LinkedIn, and now Facebook, remind us that ultimately we are all influenced by individuals. Both of these platforms prioritize personal content over that of content from publishers, brands and companies. First LinkedIn launched its Pulse publishing capabilities that are available to individuals only (thus far not available to companies), and now Facebook has announced that its algorithm will prioritize personal content from friends and family – demonstrating that personalized content from individuals is what counts!

True, those individuals may represent or speak for brands and possibly have a specific agenda; however, we increasingly look to the people we know to guide our decision-making. This is reinforced by data from Nielsen’s Trust in Advertising Report that revealed 84 percent of global respondents feel word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family are still the most trustworthy. And 68 percent of survey respondents indicated that they “trust consumer opinions posted online.” (Nielsen: Under the Influence: Consumer Trust in Advertising)

Simply Measured cites additional data points illustrating the impact of these influencers in its post “Influencer Marketing: Stats and Quotes You Need to Know.” Stats worth noting include:

• 74 percent of consumers rely on social media to inform their purchasing decisions.
• 90 percent of marketers have said earned media will have a significant impact on their strategy by 2014.

We may know these individual influencers through direct personal connections or we may know them through their public image, persona or success. Social media and the internet have made it easier for us all to influence a wider circle of individuals and build our own personal thought leadership. But companies and brands don’t need to be left behind – they need to adapt and leverage their own networks.

Look no farther than John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, and the personal connection he has developed with consumers by humanizing and living the Un-Carrier brand message on Twitter – a direct counter to the corporate brand execution of the past  – “T-Mobile CEO sees doubling of U.S. business customers in 2016.” While Leger’s platform and persona may be edgy, he successfully embodies the brand’s personality and values.

The rules of thought leadership content creation are the same  – how we execute has changed. Content still needs to be compelling and relevant to the intended audience; however, it no longer means relying solely on a publisher to tell that story. Platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook enable organizations to build thought leadership through key individuals/executives that reach millions of targeted individuals, while controlling the timing and messaging and offering analytics to track impact and engagement.

LinkedIn publishing has helped our clients expand their reach and engagement, which has led to increases in followers and network connections, increased site traffic, editorial coverage citing them as expert sources, and anecdotally has linked to additional sales. Examples to further illustrate the impact are included in this following Forbes article, “3 Ways to Rock the Publishing World on LinkedIn.”

Building thought leadership for an executive used to rely heavily on speaking opportunities, awards, and bylines/contributed content. While these are still valuable elements for a thought-leadership initiative, it is important to consider some of the drawbacks, including the fact that participating as a speaker at an event is time-intensive for an executive, and the reach of a byline can be somewhat limited depending on the publication. In comparison, publishing a post via LinkedIn or Facebook enables the author to reach potentially millions of targeted readers and build awareness and influence.

Companies looking to build the profile of their executives via LinkedIn or Facebook should consider the following:

• Allocate resources to thought-leadership campaigns. This may mean redirecting resources from brand-centered campaigns or initiatives. Time needs to be allocated for not only writing the posts and publishing them, but engaging with readers through comments and participating in conversations on the platform through relevant groups and other influencers’ posts.
• Know where your target audience is most active and engaged. There are a number of platforms to consider. Keep your organizational objectives in mind and who you need to reach to achieve those objectives. For example, LinkedIn might be more appropriate for B2B audiences, while Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram might be more appropriate for consumers.
• Identify the individuals within your organization who can be the face of your business with a specific audience. Build out a thought-leadership platform for each individual that is authentic to the person, reinforces the organization’s message(s), and is relevant to the intended target audience.

• Measure the impact. Track which posts receive the most views, shares and comments. Monitor other analytics available to you – e.g., company website traffic referred by LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., proactive media inquiries soliciting input/comment, incoming speaking requests and customer/sales inquiries.

The role of PR is continually evolving based on the tools that are available (e.g., LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter, etc.) and the changing needs of the audiences we are looking to reach. Consider, for example, the millennial generation, which is the largest generation by population. This powerful group is more concerned with a brand’s persona, which needs to be articulated and “lived” through its executives, spokespersons and employees.

“Even B2B companies need to understand that the train stops at consumers, so they need to connect more directly,” states Luis Gallardo in the CMO magazine article “Is Your Brand Personal Enough For Millennials?” As target audiences’ needs evolve, so too should PR strategies and tactics.

Executives looking to build their brand need to look to new and innovative ways to build their own personal brands. As millennials come of age and become the biggest generation in U.S. history, thought leadership and personal brand management will only become more critical.