According to data from Statista. Twitter currently has 302 million active users. This is a huge market that can really boost a brand if used correctly. An article in Chief Executive lists 11 ways a CEO can use Twitter to effectively develop their company’s brand.

1.  Create a social media policy – The marketing director should have a social media outline that would apply to all departments. The policy should include parameters that define boundaries between postings as a professional persona vs. a personal account.
2. Find your audience – This is a standard marketing question: who is your audience? Are they using twitter? A CEO wants to find the right followers who are engaged and interested in what the company has to say.
3. Do it right, or don’t do it at all – Tweeting is meant to be a continuous activity throughout the day. If you are reading a relevant article associate with work, Tweet it. Some experts suggest 30 minutes a day.
4. Manage your own Twitter – If people are truly following the company, they will be able to tell if the person Tweeting is not actually the CEO.
5. Don’t be afraid to get personal – Followers like to see real commentary and personality. Don’t only talk about work. Also talk about your favorite hobbies and tastes. This adds personal depth, which has proven to be successful in the Twitter world.
6. Share your opinions – Going along with personal information is the CEO’s opinions on something topical. Engage in the Twitter community by re-tweeting an opinion from someone else’s account.
7. Act fast when criticized – Effective CEOs are able to neutralize criticism on their company’s brand quickly. As the CEO, you should understand why and how your product works, thus understanding how to defend the brand in your own words.
8. Don’t hide if your company isn’t doing too well – Twitter can be a great use of crisis management. Take to your online community and explain your situation. Customers like transparency, and know when you’re trying to hide something. Trust is instrumental for growing a customer base.
9. Be careful of who you decide to follow – A CEO’s followers might be interested in the company they keep. The individuals a CEO decides to hang around say a lot about the CEO, just like the followers they decide to follow.
10. Influence media – CEOs are in their position because they are seen as leaders. Use Twitter to promote thought leadership through interacting with reporters, bloggers, editors, and other influencers in the industry. This is also a way for CEOs to build positive relationships with media outlets. Twitter can be a great networking tool.
11. Twitter is a PUBLIC sharing platform – A CEO needs to understand that even though some Tweets might be deemed “private,” there are still ways in which the public can get a hold of this information. Don’t let an inappropriate Tweet go viral.