Social Media Tips for CEO’s

Follow these social media tips for CEOs to become a thought leader in your industry. Establishing yourself as a thought leader has never been more important and, in the age of easy access through social media, your organisation’s customers and stakeholders, and the public at large, want to know what you think. See social media as an extension of your wider media engagement activities; it’s just another way to reach your target audiences efficiently and effectively, and build trust.

Being active on social media also has a direct impact on your bottom line. LinkedIn recently found that more than half of professionals say an executive’s presence on social media has influenced a purchasing decision. And, more importantly, two thirds said they’d be more likely to recommend a brand because of following their executives on social media.

As an expert in your industry, people want (and expect) to hear from you. That doesn’t mean you have to occupy space on every platform or constantly pump out messages. Work with your PR, Communications or Marketing functions to identify where and how often you should post based on your target audiences.

How to Handle Social Media

Stick to your niche – commenting on your industry, raising awareness of company news, praising your people – wherever possible, but be prepared to react to wider happenings if it’s appropriate. That goes for handling media interviews as well.

Be human, and remember you’re talking to other humans. Even B2B is about people connecting with other people. Being authentic – whether you’re on stage at Davos or writing a quick tweet – pays off. Avoid acronyms, jargon and business-speak in favour of sharing your own experiences, and be generous with your audience about how you’ve overcome any challenges.

While social media is increasingly important, we recognise it’s probably not where you want to spend your time. Handing it over to your internal teams or finding the right person to manage it on your behalf is crucial if you think you’ll be unable to maintain consistency in posting.

For more tips on communicating with your audience, call media training experts, CoComms on 0121 682 6223 or email info@cocomms.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help!