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Increasingly, brand managers turn to social media to help companies and business executives connect with their audiences and establish a positive brand identity. As a result, a comprehensive social media strategy has become an integral part of most public relations campaigns.

A case in point is the way Mark Zuckerberg approaches his marketing and branding strategy. As detailed by Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier, Facebook CEO has a staff of over a dozen employees dedicated to maintaining his social media presence. As the article states, a handful of Facebook employees help Zuckerberg write content, a dozen more focus specifically on deleting inappropriate comments and spam from his page.

It was his social media team’s expertise that allowed Zuckerberg to gradually distance himself from the image established by The Social Network movie, which portrayed him as a cold, socially awkward and emotionally isolated person. From holding regular Q&A sessions with his followers, to simply sharing his favorite pizza toppings, Zuckerberg’s team uses his social media profile to showcase more of his personality and make him more relatable to the public.

Establishing an open and relatable personal brand for Zuckerberg is important, as it also translates into how people perceive Facebook and his other business endeavors. If people can view the person behind the brand as someone inspiring, relatable, and, simply, human, then they are more likely to gravitate toward the brand that the individual represents.

What Zuckerberg’s example demonstrates is that a good reputation takes a concerted effort; it is an investment that needs to be built from the ground up with strategy and attention to detail.

If you need professional help incorporating social media into your public relations strategy, contact Red Banyan today.