On social media, founder and CEO of Rakuten Group INC, Hiroshi Mikitani, portrays himself as a relatable person. However, on top of just being relatable, he demonstrates authenticity. He mainly detaches himself from professionalism and his role as a CEO on his personal Instagram, but in a professional setting such as LinkedIn, he uses the platform to showcase company values and humanitarianism. ...

When developing your executive presence on social media, what type of language do you use more often in your content: "I" or "we"? Using singular first-person pronouns (e.g. "I") versus plural first-person pronouns (e.g. "we") might seem like a small difference, but for CEOs on social media, using one or the other can make a significant impact in terms of how your content is viewed by others. In this article, our social media experts explain how you can create stronger social media messaging by using the right pronouns in your online content.   Developing a more personal executive presence   The use of first-person pronouns, such as “I” or “my,” in your content creates a much more personal tone. It clearly gives ownership to the author and isolates the executive as the one commenting. These types of pronouns can make your social media presence more authentic...

For executives on social media, do vanity metrics, such as post "likes," matter? The answer is yes and no. Whether it's a heart on a Twitter post, a reaction on a LinkedIn article, or a thumbs up on a YouTube video, the importance of "likes" on an executive's post depends on a number of variables. For any social media program, whether it's for a brand or an executive, I always place more emphasis on creating meaningful and relevant content, and tracking mid- to bottom-of-funnel metrics (e.g. traffic to site and leads generated) over time, ideally linking them back to various social media platforms and content pieces. Engagement metrics, such as post likes, don’t always translate directly to other key metrics. Reactions on a Facebook post can't tell us exactly how many people who engaged with the post ended up making a purchase. However, that’s...

Executives may be wondering if it’s worth it to have a personal social media presence if their brand already has one. In this article, we’ll discuss the various benefits executives will gain through a personal social media profile. To offer us some more insight on the topic, we’ll be speaking to our copywriter and social media coordinator Jackie Le, who specializes in developing organic social media strategies for executives and brands. ...

Social media is a powerful tool. When used correctly, it can help CEOs connect with their audience, build their personal brand, and help their company reach its business goals. However, social media is a public platform, and sometimes an executive's message may be misconstrued by the general public, or a spur of the moment Tweet might hurt their company. That being said, the benefits of having your company's leadership team on social media far outweigh the risks. To learn more, take a look at Managing the Risks of Executive Social Media Presence, an article written by our CEO, Elissa Liu. In this article, we look at three different topics that CEOs will want to be careful talking about on social media. We also look at examples of how social media posts have hurt brands in the past, and offer tips on how to...

With a degree in aerospace engineering and her previous work at NASA, Aisha Bowe took her passion for science and founded STEMBoard, a company that provides cost-effective engineering and IT services. By analyzing her Instagram and LinkedIn presence, it's clear that Bowe understands both platforms’ strengths and weaknesses and has successfully created content that is most effective on each one. Keep reading to learn more tips on how executives can use these platforms to build their own social media strategy.   Using a Structured Instagram Layout What makes Instagram different from other social media platforms is its heavy reliance on visual content, whether it's an image or a video. When browsing through a user's feed, you will see the images first, rather than the post's copy. Here is a look at Bowe's Instagram layout: What makes her online presence stand out from other executives...