CEOs at all our client companies have asked us, “What should we be doing with social media?”

The answer to that question has many dimensions, including culture, industry, available resources, industry regulations, etc.

We don’t have all the answers. At the same time, we understand the importance of exploring the issue. Atkinson Public Relations has created the CEO Guide to Social Media to do exactly this.

The guide is where we will keep examples, our ongoing research collected from thought leaders across the Internet, and our own thoughts about social media.

Our goal is to collect content with the CEO – and other C-suite executives – in mind.

At the foundation of the conversation are five key questions.

1. What is social media? There are admittedly tons of definitions. We’ll collect as many as we can so that you can decide for yourself what applies best to your company.
2. How are CEOs and other executives using social media? Tony Hsieh from Zappos is one of the CEO social media pioneers. Michael Hyatt from Thomas Nelson is another right in our backyard in Nashville. And there are many others.
3. Should the CEO and other executives begin using social media? The answer is definitely not black and white. Our goal is to offer suggestions and examples for evaluating whether it is right for you.
4. Should my company embrace social media? Yet another loaded and multi-dimensional question. Social media has ushered in an era of personal branding that, when done well, can ignite a company’s brand. But there are risks.
5. Is social media a brand builder or time waster? Numerous companies have blocked social media in the workplace -- no doubt with justifiable reasons. At the same time, business is happening in real time across the Internet. Social media is the nexus of that communication.

We hope the CEO Guide to Social Media becomes a valuable resource for you and your organization as you evaluate whether to add social media to your marketing mix or seek to improve what you are doing.

About the Author

Brannan Atkinson, APR, is president of Atkinson Public Relations.

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