CEO Schwartz represents a company creating innovative technology. It makes sense Sun Microsystems is a leader in blogging.

Sun Microsystems, Inc. is a company that promotes network services and connections by providing shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Well known brands include the Java technology platform and the Solaris operating system. Sun Microsystems supports network interactions and technology solutions for everyday consumer and business use.

A leader in social media, CEO of Sun Microsystems, Jonathan Schwartz has blogged as CEO since 2006. As one of the first Fortune 500 companies to start a CEO blog, Schwartz has represented the transition to corporate blogging. He uses a conversational tone, while discussing topics directly related to his company. Schwartz posts about Sun, the future of Sun, and the technology industry. The transparency and authenticity Schwartz uses in his blog presents Schwartz as a credible and relevant source for his audience. In 2006, The Washington Post ran an article on Sun’s CEO blog. Schwartz’s blog is translated into many different languages and is an effective communication medium to connect with all of Sun’s stakeholders.  Schwartz could talk about personal issues occasionally to present more of a personality, but his blog is still the most popular of all the Sun blogs. Schwartz does not respond directly to comments, but he reads all of them. He directs the comments to the appropriate department. He forms relationships through what he provides to his audience. He also will comment and write on other blogs.

Sun Microsystems employees are encouraged to write blogs, which are then linked to the main blog website. The communications department does not manage the blogs, possibly because there are so many, but guidelines on public discourse are explained for employee bloggers. The main idea in these guidelines is common sense. If there is a question of legality, Sun requests the employees ask a higher authority. Sun mentions the importance of quality and to think about the consequences of your actions before publishing.

Schwartz discusses in a video interview about how he uses his blog as a medium to communicate with employees and other stakeholders. He talks about the importance of maintaining a direct and honest personality. In the video, pay attention to how blogs help Schwartz deal with the challenges of life as a CEO.

The success of Sun’s CEO and employee blogs is due to the amount of energy that goes into the blogs. The fact that all these employees make time to provide relevant and authentic information regularly improves the brand image of Sun Microsystems. As more companies are following in the footsteps of Sun Microsystems, it will be interesting to see how Sun will continue to update their social media communications strategy.

According to a cision-twitter-conversation, Twitter should be used to establish relationships and create dialogues with audiences. Public relations can benefit from using Twitter because the format makes conversations simple and direct. Listen to your audience and decide if and when you should pitch an idea. If you are not trying to pitch a story, just try to find out what your audience is interested in and improve the way you communicate with them.

One company that has really explored Twitter is Zappos. An online shoe and clothing retailer, Zappos.com, has found a way to excel as a company with the help of social media. Tony Hsieh, Zappos’ CEO, uses Twitter regularly to update on anything from work travels to what he is eating to company news. The way Tony writes, as well as the links he provides, gives a personal insight into the company. On his blog, Hsieh lists the reasons he loves and appreciates Twitter.

The Zappos CEO is not the only one ‘tweeting.’ All of the Zappos employees are allowed to join Twitter and/or write for the company blogs. On Twitter, the picture identifies them as employees, so they are immediately showing transparency and authenticity with their followers.

Marshall Kirkpatrick on Read,Write,Web discusses how Zappos is using Twitter to engage with customers and provide personalities for the people working at Zappos. The post is from almost a year ago and the numbers of employees using Twitter and CEO followers has increased by a huge margin since then. Kirkpatrick discusses in depth the importance of Zappos including public brand mentions, employee tweets, employee twitpics, and employees who Twitter. Also, Hsieh has created an introduction guide for using Twitter.

As I have discovered in my previous posts, it doesn’t matter who blogs (or tweets) for your company as long as that person is willing to take on the commitment and deliver relevant information to their audience. Twitter presents a chance to really show a personality and have fun with the character limit. Zappos has found a strong personality and is recognized as an innovator in social media technology.

Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications, says that when blogs are done well and post the key issues on the mind of the CEO in a personal way, a wall is removed between the audience and the CEO. Blogging with a conversational tone is a personal way to create a two-way dialogue connection with various stakeholders. While Ragan states that bloggers don’t have to always be top executives, companies with CEO bloggers show themselves as leaders and innovators in social media. People are not just consumers anymore, they are producers. People are producing blogs, wikis and podcasts that can shape the reputation of a company’s brand. The company has to learn to reach the producer where they are and in this case, the blogosphere.

Companies and CEO’s find excuses for not blogging including time, liability and creativity. CEO’s need to realize that the length of a post doesn’t matter; it’s the consistent, interesting and informative content that is vital to a blog. References in the form of external links can drive a blog to relevant information for the audience. Comments provide a sense of community. Ragan Communications supports the use of anonymous comments to learn all perspectives on issues; however comments should be moderated.

According to an article, only a small group of executives have taken up blogging. More companies and CEO’s should consider blogging because direct communication with your marketplace coming from the CEO carries authority and credibility. When setbacks arise within a company, a blog is a place where CEO’s can clarify and explain the situation. Blogs are effective forums for discussing company’s issues. The more people know about a company and the personalities behind it, the more likely they will do business with the company. Stakeholders gain a different perspective on a company’s behaviors by reading and interacting on the blog.

Bill Marriott, CEO of Marriott International Inc., has seen growth in sales since he started blogging. On his blog, he discusses the way he publishes his posts. In his seventies, Marriott does not know how to type or use a computer, so he hand writes or dictates his posts. What is helpful on his blog is the ability to listen to Marriott read the posts, sort of like a blog specific podcast. His posts vary in length, but address topics focused on the hotel business. Marriott is seen as a leader in social media providing his audience with interactivity and transparency.

To see more ways Marriott International is using corporate blogging, check out Vice President Culinary and Corporate Chef, Brad Nelson’s food and travel blog.