Have you seen what she said on Twitter? OMG, have you seen what he said on Linkedin that disparaged our channel partner? Really? Every day, we read about social media posting faux pas committed in the name of ‘openness’ and ‘transparency’ and ‘authenticity’ but in reality damaging the brand of their corporation and the personal reputation of the executive themselves. So, before you tweet just be ‘cool’, here are four key strategies to keep in mind for social media posting.
- Post With an Agenda in Mind
Social networking allows you to capitalize on linkage with people with like-minded interests. Have an agenda that matches your brand when posting. Create clear talking points around your areas of expertise and stick to them. Keep your comments limited to issues that add value to your brand. - Saying Nothing At All is OK
If you have nothing to say, say nothing. Nothing is better than something irrelevant. Looking foolish on social media by making comments just for the sake of posting is off brand and will hurt you more than help you. - Don’t Force Anything
You don’t have to be on social media unless it’s relevant to your business. The real business impact that you should care about is your overall executive reputation. If an online digital presence is a strategic component and an extension to your overall brand equity, personally and professionally, then post. If not, don’t worry about it. - Personal is the New Corporate
Align your personal and corporate digital brands. Activate your personal CEO brand by posting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Posting should be fully aligned with the corporate interests of your organization. Pictures of CEOs drinking beer with their buddies at a football tailgate party could be easily misconstrued.
About the Author: Mr. Gal Borenstein is the Chief Strategy Officer and CEO of Borenstein Group, a top digital marketing communications firm in the Washington DC metropolitan area that serves clients locally and globally. He is a recognized expert and strategist in digital branding, marketing, social media, advertising, online reputation management and public relations matters. He is the author of the new business leadership book, ACTIVATE! How to Power Up Your Brand to Dominate Your Market, Crush Your Competition & Win in the Digital Age, available in premiere bookstores and on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Apple’s iBooks