Celebrity Blogs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

True confession: I ghost write a lifestyle blog for a celebrity CEO. I aim to make my boss' blog both interesting and fun, while enabling his fans to feel connected to him personally. He counts on me to promote his business by talking about his projects and ventures in a way that makes his readers feel like they're privy to his daily life. It may seem very impersonal, but in actuality, he's very hands on, just as he is with every aspect of his businesses. In fact, he uses his blog to build his brand and communicate with his readers (and competitors) in an informal and direct setting. He lets me know what he wants to tell his readers and I relay it in his voice as best I can.

Though he wants to write it himself, he simply doesn't have the time. And let's face it, when you're rich and busy, why not hire someone else to do it for you? But not all celebrities hire someone to write their blogs. The best ones are often those written by the celebrities themselves.

Let's be honest, though: Celebrities are already famous, often receiving tons of free media attention, and on top of it all many have swarms of adoring fans that praise them on a daily basis. So do celebrities really need more attention than they already have? It really depends on how they've chosen to use their blogs.

Some blog to promote upcoming projects (Victoria Beckham), tailor their public image (Tyra Banks), discuss their personal thoughts (Rosie O'Donnell, Al Roker), or share their political views (Barbara Streisand, Michael Moore). Others use their blogs to create a forum to discuss their daily lives (Wil Wheaton, Zach Braff). I imagine that the number one reason celebrities are drawn to blogging is the same reason that we common folk do it: it's just plain fun. Ask any of the 100 million-plus bloggers worldwide if they hate blogging and see if you come up with a "no." It's a great way to feel connected to people, especially in the increasingly separatist reality in which many famous people live.

Blogs lend themselves to creating a casual environment with fans and also offer a celebrity the chance to tie people into their daily lives. Blogging can also be another way for them to build their personal and professional brands. Some celebrity blogs provide an open dialogue by offering a forum where their fans can leave feedback, ask questions, and even naysay whatever topic is presented by the author. Blogging may be a voyeuristic expression that leaves the author open to public criticism, but this can be a useful tool in some cases. For a successful public figure like my boss, this is the best marketing tool he could ask for. It's a productive alternative to hiring an outside research company to find out how his brand and image are perceived in the public eye.

Blogging is a clear extension of a marketing campaign for any celebrity, but celebrity blogs themselves are also a logical extension for major media Web sites. Signing up high profile names to increase page views has become more commonplace since Ariana Huffington launched Huffington Post. For instance, as part of a larger plan to revamp its site, dotcom veteran iVillage has enlisted "Today" show co-host Meredith Vieira, to blog for the site. And other media properties are even working with celebrities to help cover the presidential election, such as LOGO Online recently signing on former N'Sync member Lance Bass to write guest commentary for its presidential forum The Visible Vote '08.

When celebrities blog, they sometimes offer fans their true voices and not just a media construct of them. Unfortunately some of the celebrites we'd most like to hear from don't blog. You know Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie would attract some readers if they decided to talk about each other in their own words on a personal blog? How juicy would it be to read about Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton's rehab and prison "epiphanies" online? If they did it, we'd read it.