#1 — 5 Things You Need to Have in Place to Be Successful Establishing an Online Executive Presence

?? Who is this article for: Founders, business owners, non-profit executives and leadership team members.

??? TLDR: When you invest in establishing your online executive presence these are 5 things you need to intentionally plan for.

When we think about investing in establishing an online presence, it’s important to separate social media platforms from the art of strategic communication. The reason we need to make this distinction is that it’s easy to still think of social media platforms as they were years ago and measure their value purely through the lens of marketing. However, today, they just happen to be the vehicle we use to manage the narratives we share with our stakeholders.

Now that we’ve adjusted our mental model and acknowledged the importance of making the investment, the next question is: where does one go to find resources or best practices? There is so much information online related to personal branding and social media, but most of that content is presented through a marketing lens. Difficulty finding resources focused on establishing a digital footprint with a focus on strategic communication makes knowing where to start challenging and is the reason why many leaders either don’t see success or don’t make the investment in the first place.

That’s where this newsletter comes in. Each edition will provide an actionable piece of advice, a resource worth paying attention to, or a tip you can use to make the most of your investment. Today, we’ll focus on some actionable advice.

I’ll be the first to admit that building a digital presence is not easy. Not only is it hard to find the time, but there’s also a lot of nuance that one needs to stay on top of in order to be effective. This is especially challenging for those leading teams, managing stakeholder expectations, responsible for business development, as well as other tasks required to run a business or a non-profit, not to mention life’s responsibilities. However, maintaining an active profile is no longer optional in today’s business environment. Here are five things you need to plan for when making the investment:

1. Finding The Time: First, carve out dedicated time on your calendar to maintain your digital presence. If it’s not scheduled, it won’t happen. Treat this time with the same priority as preparing for your work week. I recommend giving yourself at least an hour one day a week and a minimum of 15 to 30 minutes on other days of the week to focus on your online engagement.
2. Setting Clear Intention: To avoid waiting time, set a clear intention to determine what you’ll be doing during your time online, the type of people you’ll be engaging with, and the content you’ll be sharing before getting started. A quick way to establish this intention is by aligning your content with your quarterly goals and targeting the types of people you need to connect with to achieve those goals. Consider following a 50-30-20 split in your posting and engagement strategy: 50% of your activity should align with your business goals, 30% should focus on connecting and engaging with your stakeholders, and 20% should be personal, reflecting your interests.
3. Capturing Ideas and Insights: Developing a method for capturing ideas and insights from daily conversations can streamline your writing process by curing the blank page. For example, after meeting with a colleague and sharing valuable advice, take a moment to jot down some notes about what you discussed. Over time, this practice will give you a list of ideas to draw from when writing, making it easier to create relevant and valuable content.
4. Regular Writing and Posting: Make it a habit to write and share content online regularly, aiming for more than once a week. Each post should convey one idea or takeaway aimed at one specific person. This approach makes it easier to get your ideas out quickly and effectively. When I started writing online, I would look at people's LinkedIn profiles and write to them as if I were sitting across from them, having a conversation to avoid writer's block.
5. Consistent Posting and Engagement: Consistency is key in both sharing your content and engaging with your stakeholders. Plan to spend time both writing and commenting. Some days, you might split your time equally between writing and commenting, while on other days, you might spend all your time engaging with others' content. Remember, it’s important not just to broadcast your own messages but to actively engage with your audience, fostering meaningful connections and conversations.

Building the habit of maintaining a digital presence will require an investment of time and/or resources, but as I mentioned before, it’s no longer optional. The good news is that in time it will become a habit and will ultimately be worth the investment.

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