CEOs hold a lot of power when it comes to the future of an organization. Besides running the logistics of their company, they also are the public face behind said company. When you think of Facebook, you think of Mark Zuckerberg. When you think of Apple, you still think of Steve Jobs. So why do we identify with these people so much?
The answer is this: When consumers think about companies, they (or at least I do) think about a giant machine that runs itself. There's no connection, no emotion, and no care or concern. These CEOs give the company a name, and face, and a personality. A living human being gives the consumers someone to connect themselves to the faceless company name.
When it comes to social media, CEOs should take advantage of this connection. According to a study from Ragan.com, 68% of Fortune 500 CEOs have no social media presence. In my opinion, this statistic is appalling. With so much potential to create interpersonal communication through social media, CEOs have a lot of ability to positively promote their company. If what I've learned in my classes is true, people put the most trust in the highest source, and consumers are more likely to develop brand loyalty if they feel personally connected to the company.Take a look at the top CEOs on Twitter. What do these people have in common? They engage their followers, tweet both professionally and personally, and are active in their use. By using social media themselves, CEOs seem more creative, innovative, and modern, which in turn reflects back positively on the company as a whole.
If I was advising a CEO, I would suggest using social media daily, while showing caution. You want to show your own personality without damaging the image of the company. I would advise using Twitter daily to promote new products and events, while using Instagram to give behind-the-scenes views of the company. Used in the right way, social media can make a company's image while creating lasting relationships with customers.
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