Natasha Elek
You might think social listening is only for the corporate accounts of big tech companies, but it’s also a powerful tool for individual leaders, especially on LinkedIn.
But what exactly is social listening? Simply put, it’s the practice of monitoring conversations, trends, and topics across social platforms to gain insights into what people are saying about your industry, competitors, and brand. It’s about more than just eavesdropping—it’s about understanding the pulse of the market and using that knowledge to engage meaningfully.
For CEOs and other company leaders, social listening isn’t just a way to keep an ear on the market; it’s a game-changer for connecting with the right audience, establishing a credible personal brand, and curating content that speaks to real industry issues.
At ZoecialMedia, we help our C-suite clients maximize LinkedIn’s potential by tapping into industry trends, understanding their audience’s pain points, and positioning them as thought leaders. This blog is all about how social listening does just that for CEOs—and how it can turn LinkedIn into a hub for influence, engagement, and real connection.
Think of social listening as a daily check-in on what matters most to your audience. For example, when I work with the CEO of a cybersecurity company, the focus isn’t just on broad topics but on specific, relevant issues that speak to the company’s strengths. We’re talking about keywords like “MFA,” “device identity,” and “social engineering”—the types of topics that directly relate to the company’s solutions and resonate with industry pain points.
I search LinkedIn using these terms to find posts from industry leaders and influencers who are discussing these exact issues. It’s an easy way to see what’s trending, spot emerging concerns, and identify how thought leaders are approaching these challenges. Sometimes, these keyword searches even lead us to new insights, allowing the CEO to weigh in early on conversations that matter most to the industry.
Making the right connections is central to social listening—especially if the goal is to grow the CEO’s influence and the company’s network. LinkedIn is all about real people connecting with other real people, so having a personal touch is powerful. I often search for potential connections using criteria like other cybersecurity leaders, CISOs in target regions (like the U.S. or Canada), and executives in companies with over 500 employees. Once we identify the right people, we send out connection requests.
LinkedIn is all about real people connecting with other real people, so having a personal touch is powerful.
The next step is using these insights to guide the CEO’s engagement strategy, making every interaction meaningful.
Let’s break it down with an example:
Imagine this: the CEO’s cybersecurity company specializes in tackling MFA fatigue, a topic that’s been all over the news for causing data breaches. On LinkedIn, I search “MFA fatigue” and find posts from thought leaders discussing their experiences with this issue. From here, the CEO can jump into the conversation—maybe with a comment about best practices or insights on reducing MFA fatigue.
By sharing relevant insights in these discussions, the CEO isn’t just responding; they’re building authority and starting conversations. Plus, we can connect with the original poster, who could be another influential figure, and use the post as inspiration for new company content.
By sharing relevant insights in these discussions, the CEO isn’t just responding; they’re building authority and starting conversations.
Building Industry Expertise as a Social Media Manager
Beyond just connecting and engaging, social listening has another valuable benefit—it helps social media managers (like me!) develop a stronger understanding of the CEO’s industry. In an agency setting, we often work across vastly different sectors, from health tech and cybersecurity to autonomous driving technology. It’s challenging to be an expert in every field, especially when we’re creating content that needs to feel authentic and informed.
Social listening allows me to dive deeper into each industry. By following what thought leaders and professionals are discussing, I can keep up with trends, understand pain points, and stay in tune with what’s driving conversations. This industry insight enables me to shape posts that resonate with each audience, keeping our CEO’s LinkedIn presence in touch with relevant concerns and emerging topics. Social listening, in this sense, isn’t just about the CEO’s visibility—it’s also about empowering social media managers to become knowledgeable advocates in each field we represent.
Translating Insights into Corporate Content
Another powerful benefit of social listening is how it directly supports the corporate account. From personal experience, I’d say over half of the posts I write for the company’s LinkedIn come from insights gathered while monitoring discussions and trends for the CEO’s profile. Social listening, in this way, doesn’t just strengthen the CEO’s presence—it amplifies the company’s voice on LinkedIn.
These insights guide us to create content that’s more in tune with the topics our audience genuinely cares about, making our corporate page relatable and relevant. When the corporate content echoes the same timely issues and perspectives discussed by industry leaders, it helps the company show up authentically, positioning us as an engaged and responsive part of the conversation.
Social listening isn’t just a tool for personal growth; it’s a game-changer for both personal and corporate brand presence. For CEOs and companies alike, it’s a strategy that builds stronger connections, sharper engagement, and a more influential voice in the industry.
Social listening, in this way, doesn’t just strengthen the CEO’s presence—it amplifies the company’s voice on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, social listening isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ for CEOs—it’s a must for building real influence and staying connected with what truly matters to their audience. This approach helps CEOs move beyond just broadcasting their expertise; it enables them to listen, learn, and lead with intention. And for those of us behind the scenes, managing social media for different industries, it’s our secret weapon. Social listening empowers us to craft content that resonates, positioning the CEO and the company right where they need to be: at the center of the conversation.
So, if you’re looking to make waves on LinkedIn, don’t just post—listen. The insights you gain might just surprise you, and the connections you build? Well, they’ll speak for themselves.
And now, for the best part…
We’re pulling back the curtain and giving you an exclusive look at how we approach social listening for stakeholders. Think of this as your backstage pass to the process that helps leaders shine on LinkedIn!
Let’s talk about how we tailor social listening for a CEO in the cybersecurity industry, here’s how it all comes together:
So, if you’re looking to make waves on LinkedIn, don’t just post—listen.
| Step | Details | Example for Cybersecurity CEO | Example for VC Managing Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
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Identify Target Audience
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Define the key roles and industries to focus on.
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Job Titles: CISOs, IT Security, IT Ops, CIOs, IT Sec Managers, Engineers Companies: 500+ employees Industries: Data Security, IT Consulting |
Job Titles: Founder, Co-Founder, CEO of Stealth Mode Startups Companies: Stealth Mode startups and Series A startups working on SaaS products Industries: Focus on Cybersecurity and Enterprise software |
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Set Keywords/Hashtags |
Identify relevant terms to track industry conversations.
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Examples: MFA, Device Identity, Phishing, Zero Trust, Passwordless, SSO, Device Compliance
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Examples: Cybersecurity, Venture Capital, Early-stage startups, B2B software, Enterprise software, Value Creation, Global expansion, Network of advisors, Post-Series A growth
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Monitor Competitors
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Track conversations from competitors to stay informed and adapt.
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Competitors: Include the main competitors of the company that you would NOT want to engage with.
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Competitors: Other VCs focusing on the same space.
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Engage with Key Content
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Comment, like, or share posts that align with the CEO’s expertise and target audience interests.
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Example: Commenting on a trending post about MFA fatigue with insights or tips on mitigation.
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Example: Congratulate a founder who posts that they are coming out of stealth mode or offer advice to a founder for how to find venture funding.
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Expand Network
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To connect with potential stakeholders, leverage LinkedIn Sales Navigator for a more refined and effective search than LinkedIn’s standard tools can offer.
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Criteria: North America-based professionals in cybersecurity, companies with 500+ employees, over 60 mutual connections.
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Criteria: Startup advisors and mentors, accelerators and incubators in New York
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Translate Insights
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Use insights from social listening to create content for both the CEO and corporate account.
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Craft a corporate post addressing “MFA fatigue,” inspired by conversations happening in the CEO’s LinkedIn network.
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| Task | Details |
|---|---|
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Check Notifications
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Respond to comments, likes, or shares on the CEO’s posts.
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Accept/Decline Pending Invites
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Accept invites from professionals meeting the target criteria.
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Engage with Key Content
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Interact with relevant posts using insights from social listening.
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Outreach
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Send connection requests to professionals from defined industries and roles.
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Invite to Follow Company Page
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Monthly task to invite relevant connections to follow the corporate page.
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Ready to learn more?
