Author: Ish Verduzco
Compiled by: Shenchao TechFlow
Last week, I flew to New York City to host a workshop for cryptocurrency founders.
The goal is to provide them with some basic social tips they can implement immediately.
Here’s a summary of my talk.
Why build social influence?
An active social influence can help:
Increase sales
Attract talent
Build partnerships
Secure funding
Acquire users
Gather product feedback
Build community
In my last startup, as the head of growth, we gained 1,000 downloads immediately upon launching our public beta, thanks to online influence.
See more details here.
I have friends who raised significant funds solely through online influence, built entire teams, and secured important partnerships.
If you're still unsure if it's worth it, consider the following:
Chris Bakke:
When we operated a previous company, I generated over $3 million in revenue through my personal Twitter account from 2021-2022 (I had far fewer followers at that time).
How to do social media well while running a company?
Time is limited, and tasks are many; perhaps you feel content creation isn't your strength.
Here are 5 tips to help you get started today:
Tip #1: Focus on one platform
Choose the platform where your target audience is most active
Identify 10-20 creators with your ideal audience
Follow them and study their content
Set notifications for the top 5 accounts
Engage with the people in their content and replies
Consider expanding to a second platform after mastering one
Tip #2: Schedule dedicated creation time
View online presence as part of the job
People are more willing to follow individuals rather than brands
Devote at least 10% of your time to this
Dedicate a few hours each week for focused content creation
Use Typefully or Bluecast to schedule next week’s content in advance
Manage the community daily
Tip #3: Utilize prompts and daily themes
Tip examples:
“Explain your work in simple terms”
“Share how you came up with the product idea”
More tips can be found here
Theme examples:
Monday - Thought Leadership
Tuesday - Community Highlights
Wednesday - Company Updates
Thursday - Product Marketing
Friday - Founder Reflections
Tip #4: Seek support from your team
If you're struggling, you can ask your team for help:
Uncover stories by interviewing you
Help edit and format your social media content
Engage actively after your posts go live
Do not
Let others completely take over your account
Overthink. Start taking action, gather data, and then optimize
Tip #5: Empower employees more
View employees as 'internal KOLs'
Encourage them to share expertise online
Allow them to build their own audience and advocate for the brand
Leverage employee networks to spread company content
Create a Slack channel for company social posts to encourage interaction
Cultivate a positive online culture
Finally, I believe a successful founder's online presence should include:
Consistently publish content
Actively participate in dynamic interactions
Share knowledge in your area of expertise
Don't make it feel like you're always selling a product
Share personal life (like hobbies or interests)
Maintain a light-hearted and humorous attitude
Don't view social media merely as a promotional tool
Showcase personal charm
Summary
Start with one social platform
Set aside dedicated time for creation each week
Use prompts and themes to overcome writer's block
Harness the power of your team to uncover your story
Encourage employees to establish their own online presence
Extra advice: Enjoy the process. This is social media.