Executive social media isn't just a trend. It's the future.
If you don't consistently build a social media presence - you risk losing market share to those that do.
Executives without personal brands are as invisible as brands without logos.
Why is it the future? It's essential to:
Build Brand Awareness & Reach
As a former Head of Brand, I've witnessed firsthand the unparalleled impact of executive social media campaigns. At EY as the Head of Brand, Content & Social I spearheaded an employee advocacy strategy with 100 executives. The result? A staggering 2700% increase in brand impressions within just one year.
Similarly, during my tenure at LinkedIn, I managed our Enterprise Technology Partnerships working with executives from Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Cisco, Dell, TELUS, Bell, Rogers + more. LinkedIn data shows that executives have the reach 10X of an average LinkedIn company page post (1).
Control the Narrative
No matter your presence level, people will search for you on LinkedIn. Whether it's peers, investors, journalists, job seekers, or potential business partners, LinkedIn is the go-to platform for anyone seeking insights into other professionals. They won't just view your profile—they'll assess the content you share and form opinions about your expertise, leadership, and commitment to your company. By actively building your presence, you gain control over the narrative.
Drive Sales
CEOs and Founders often turn to me to help drive sales growth. While the direct impact may not always be immediately visible, the data is compelling: 71% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company if its CEO is active on social media (2). Consumers crave transparency, authenticity, and a sense of connection with the brands they support. They want to know the faces behind the logos, the stories behind the products, and the values driving the company's mission. In other words, people buy from people—not just brands.
Customers also spend 39% more with companies that are responsive to them on social media (3).
Build Trust
A strong executive brand builds trust with your audience, be it colleagues, clients, or employers. As you know trust is the currency of our time and there is an expectation that CEOs and Executives are active on social media, creating meaningful LinkedIn content and providing transparent updates on their company and industry (1). This level of transparency and accessibility goes a long way in nurturing customer loyalty and strengthening brand reputation.
Create a Competitive Advantage
You can keep a pulse on industry trends, monitor competitor activity, and identify emerging opportunities. Understanding how you differ from competitors within your industry is crucial. But when most of your information is coming internally it's easy to fall victim to echo chambers and groupthink.
Actively engaging with your customers and partners on social media allows feedback loops to help pinpoint your brand's unique strengths and create whitespace. Plus it's way less expensive than in-person focus groups.
Enhance Networking: When you share your company's mission, vision. values and goals - you attract followers, customers and partners that connect with these.
I personally spent 15 years in corporate and while I was posting on LinkedIn periodically I only started 1 year ago actively investing in my executive presence. In less than a year I've personally doubled my LinkedIn following and have built a business with $0 spent on advertising and garnering an average of $200K free media through social impressions. I've had many individuals have sent DMs saying that they have personally connected to the content that I've shared.
The Future is here and it's Executive Social Media
In conclusion, Executive social media is not just a trend—it's a strategic imperative for businesses looking to thrive. By actively engaging on social platforms and hiring executive ghostwriters to help - CEOs can amplify brand visibility, foster consumer trust, establish thought leadership, and gain a competitive edge in the market.
CEOs, Founders and Executives who recognize the power of social media and embrace its potential will undoubtedly lead their companies to new heights of success.
The time to Unleash Your Brand Potential is now.
Sources:
1. LinkedIn Internal Data
2. 2024 Edelman Trust Barameter https://www.edelman.com/trust/2024/trust-barometer
3. 2024 Hootsuite Social Trends Report https://www.hootsuite.com/research/social-trends
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