Social Media

Social Hour: CEOs and Social Media (What to Share and What NOT to Share)

by Jessica Smith Posted On August 31st, 2017 | 5:33pm EST

Social media prowess can be tricky for anyone, and for CEOs (or anyone in a leadership position) it can be even harder to navigate. Should you have a personal account to share your thoughts? Or is it better to stay out of the limelight?

The short answer is yes, CEOs should definitely take advantage of social media and lend a face to their brand, as long as they are careful about what they’re sharing and when.

What to share

Brand awareness. If you’re part of a smaller company, you need a platform to share the message of your brand and gain name recognition. If you’re part of a larger company, you need to maintain that presence. Having a Twitter or Instagram account to sing your brand’s praises is definitely effective.

Job recruitment opportunities. Everyone is looking for a job. Instead of just posting to job sharing sites or putting a form on your website, post about employment opportunities and why it would benefit someone to work for your brand. It entices people to apply and also shows that you care about your employees.

Damage control. The larger the brand, the more likely a problem will arise. From a bad customer service experience to a product malfunction, just one unfortunate event could turn a consumer away for good. It’s important that a CEO has the access to post apologies, explanations and offer a mature, understanding perspective in the face of impending crises. Go by the golden rule and treat consumers the way you would want to be treated.

What NOT to share

Documenting every second of your life. It’s a good idea for leaders to show a brand has a face and a person behind it. Your followers and consumers don’t need to know what you ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try to avoid over-sharing and revealing every detail of your life with strangers.

Personal grievances. If you have an issue with a competing brand or a vendetta against a certain person or company, deal with it in real life. Do not engage in social media fights or state opinions unrelated to your brand. Not only is it childish, but it completely undermines your brand.

Poorly timed content. This one can be tricky because it requires an acute awareness of what’s going on in the world and gauging public reaction. You should always want to promote and strengthen your brand, but know when to stop. In the wake of national tragedies, it can seem pretty insensitive to tweet about your brand and ignore larger issues. Take that time to show human compassion and offer support, or silently reflect on future posts.

For more insight on how you as a CEO or major player for your brand can utilize social media, ask City/Studio for help. Click here to see what we’re all about.