When you hear the term “influencer” in social media, someone famous with millions of followers likely comes to mind. When I’m speaking to groups of executive leadership teams about the power of social media, they usually call out names like Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, or Logan Paul.
However, I argue executives, entrepreneurs, and those in the C-suite are influencers, too. You influence your customers, potential customers, current and future employees, and your digital legacy. Only you can be in the driver’s seat to take control.
There are five things in a celebrity influencer’s social media playbook you can implement right now to make a positive impact on your business and personal brand.
1. Define your sphere of influence
Defining your audience and goals will give your content purpose and will help you understand who you are trying to reach and with what message. For most executives, the audience, or spheres of influence, will intersect. Your current and potential employees might be interested in similar content. The same can be said with audiences that include potential investors and industry thought leaders. Understand how the content you’re posting will resonate with each audience member.
Just as important: Understand where your various audiences are consuming content. While many celebrities are trying to reach the influential Gen Z on TikTok, your audience is likely consuming content on LinkedIn, which has emerged as the top platform for interacting with business decision-makers. Eighty-percent of LinkedIn users have a considerable degree of influence within their organizations. Utilize the platform to share your voice and make an impact.
2. Determine your desired digital legacy
Just as celebrities take great care in crafting their legacy, you should too. What people find about you could influence if someone buys from you, wants to work with you, or if you are invited to join a board.
Your digital legacy includes everything people can find and read about you online. You can take control by getting intentional about what you contribute to social media. A consistent and thoughtful LinkedIn strategy, authored content like blogs and articles, and even strategic earned media are ideal places to share your expertise. Google and other search engines will prioritize this content on page one and that allows you to curate the story people craft about you when they search for you or your company. Many companies are including search engine results and social media profiles in their hiring practices; if your company is searching for employees then you can bet employees are searching for you!
3. Share authentic stories
No one has the same origin, customer, or employee stories as you. These stories are rich in content that should be shared on social media. They add a personal touch, and with the right strategy–insights that are unique to you. Because people desire to work with and for people, they want to learn more about who you are and what you stand for. Eighty-two percent of potential employees research a CEO’s online presence before joining a company, and current employees prefer to work for CEOs who are active on social media by a ratio of nearly 4 to 1.
Celebrities share everything from GRWM (get ready with me) content to snapshots of private moments with their families. The purpose is to give your audience a look at who you are outside of your career. Don’t be afraid to get personal and share authentic content on your social media platforms. Just remember who your audience is and take their perspective into consideration. Yes, they want to see that you take time off, but they don’t want to see you in a robe, sipping expensive champagne preparing for a three-hour massage!
4. Engage with your audience
Posting isn’t enough. Engage with others in your industry who are also online. Comment on their posts and reply to people who comment on your posts. Ask questions to encourage engagement with your content. Not only will this extend your reach and introduce you to new audiences, but it also shows others there is a real person behind the keyboard who values connection.
5. Understand how to propel company messages
When your company is launching a new initiative or making an exciting announcement, the executives’ social platforms should be included in the plan to boost engagement and reach, and that strategy needs to include more than simply reposting the company’s message. Employee-shared content receives eight times more engagement than that shared by brand channels, and employee advocacy on social media can increase the a brand message’s reach by 561 percent.
Take a lesson from household brands and celebrities alike; when it’s time to make an announcement, each social channel is sharing a version of the same message. In that same way, each member of an executive team is an influencer with a unique audience and opportunity to engage and extend the company’s objectives.
Kristi’s article was originally posted in Inc. on January 30, 2025.