5 Reasons the CEO Should Believe in Social Media

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Created on Monday, 11 April 2011 14:10

Last Updated on Thursday, 01 September 2011 13:19

Written by Melanie Wilt

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by Melanie Wilt, APR

CEOs crave front page, above-the-fold stories – the positive kind. They want endless television news coverage for their products and services. They want to be seen by the buying public as good corporate citizens. But, they run from social media.

Less than half of the CEOs I work with regularly embrace some aspect of social media in running their business or use it as a means of connecting with their stakeholders. The other half are too busy to care. If you’re part of the “other half,” I offer these five reasons to consider a shift in perspective:

5. If you have ever uttered the phrase “We’re transparent,” and you’re not using social media, chances are you’re stretching the truth. Transparency is about engaging with your stakeholders in public, two-way communication. While your company’s warts may become more visible, when handled with care, those actions have the potential to endear you to a larger, more engaged and more loyal customer base. More than 500 million people use Facebook – five times as many people as McDonalds has served in its history – and half as many access it through their mobile devices.

4. Front page news headline opportunities are dwindling as traditional media outlets croak. There are fewer newspapers being published, and those that are still in business have active social media and online networks. If you’re not on social media networks, you’re missing opportunities to connect with the public. Today’s media outlet is social media, and you don’t have to rely on a reporter to “translate” your message.

3. Use the daily digest of information. Using Twitter to “follow” news outlets, I can find and view about 10 times more news in the time I used to spend reading the paper. While the actual Twitter “feed” is restricted to 140 characters, many news outlets publish their headlines in their news feed with links to the complete article. Busy CEOs can scan those headlines, read the articles they’re interested in and skip over the ones they’re not.

2. Gather intelligence. Following competitors’ posts on Twitter and Facebook can help you understand how they’re connecting with the public. What trends are they following? What are their business philosophies, and how can you set yourself apart? How are they successfully/unsuccessfully connecting with customers?

1. I promise you don’t have to post your “potty habits.” One of the most common complaints I hear about social media is that “I don’t need to let people know every time I go to the bathroom.” Please, don’t. But, do post your observations about your industry or business sector. Carefully provide thought leadership for your cooperative members. Publicly recognize your staff. Tell a funny story. Congratulate a customer for their success. Like any email, publication or letter, a well-placed Facebook or Twitter post will carry the personality of your business and give people a reason to associate your product or service with their values.