Today, organizations of all types have an online presence, small to large, and whether a product company, service company or non-profit. One part of “presence” that is often overlooked is the presence of senior execs – not just the CEO, but CSO, CMO, CIO, and others. In addition to what that online presence should include, we’d like to start with who it should include.
What does online presence mean to you? Share with us in a comment below!
Who Needs an Online Presence?
As with so much of marketing, the answer is – that depends. Certainly, the CEO or leader of any organization should have an online presence. The strategy behind who has an online presence in addition to the CEO should reflect the business strategy of the organization. We have a client who is now moving to an all-channel sales model. Part of our strategy to drive home this shift will be to enhance the online presence of the person hired as VP of Channel. We have another client where protecting critical information is at the core of their business model. There the CISO has a stronger online presence than he/she might at another organization.
Related Post: Let’s Get Personal – Leveraging Your LinkedIn Presence
What Do We Mean by ‘Online Presence?’
Being active on social media definitely plays a large role in forming an online charisma as a CEO or CMO especially through LinkedIn and Twitter. LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Weiner is an excellent example of a high-profile CEO with a positive and interactive online presence. He personally scrolls through LinkedIn and will comment on his own employees’ news whether it is a promotion, attendance at a trade show or a media mention. This makes someone who seems so high-profile and inaccessible simply seem like any other boss who cares for not only their company but their employee’s well-being.
Social media is not the only tactic in forming an online presence! Creating a blog, writing byline articles or participating in webinars can help support an online presence.
Accessibility Builds Relationships and Trust
Social media is a mainstream communications tool. Chances are if you don’t have a presence, the C-team may miss opportunities that competitors will embrace. However, social media can appear daunting when thinking about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other channels. A simple way to get started is by posting regularly on LinkedIn. A strategy of connecting with as many customers, partners and others important to your organization, coupled with a weekly post of as little as 200 words can go a long way.
Also keep in mind that in an era of unemployment under four percent, candidates will research your organization on social channels. If profiles don’t exist or are seriously out-of-date, they may view that as a red flag and look elsewhere.
Related Post: A Simple Guide: Getting Your Speaking Submissions Approved
Organizations hire the best talent available to join their C-level teams, ensuring these execs build an online presence that highlights their experience and reinforces the organization’s positioning and strategy is an activity no organization can afford to overlook.