Trending
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard senior-level executives say this. Be honest – are you guilty of uttering that phrase?
Why Social Content is Necessary
Far too many executives fail to see the value in using social media. They think of it as being optional. The truth is, it really isn’t optional anymore. Consistent posting on social media grows your following and can help establish you as a market influencer. You want people to go to your Twitter or LinkedIn page to hear your thoughts on the latest trends in your industry. People should be looking to you for this information, not your competitors. Traffic to your social media pages turns into traffic to your company’s website, which translates to more leads and sales. Social media can also be a great way to garner more media attention. If your posts are popular enough and receiving lots of engagement, media outlets may pick up your stories or reach out to you for interviews and guest posts. Neglecting your social media presence can cost you press coverage opportunities.
As a senior executive, you wield power and have a strong leadership role within your company. Lead by example. If you establish a strong social media presence, it’ll encourage everyone to get involved – from middle management to your entry-level employees. In a Forbes interview , I outlined my top six reasons for senior business leaders to get involved in social media. Doing so can help your company in so many ways, including brand perception, improving user customer service experience, and lead generation. The bottom line is that social media isn’t just the marketing manager’s responsibility; it’s everyone’s.
How To Think About Social Media and Content Marketing
Don’t think of social media as just a place where you share pictures of your family and what you had for lunch. Think of it as a powerful personal branding tool. I recently shared my thoughts on the importance of personal branding with Entrepreneur.com. In my article , I argue that your brand should align with and be an extension of your company’s brand. I cite Virgin founder Richard Branson as a perfect example. In his social media posts, he discusses taking risks and finding opportunities, which matches the Virgin brand image of adventure and exploration. Today’s consumers care about the people behind the company, and the senior team can show that they reflect their company’s brand through branding themselves on social media.
In Social Media, content and the marketing of that content to support the buyer's journey is the key to brand engagement success. At my B2B Social Media agency, Agent-cy Online Marketing , we help our executive clients in a process we deliver around proper content marketing.
Here is an idea of how it works:
How To Make Time for Social Media Content
I understand that adding social media to your already busy schedule can feel overwhelming. Don’t let yourself feel discouraged because it is possible. To make your social media activity manageable, you should set a goal for the number of times you want to post. I think that once a day or every other day is a good starting point. You can also make your life easier by planning what you’ll post and when in advance. Find ways to make social media part of your daily life. If you follow a podcast or subscribe to a publication, share a link with your followers. Include some type of commentary – why you like the article/podcast, why it’s relevant to your industry, etc.
If you have access to video editing tools or professionals, video content is king and when paired with a proper video marketing strategy and video content optimization program your content rises to the top. Here is a quick example of a client of mine :
click to view
Ways To Engage in Social Media
A good starting place is to have conversations with your followers. Reply to comments and posts and/or tweets that you’ve been tagged in. Don’t just look at your own social accounts. You can reply to comments on your company’s pages and tweet in response to your company’s followers. People like feeling that their voices are being heard. Communicating with followers will grow your audience and also inspire more people to engage with your content.
Don’t just limit your communication to friends and followers. Use social media to connect with people you don’t know. Mention an industry leader, an entrepreneur that you admire, or a media figure. If they reply and have a big following, you could gain lots of exposure.
One of the most common reasons why people don’t use social media is because they don’t know what to post. Instead of writer’s block, they experience social media block. You don’t need to come up with something new every day. You can repurpose your existing original content. Share interview clips, blog posts, whitepapers, content contributions, and conference speaker photos and videos.
Providing customers with “behind the scenes” access has been one of the latest B2B social media trends. Believe it or not, people are interested in your company culture. Next time you have a big meeting scheduled or an exciting retreat, take pictures and videos to share with your followers.
As you can see, none of these suggestions are time-consuming. It only takes a few minutes to share a link, reply to a comment, snap a photo, or post a video. Spending 5-10 minutes each day on social media is easier than you think and leaves a lasting impact with endless benefits for your business and reputation.