The concept of 'building in public' doesn't have to mean creating an external personal brand. For internal leaders, it means making the 'invisible work' of their team visible to leadership and cross-functional partners to secure budget, buy-in, and recognition for their contributions.
In B2B social media, success is not about massive volume. The economic value of a niche, high-intent audience is immense, as a small number of followers can convert into six-figure deals, making the value per follower vastly different from B2C platforms.
Companies can and will lay people off unexpectedly. Creating a public record of your work, accomplishments, and expertise isn't just for branding; it's a powerful, living resume that provides career security and opportunities independent of your current employer.
Simply offering to ghostwrite for a reluctant executive is no longer effective. Instead, develop a clear, platform-first strategy with a defined goal (e.g., 'Our CEO will become the leading voice on LinkedIn for X'). This elevates the conversation from a chore ('posting') to a strategic business advantage.
The pressure to create original content can be paralyzing for newcomers. A low-stakes way to begin is by actively commenting on other people's posts. This allows you to engage in conversations, test your ideas, and shape your point of view without the burden of publishing standalone content.
Modern buyers want to hear directly from human experts, not a faceless brand. Instead of focusing all social media efforts on the corporate account, identify and elevate the voices of knowledgeable individuals within the company. The brand page can then serve as a secondary 'news ticker' for official updates.
Setting out with the goal to 'build a personal brand' often leads to inauthentic 'hot takes.' A more effective and sustainable approach is to focus on excelling in your work first. Your personal brand will naturally emerge as you share the results, learnings, and valuable things you've accomplished.
When conversions take months or years, traditional metrics are insufficient. Instead, track secondary KPIs to demonstrate short-term progress. Metrics like 'percentage of viewer demographics matching our Ideal Customer Profile' prove you are reaching the right people, even before they convert.
Instead of getting defensive when asked for metrics, social media managers must proactively educate leadership on how social works. Frame it as a strategic brand channel, show examples of success, and explain the long-term vision. When the strategy works, its value becomes self-evident and measurement questions fade.