Social media is leaving no industry or company department untouched. To answer the power of social media is to question the importance of oxygen for living. It’s no more an option; rather becoming a necessity.
The reach and impact of social media on human brains is a treasure in the business world. Thankfully, all the Chief Executive Officers are realizing the immense potential that social media holds. In between handling and managing giant corporations and multinational companies, they are using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram to build a strong online presence and community to connect with.
FACTORS OF CONSIDERATION
A CEO must consider a few points if they wish to start building a digital presence for their brand. First and foremost is educating oneself on social media.
They should ask the following questions:
- What are the goals behind using social media?
- Which is the right platform to engage with the audience and why?
- What type of content will be created? (Example, articles for LinkedIn, videos, infographics, social updates, posts, etc)
- What will be the distribution schedule look like?
- How often will they engage on the platforms?
Having a good social media presence leads to more trust among customers, employees, and shareholders of the company. Therefore, anything broadcasted from CEOs’ mouths on social media about their companies holds pivotal importance. Here are some steps that CEOs can take to garner audiences and make authentic connections on social media:
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THE POWER OF ONE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
First and foremost, they should choose one social media platform as per their needs and requirements. Most CEOs actively use just one social media platform to talk about their brands and themselves. Although LinkedIn is the most preferred platform, some CEOs reportedly use the microblogging site Twitter as well. A very few people use Facebook and Instagram.
Anand Mahindra, the Chairperson of Mahindra & Mahindra Group is hyperactive on Twitter. He once said “I am not on Twitter because I am lonely. I have a very nice life and I am very happy. This is not Tinder for me. I am on Twitter because this is a business tool. Any CEO who is not on it is probably ignorant.”
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TELL YOUR STORY THROUGH BIOGRAPHY
CEOs first need to establish themselves online. They need to create some form of online biography to verify their title as a Chief Executive. The bio should provide a clear understanding of the executive’s capabilities, experiences, and successes. Make it a selection of highlights and not an exhaustive history.
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CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS IS THE KEY
Social media is an excellent place to share content and connect with potential customers. For B2B executives, LinkedIn is the preferred platform. B2C executives can take to Facebook for direct customer outreach regarding store openings and new products. However, if executives are comfortable with visual content and a more personal approach, they should consider Instagram as the ideal platform.
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PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL
CEOs should work to actively engage 3 essential groups i.e. shareholders, employees, and the public. To cultivate a more authentic presence, they can use visuals, both photos, and videos. They need to also make sure that just posting isn’t enough. The content must be valuable and engaging enough to connect with customers. Moreover, they need not look at the followers’ count; rather pay attention to how the network is growing.
Now, why do CEOs need to have an active presence on social media? Social media, as stated earlier, can be an effective marketing tool to help reach business goals. Here are more reasons:
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HUMANIZING A BRAND
To put simply, humanizing a brand means being personable in the way you communicate with the audience. Humanizing a brand is not easy at all. Whenever we think of Mark Zuckerberg, the first thing that comes to our mind is Facebook. The same is in the case of Elon Musk and Tesla. Another example can be Doug McMillen, the CEO of Walmart. McMillen is verified across all four social media platforms. He consistently posts updates, pictures, and videos about his professional as well as personal life. He has been recognized as the most socially connected Executive.
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BREAKING THE BARRIERS BETWEEN THE C-SUITE AND EMPLOYEES
Social media is the ideal place to break down the barrier between the top c-suite management and the employees. If a CEO is active on social media handles and posts regularly, they demonstrate that they want to create engagement with their employees. Many employees today check the profiles of executives before accepting a job offer. Employees prefer to work in a company whose CEO has a strong social media presence.
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SOCIAL MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS GO TOGETHER
Social media can have a profound impact on public relations. It can help a brand garner much-needed goodwill with the public. CEOs that recognize the power of the social media channels and invest time and energy to stay ahead of trends have emerged as leaders, bringing value to their businesses.
This brings us to the conclusion that social media is undeniably the right marketing tool for your business. CEOs must prioritize consistency, authenticity, and uprightness to build trust with the customers and employees. Remember, one post on social media at the right time, with the right strategy can hit the right chord.
