CEOs on Social Media

We’ve covered before why it’s important for your company to be on social media. But what you may not have realised is that as a CEO, it’s equally important to have your own account on social media. Why, you ask? Well…

Apart from generally increasing your company’s visibility online, a CEO social media account is beneficial for broadly the same reasons as we’ve covered in our previous blog about customer communication. In short, by putting yourself out there you’re showing that you’re willing to listen to your customers, and that you’re confident enough in your business to open yourself up to discussion in a public arena. Both these things make you vastly more trustworthy in the eyes of current and potential customers. It also gives the impression that you’re digitally savvy, which is a secondary but still significant factor in globalised, digital society. It also gives customers a human face to connect with the company – once again, we must remember that old adage: “people don’t buy from companies, people buy from people”.  No matter the size of your business, customers who feel like they know you are more likely to buy from you.

Being digitally social also gives you a higher level of control over your company narrative, allowing you to communicate company values and policies with a greater amount of articulacy. In the event of a crisis, you can quickly address customer concerns or queries, precluding undesirable rumours or speculation.

The advantages of a CEO social media account extend beyond external influences. Depending on your company size, it can assist with smoothly running internally too. In the same way that it makes CEOs more visible to the public, it also makes you more visible to employees. Not only is it a good way of sharing information and news about the company, but opening up new channels for internal discussion makes the company more transparent, and makes employees feel similarly valued. In a 2014 survey, roughly two-thirds of UK respondents believed that a CEO who uses social media is more trustworthy than one that doesn’t. It also helps you understand more about what is going on inside the company, and gauge internal feelings and reactions, helping you to manage more effectively.

The world of social media can be an intimidating one to step into, but it’s not the only option. You can also use the blog sections of your own company websites, which serve as a sufficient platform for many of these advantages. Of course, as a CEO your time for social media is likely to be limited; in which case, it’s better to pick a single outlet and stick to it, rather than trying to juggle several on top of your normal duties. As ever, a single well-maintained outlet always looks better than several half-neglected ones.

If you need any help or further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via email – [email protected] or via telephone on 01538 750 538. We’re always happy to hear from you!