EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

Here are some tips for creating an effective executive social media strategy .

Set goals

Define what you hope to achieve . Goals can vary depending on your role , the industry you operate

in and the target audience . You might want to establish yourself as a thought leader , increase brand awareness or connect with customers and employees . Ensure that your goals are specific , measurable , achievable and relevant .

Choose the best social media channels

Social media channels cater to different audiences and serve different purposes . LinkedIn is a great platform for executives to establish thought leadership , connect with other professionals and share industry insights .

Plan content

Once you ’ re on LinkedIn , it ’ s time to plan content . An ideal social media page should include similar content that depicts an insightful narrative aligned with the corporate brand , as well as leverage existing content including company announcements and applicable news articles and studies . There ’ s more to it than sharing a link to an article – your social content must provide insight and value to the reader . For example , a CEO could offer insights into how a recently announced technology will impact customers or the industry .

Be responsive

Social media is an open communication platform , and it can lead to followers sharing every last thought on a company ’ s products and positions .

The best way to handle those comments , both good and bad , is to be highly responsive .

The corporate communications and / or social media team should consistently review the executive ’ s pages to respond to all feedback that comes through as efficiently as possible – ideally within 24 hours .

Create a schedule and iterate from learnings over time

Establish a consistent posting schedule and monitor your performance . To establish recognition and provide plenty of opportunities for users to engage with you , they need to regularly see your content on their social feeds .

Write in your own voice , share your thoughts and experiences . Track and evaluate results and iterate strategies over time to optimise the engagement . Analyse metrics of engagement and adjust the strategy accordingly . Be flexible and willing to adapt as needed to ensure the social media strategy stays effective .

As you can see , there are multiple routes to building an effective , enterprise-wide social media practice . The steps outlined above can help you move from social media aspiration to effective execution , governance and measurement .

THE COMBINATION OF ENGAGEMENT , EMPATHY AND CREATIVITY GIVES EXECUTIVES UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THEIR BUSINESSES FROM THE INSIDE OUT .

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