As businesses adopt company Twitter handles, many encourage senior leadership to adopt their own profiles and tweet on behalf of the brand. Doing this lends an authentic voice and face to the digital conversation. One prime example is broadcast news stations, which take the on-screen news anchor’s personality and amplify it through social media. While the News Channel Four Team may be hesitant to hand Ron Burgundy the Twitter reins, here are some stations in our San Diego area trusting their broadcasters:
NBC 7 Catherine Garcia (@CatherineNBCSD)
Catherine Garcia (“Proud Mom. Proud Trojan. Fan of Good Food.”) brings a lighthearted, relatable Twitter personality to the NBC news station. Tweeting on friendly office sports rivalries, story highlights, and even poking fun at her own broadcast skills, Catherine’s 5,000+ followers receive breaking news and refreshing banter.
ABC 10 Kimberly Hunt (@10NewsHunt)
Kimberly Hunt’s Twitter account balances her own thoughts with RTs or replies from fans, influencers, or fellow news reporters. While some employees may treat Twitter as a soapbox for their opinions, Kimberly actively starts authentic conversations with individuals and businesses in the community. Finally, her Twitter background is a good example of employee branding that relates back to the news station.
CBS 8 Dominic Garcia (@DomCBS8)
Reporter Dominic Garcia pairs breaking news with on-the-scene images, telling a detailed news story in only 140 characters or less. By packaging tweets with images, Dominic gives his followers timely snapshots in advance of the broadcasted story that encourage viewers to tune in for the full details.
NBC 10 Jodi Kodesh (@NBCJodi)
Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh doesn’t get tired of telling San Diegans they’ll have another sunny day. And apparently her 9,000+ followers aren’t tired of hearing it. Jodi’s Twitter feed proves that talking about one subject doesn’t have to become tiresome if you keep the content fresh and engaging.
Lessons for a B2B Business
If your company Twitter account is struggling to gain credibility, but an employee’s ongoing activity is gaining more recognition, it may be appropriate to utilize their following and social clout. Here are some tips to take with you:
- Set clear guidelines on content so the company adheres to HR and legal departments – while still giving the individual a unique voice.
- Provide thoughtful feedback and content suggestions – don’t simply throw the responsibility all on the employee whose profile you’re utilizing.
- Update their profile visuals to ensure company logos, contact info, and branding are prevalent and correct.
- Think of Twitter as not only a messaging tool, but also a way to increase sales, network, and recruit talent.
