Social media options for busy CEOs

Elon Musk

A paltry number of Fortune 500 CEOs aren't active on Twitter, and in his article The Social CEO in Crisis Allan Gates makes a good case for more of them to get with the program.  I'm sure these CEOs have a host of reasons why they've chosen to lay low or to side step social media.  But if they feel it is important, there are options for them to get involved and none of these options have to be an all-or-nothing proposition.  Gates zeroes in only on those who are directly active, but any CEO can hire a staff or small team to cover what he or she does and says and post that on whatever social media makes sense.  Short videos are simple enough to create, and they can be posted in no time.  That staff or team can also keep a pulse on their target audience, respond accordingly to comments, and otherwise forge good brand experience.

If certain CEOs simply don't appreciate social media, or see its vital emergence in modern day business and culture, and he or she is simply not open to alternative views or practical suggestions, then so be it.  It is inevitable that they will move on, and pass away, and there is a good bet that their successors will have an entirely different sentiment about social media.  I don't see the merit of coercing them, directly from within their organization or indirectly from outside circles.  But again if they're even halfway amenable, there are options that are workable vis-a-vis their personality, schedule and values.  If they admire what Elon Musk does, then perhaps they can let his social media efforts motivate and guide them.