The Social CEO (Part 2): A Complete How-to Guide

by Richenda Vermeulen
September 28, 2016

Last time we wrote why it’s important for a CEO to be active on social media. In short, it can affect their bottom line and give them a competitive edge. This time, we’ll look at the steps to getting started…

Step one: decide which platform is right for your brand.

Each social media platform serves a different purpose. So, it’s important to make sure you pick the right one for your brand.
Do this by having a clear objective in mind: follow the map below to find out which one will work best for you…

Choosing the right platform

Choosing the right platform

Now that you’ve decided on your objective, and the platforms you should be using, let’s look at the steps you should take to reach your goal.

If you want to better understand your customers:

  1. Join the conversation – Keep an eye out for recurring questions, complaints or compliments on your company page. You’ll soon begin to notice trends in what people are saying about your brand (i.e. customers may like a certain feature of your product) and can act accordingly.

  2. Check your profile – If you decide to engage with your customers, you’ll need to make sure your profile is set up appropriately. Things like an up-to-date profile photo will go a long way. If in doubt though, get a second opinion from a team member.

  3. Be courteous – This may seem obvious, but if people engage you online, take the time to reply to them. Give thanks and sign off with your title. Don’t be afraid to use some wit and humour.

  4. Remember it’s public – Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want out in the public, such as sensitive or confidential business information.

If you want to monitor your competition:

  1. Find them – Always start at the beginning. Find out which platforms your competitors are on, and follow them.

  2. Take notes – Start watching conversations on their pages. Look out for recurring questions, complaints, or compliments. These will usually give you an indication of what you should be doing or not doing.

  3. Important protip: DO NOT engage directly on their social platform. This could lead to some serious implications…

If you want to follow industry trends:

There are several ways you can use Twitter to monitor industry trends…

  1. The first approach is by identifying thought-leaders in your industry then following and engaging them in conversation.

  2. The other approach is to monitor the right hashtags. At ntegrity, we tend to keep a close eye on #digitalmarketing or #digital. What hashtags are being used in your industry?

If you want to your grow professional network:

  1. Complete your profile – Be sure to include your work history, job responsibilities and skills. An incomplete profile shows a lack of commitment – and that’s not who you are at all!

  2. Get creative – Don’t be afraid to give yourself a catchy headline. Take a look at other people’s bios or headlines, draft your own, share it with your colleagues and get their thoughts.

  3. Get connected – Add your existing networks: your employees, current colleagues, former colleagues, friends, family and other connections.

  4. Get noticed – Share some industry related news stories to show people you’re up-to-date with your industry. If you’re feeling brave, have an opinion on these stories – but always craft your post carefully before posting.

Protip – After having a meeting with someone, send them a LinkedIn request and let them know what you gained from the meeting.

If you want to build your personal brand:

  1. Get connected – Similar to following industry trends, be sure you’re engaging and following the thought-leaders of your industry.

  2. Share your insights – If you’ve mastered sharing your opinions and following trends on Twitter, try launching a blog or posting public articles on a platform like Medium. Be sure your posts are well-researched, and share your insights with your followers.

  3. Seek guidance – Building your personal brand can be a full-time job. If you’re struggling, be sure to seek guidance from your social media team (or if you don’t have one, we can help!) to ensure your time is being used adequately and effectively.

And there you have it: a complete how-to guide on getting started as a Social CEO!

Remember, as Sir Richard Branson said, “embracing social media isn’t just a bit of fun, it’s a vital way to communicate, keep your ear to the ground and improve your business.”

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So don’t be afraid to embrace social media. If you need more help on becoming a social CEO, be sure to check out our webinar on becoming a Social CEO or feel free let us know if you’d like to talk more about it.