about the company and it makes me want to buy their product. They're human, who knew?

A Bio page definitely -but is Jim Lenahan, well Jim Lenahan, or is it Jim Lenahan @ company?

If Jim moves companies tomorrow - is the branding built up personal or business?

How old are these guys? I agree with your post,and believe you should have some type of web presence. I think age plays a part in people who do and do not have a web presence.

At the very least, I think employees should have contact pages — sort of an online business card that we can easily link to. But I also think that it's imperative that most people take action for themselves and create an online presence — after all, most of us won't have the same job three years from now, even if we're with the same company. The only way to have the necessary flexibility in a web presence is to have it under your own control.

Chris,

Agree & disagree - a bio, LinkedIn, basic blog = good. But lately I've seen so many public facing individuals humiliate themselves using web tools that I believe are not 100% for the biz side of life, like Facebook, MySpace, Tumblr, and yes, Twitter.

You have an eloquence with what you say online, many simply don't. They hang it all out there confusing the term 'transparency' with 'public craziness'.

I think if people are aware of their surroundings online and remain authentic and keep in mind the word *boundaries* alls good.

~Chris

Tweet - @netpods
netpods.com

I suppose I think it has to do with whether or not you're trying to establish credibility online. In this particular case, I think media companies had better get on the stick.

Truth is, whether or not you like it, the web is about to drag you along for the ride. A LinkedIn profile can truly be as simple as a condensed resume, but it's a calling card to the web that gives them yet another outpost through which to connect with you.

Not everyone necessarily wants to have a voice online through a blog, but everyone ought to be at least holding the door open for their customers to walk in. I'm a little impatient with the fear argument; look around you and see how the world is changing. Participate in a way that makes sense for you, sure, but for crying out loud. It's not going away.

so true.

so neglected.

Are blogs the only qualifying medium to be considered truly "outward facing". I would imagine these folk have some kind of networking strategy like linkedin or Facebook. Outward Facing is different from extrovert. Not everyone needs to telecast publicly.

I think that depends on the level of commitment to keeping up that presence. The reality is that most of these senior leaders are working 12-15 hour days as it is, and having a strong web presence isn't going to be very high on the priority list.

Only the executives that truly "get it" (like Tim Brown at IDEO) are going to be active.

Active = amazing.
Inactive = terrible.
Not at all = status quo.

I like the idea of linking to a bio or a LinkedIn profile for sure, but all blogs should be checked before being linked to; only because there are so many dead ones out there. Bad or destructive content is always bad news, but no new content can be bad too. Many people start a blog because they "think they should", but if they aren't dedicated to it, at least some degree, it can be a poor reflection of who they are and what they do.

I really agree - still find it astonishing that this isn't the norm, at least for key external-facing people, particularly in marketing roles.

You can link my name :)

http://maryspecht.com

Hi Chris

Interesting points - both in your post, as well as the comments. I'm pretty heavy on the Web presence side, as it's important to my work (I'm a corporate recruiter). So, I blog a bit, use Twitter, Facebook, etc al. My role dictates that presence (that and the fact that I'm a chatterbox).

That said: not everyone has the time/ inclination to actively maintain a presence at that level. If you sliced it up, I'm betting that there are a high level of designers, developers, marketers etc with major Web presences, and an equally low percentage of accountants, actuaries, etc. An actuarial analyst for Towers Perrin may have tons of face time with clients, but I'm betting they're dificult to find blogging.

Where this will shift will be with the growth of the ZoomInfo's (full disclosure - that's where I earn my daily bread), LinkedIn's, etc. More static than a well-maintained Web presence, but at the same time less of a time-suck. You can claim your profile, add it as a link to your e-mail signature, and to a certain extent forget about it.

Plus, I'm not sure anyone really wants to read the blogging actuary...

I think it depends on the business. But if you are in an outward-reaching business, it certainly is a benefit to keep an online presence.

couldn't agree more. How do you convince a company that suffers from "we've always done it this way" and pull them into this century? I'll let you know when I figure it out.

I think having an online presence is important. It lets people find you and makes it easier to network. Whether its having a blog or a Twitter account or a LinkedIn profile. An online presence makes it easier for people to get to know you.I don't have a blog, but I use a variety of social medias to establish myself online.

A media conglomerate like Gannett should include requisite profiles for its top executives, and managers/employees should be granted the right (presuming sites aren't blocked) to have profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc to promote the company.

Smaller media firms, such as regional/local papers and TV stations, pose a different situation -- but one that is more troubling for me when trying to find editors and producers.

This came up for me the other day: my organization is working towards being more engaged with social media. For most folks, the first step is to listen, and then to comment, and finally to start creating new content. It struck me that with each comment comes the opportunity to link to a URL.. and if my co-workers aren't yet blogging, where should they link to? Their bio on our site? Their linkedin profile? Or do they set up a blog in anticipation of their future activities.

I've had my own URL since 97, so I've never really had to consider this before. Should there be a default "web bio" for all?

"Links Are Love" That's great.

I think you have to have an external presence, no questions asked. This is a great example of why old media is a dying breed...guys running these companies just don't it. Does not suprise me at all that a newspaper companies top brass don't have online profiles, while a cutting edge companies like Zappos do.

Matt

I feel any company involved in media - traditional, social or otherwise - needs to have an online presence.

This is the same Gannett that bought Ripple 6, right? To increase their social media presence?

It's a little bit harder to take a media company seriously if they're not utilizing media to its fullest. Hopefully the Ripple deal and their ability to let guys like you in to talk to them shows a more forward thinking mindset about to become the norm.

Here in India many companies, let alone senior employees, have yet to establish an internet presence. For small companies its understandable, but these are big multi-store organizations with no online presence at all (not even a page with phone numbers) so if you want info then you have to actually go to the store.

Clearly an outward employee needs a presence. The question is how much of one? ... and where? The subject of further posts?

I agree AND I think it's incredibly hard to get people to participate and have a blog, though offering to help them set it up, manage it and write it helps!

Sometimes, I think that blogging and social media participation require a specific gene...some have it, some don't, some are willing to try even if it isn't in-bred.

As always, thanks for writing...

Hello Chris,

With every presentation I deliver (I am a public speaker), I ask the audience to raise their hands if they have ever googled themselves and nearly 100% of hands go up. Then I ask them if they have ever googled someone they work with and the result is nearly the same.

Everyone in the company needs an online identity that is consistent with their real-world personal brand. In a world that is becoming more virtual, people are using the web to learn about colleagues, managers, prospective employees, clients, customers, etc. Rarely are we co-located with everyone we work with. People are using the web (and corporate intranets) to learn about and make decisions about their colleagues. It’s reality today.

In Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand, we devoted TWO chapters to the topic of online branding (this is the topic of our next book). When we researched this for the book, we learned that people make decisions about your Google results based on two factors: The volume of results and the relevance of those results. If someone doesn’t know you personally, you ARE your Google results. SO deliberately managing your online ID is critical in the new world of work (of course, just like real-world branding, you need to base your online brand in authenticity – who you really are).

To help people understand how strong their online brand is, we developed the Online ID Calculator (It’s free!) and just through word of mouth, we have had nearly 40,000 people use it. So we know that people care about how they show up on the World Wide Web. You can use the calculator here: www.onlineidcalculator.

Thanks for starting this conversation, Chris.

William Arruda
www.reachcc.com

I work for Gannett and I can tell you that these guys do have web presences. You can find it if you look for it.

BUT, I also recognize the fact that there is a huge difference between ‘transparency’ and ‘public craziness’.
Do I really want to read about what any of the Gannett guys have to say about their lives (professional or other wise) on their blogs(if they have them)? No.

In my world, ideas should go hand in hand with real actions. I don't want to read about it. gosh, what good is that?

The most interesting question at this point appears to be this (and someone raised it above already): To have a web presence, who should control or dictate it? Should it be within the company or independent. And who, then, pays for it or manages it? I like how Jeremiah Owyang blogs, and how Chris Brogan blogs. Separate from their companies/employers.
So that their web presence is dynamic and moves with them despite career changes. I think it may be, therefore, the responsibility of the individual in today's world to have a viable and mature web presence if they want to get a job in a media rich industry.

I wonder what others think?

Steve
I blog for work: www.RiverArtsvt.org
But I have a tumblr blog, and I tweet.
SteveAmes.Twitter.com

@Steve

That is exactly the issue; Jeremiah Owyang - Web Strategist - whose 'Brand' is that? Jeremiah's or Forrester's?

If he leaves tomorrow (as Charlene Li did) does the brand follow Jeremiah or Forrester?

If it only follows Jeremiah, what value for Forrester.

Other comments state that marketing should be doing it - I have read that the average tenure of senior marketing offices is about 2 years.

So is that 'outward presence' having to be rebuilt every two years when JSmith leaves & JDoe starts?

Should have a Web presence? In an ideal world, yes.

In the realistic world, no, because some folks simply don't know what to do with it. And it's not so much an age thing -- I'm 44 and people keep trying to write me off -- as a "gets it" thing. I guess I fall close to what Julie said -- it's a gene. But, as she also said, it's something that can be learend if you're willing.

I'm speaking mainly to media companies, because that's my most recent experience. In that industry, some folks understand that blogging/social media are NOT printing a newspaper via computer. It's not a one-down communication. It's interacting, it's listening to readers/customers, it's engaging them.

It's NOT posting a blog, dipping your toes in to comment only on co-workers' blogs or dropping the occasional drive-by bit of praise/criticism on other blogs. It's about immersing yourself in the online community. Being a part of it.

Until that understanding takes firm hold, media companies can Tweet (largely via RSS, how's that for interactive), Pluck or Facebook as much as they want. It won't help a bit until they make proper execution a priority.

Chris, you make a key point for "why" a senior exec should have a Web presence... cuz she is already Googling herself. As are colleagues. And they want to be happy with the results. So it's clear they *get* the WHY of a blog or other Web presence. But fear and lack of experience seem to hold many execs back from the WHAT or the execution. A surprising number seem to think that blogging and twitter (if they know what it is) are for other folks. They care enormously about their digital footprint. But they're too busy (and important?) to work at creating and managing that footprint. Interesting, huh?!

Got called recently by a Law Firm (not one I'm working with) who asked if they could get help with SEO for their lawyers bio pages, because people were typing in these lawyer's names and getting articles they've written, conference write ups, everything except their pages at the firm.

The problem was, the firm was separating the lawyer's bios from the work they had done - no links on their main site pages to lawyers, just to articles, and no connection between the lawyers and the articles they've written.

Some firms do get the value of having a presence for outward facing employees - but execute it incorrectly.

AGREE! Particularly, as another commenter points out, a major media conglomerate such as Gannett should not only require their executives and outward facing employees have a Web presence or two, but they can and should be linked and cross-linked in as many ways as possible.

One of the drums I often beat in this argument is that a Web presence such as a blog or other personal page puts a name, a face and a personality to an otherwise frightfully anonymous corporate presence. I *always* recommend LinkedIn and Naymz for an excellent professional presence. We want to know who you are; we want to know who it is we do business with on a regular basis; and in this case, we want to know who it is we're trusting with the news on which we rely so heavily! If your personal politics don't match mine, for example, do I find that your organization slants its news in that direction? Or, if we agree, do you have research avenues that I might want to know about?

By the way, you can see my LinkedIn and Naymz profiles here... ;):

LinkedIn
Naymz

I so agree with you.

I was recently blogging at a conference ABOUT social media and the majority of the speakers had no blog while a small minority had such a small digital footprint that they were not even searchable on google.

I had to link my blog to their LinkedIn profile or even their company website so some of the speakers had no way of being alerted to the social media buzz around the conference.

Absolutely. My new company is attempting to help people do this very thing.

I think it makes so much sense for front-line employees to have an online presence. Imagine if customers could choose which front-line employees they wanted to speak to in future based upon their online presence?

Might make things interesting.

Hey Richard (Millington), do you mean something similar to this?

http://www.lisapmaxwell.com/

JC.

So long as it falls inline with the corporations overall vision and strategy then yes they should. If the company as a whole is not involved in social media you run the chance of running into more Bob issues.

Now that I'm starting to get into this whole social media thing especially through twitter. I find myself looking for companies blogs when ever I go through a website.

It can give you a great insight into the way a company is thinking or what they are doing, even more so if an indivudal from that company is blogging, that way you get a more personal perspective.

If a company has a blog I tend to want to purchase something from them.

I agree. It opens more lines of communication to those in and outside the company, as well as reinforces how Web involvement is a give/take, multiple channel kinda deal.

I wrote a post about social networking in journalism here: http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/mojodojo/200...

Why are employees saying no? I find it's because they're afraid of posting things they might regret. I come from the generation that grew up on these tools and I've seen everything from naked, drunken photos to hate symbols to 'I hate my boss' tirades. Good thing to leave those off ... but do you really need to avoid these services completely to keep from embarrassment? Why not try some tact?

"Do you specifically mean having your own blog by establishing a web presence? I agree that those involved should be on the web. But if they have a Facebook account, LinkedIn account I would consider that to be a very good web presence. Twitter would even be one step further."

To this comment, i don't agree that going just "one route" will just do it justice. Twitter is cool and all, but you need more than that to build a "web presence." Web presence merely means that your "brand" or company is wide and far. I see a few people that are doing the same exact thing I am doing, and they have a really good idea what "web presence" really means; personal platform. PERFECT definition.

But what really bothers me is that employers DON'T want this for their employers. I don't care what you read, I read a few websites saying that employers don't want their employees to be blogging, whether it be good things about the company or bad. And even if that person isn't doing anything surrounding the company with regards to blogging, they still don't want it. They don't even encourage it; they're creating rules on not blogging, ESPECIALLY during work.

That's not all, I've read newspapers saying the same thing, what's worse is that, what they say about blogging is kinda leave it, or embrace it. On top of that, they seem to imply that the person's brand is tightly connected to the company's brand. And they say that "when a company employee spews negativity, the brand is a jerk." Its not exactly like that, but similar.

It is a very good concept if you want to take control of what people say about you. But you have to be 'there' first. That is, your brand has to be present FIRST.

I think that an employee should always know how to show gratitude to their company if it was giving them a good time, and this can be done through web presence. but if not having a blog can also do some nasty things to degrade the reputation of the company :D