Why business execs should embrace social media

Thought leadership continues to play a key role in brand differentiation and value affirmation, but its delivery and distribution have evolved: it’s now social, inclusive, and ubiquitous. The spotlight has shifted from the firm to the people who are the firm. It really is time to embrace a social strategy that shines a spotlight on your most valuable asset: your people.

LinkedIn is King

It’s a fact: people prefer engaging with individuals rather than corporate profiles, making LinkedIn the most important social media platform for business leaders to establish their personal brand. LinkedIn uniquely fosters valuable connections and conversations across all stakeholder groups, including peers, potential clients, and employees.

The importance of authenticity

When it comes to growing one’s presence on social media, there are many pitfalls to avoid. Social media users can easily spot inauthentic profiles, so maintaining consistency in tone of voice is crucial for establishing credibility and ensuring that content is consumed without scepticism. Your content strategy must have a personal touch. It can’t simply be limited to thought leadership pieces or reposting from the company feed. It needs to have a human aspect that brings in the target audience and invites interaction. Every post should have a purpose and be crafted with an eye toward engagement. Without a coherent content strategy, the profile will appear disjointed, and the audience will not engage.

Leveraging brand

Social posts need to provide meaningful insight and catch the eye. This is where branding comes in. Leveraging your brand to elevate the look of social posts with well-designed social tiles that maintain a consistent look and feel helps make your profile appear professional and appealing to the target audience. Your brand helps you stand out from competitors. Use it!

Seize the opportunity

Our Living Ratings research reveals a significant opportunity for business leaders, with just 41% of law firm leaders and 50% of asset manager CEOs having a well-established presence on LinkedIn. Living has a proven track record of helping business leaders achieve LinkedIn Top Voice recognition. We can assist in implementing an executive communications program that includes developing comprehensive editorial calendars featuring videos, podcasts, and articles; crafting engaging social media posts; writing compelling first-person biographies; planning reader-friendly blogs; and designing interactive, creative web content – all designed to highlight the unique personalities and qualities of your team members.

Want to do more?

If you'd like to understand how an Exec Comms programme can drive your visibility, please contact Duncan Shaw in New York, Greg Hobden in London or Gigi Yung in Hong Kong.