Executive Visibility is No Longer Optional

Executive leaders have long served as the voice and face of their company when the stakes are high, whether it’s around earnings, industry-changing acquisitions, or moments of crisis. But today, their visibility is essential.

The role of representing a company has evolved. In a world of constant disruption, brands can soar or stumble overnight. Today’s leaders don’t just guide their organizations through turbulence; they embody their brands with every word and action. To earn trust and inspire loyalty, they must connect with stakeholders across platforms, in every format, and in real time.  

A steady and strategic voice for brands

Disruption is now the norm. EY calls the current state we’re living in the “NAVI” world: nonlinear, accelerated, volatile, and interconnected. In this kind of environment, visibility doesn’t just raise your brand’s profile; it empowers your brand to lead. For established brands, it reinforces strength. For newer ones, it highlights vision and momentum.  

Executive visibility can also stabilize your organization during transformational periods such as:

• Leadership changes

• Mergers and acquisitions

• Expansions and relocations

• Operational or mission changes

A planful, purposeful approach  

An effective executive visibility program doesn’t happen by chance. It must be strategic, planful, ongoing, and aligned with business goals.  

Every program needs intention and consistency, whether you support a startup founder or a seasoned industry leader. These best practices can help you refine your approach:

1. Find your narrative.

Many organizations consider themselves thought leaders, but real thought leadership comes from having a clear, relevant narrative.  

A strong narrative should do three things:  

• Align with your company’s purpose or transformational goal.  

• Reflect your stakeholders’ beliefs.  

• Offer a compelling vision for where your industry or category is headed.

Sometimes that story comes naturally. Other times, it takes some digging. Consider reviewing media coverage and industry conversations to spot emerging themes. Better yet, conduct industry or voice-of-customer research to get first-hand perspectives that you can pair with insights from your executive team and subject matter experts.  

Assessing the broader landscape gives you a realistic view of how your brand is showing up and can help you identify new opportunities that align with your growth strategy.

2. Secure executive commitment.

You may have the lead on creating or managing your organization’s executive visibility program, but your executives need to be fully engaged. They need to buy into the narrative, use it consistently, and inspire others to join them. They also need to feel confident as thought leaders – and at times as newsmakers.

If media coaching hasn’t happened recently, now’s a good time to schedule it. Executives should be ready to participate in media interviews and connect their story to what’s happening in the world today.  

3. Engage through earned media.

Some organizations hesitate to pursue earned media opportunities, seeing them as risky or unpredictable. But when done right, it builds credibility and provides reusable content for other channels.

Build and maintain relationships with the media. Pitch stories that align with your business priorities. Offer executive interviews when relevant to breaking news. And always stay ready. Reporters often reach out for quick-turnaround quotes or interviews.  

Invite media to experience your brand firsthand. Invite them to events where your CEO is speaking. Schedule time with them at tradeshows. Invite them to company events. These moments of access and expertise often lead to stronger coverage.  

4. Optimize for AI.

More people are turning to generative AI tools for answers instead of traditional search engines. This is making AI tools the new gatekeepers of information – and why your content strategy needs to incorporate generative engine optimization (GEO).

AI models often favor reputable, consistent sources like established news outlets when crafting responses to questions and inquiries. Ideally, these established news outlets are part of the earned media strategy for your executive visibility program.

They also prioritize credibility and repetition, favor consistent voices and clear messaging. This is why your executive’s talking points, key messages, and any published content should be clear and consistent across digital platforms.

5. Amplify and extend.

Once earned media is in motion, there are easy ways to amplify coverage and maximize it across paid, shared, and owned channels.

For starters, share coverage internally with employees and externally on both corporate and executive LinkedIn pages. Paid amplification, whether it’s a sponsored post on Facebook or a boosted post on the executive’s LinkedIn page, can help you reach new audiences. Digital platforms allow you to amplify coverage to key audiences wherever they are online, which gives you an even greater opportunity to be visible with the people that matter most to your organization.

Finally, think of how you can repurpose your content. Perhaps an op-ed could evolve into a timely blog post. Or maybe a topic an executive spoke about at an industry event could inspire a media pitch. The goal is to make every piece of content work harder for your brand.

6. Stay flexible and informed.

Your executive visibility program shouldn’t be rigid. It should be flexible and evolve with changes in the news cycle, public sentiment, and within your organization.

Stay informed on industry changes, global events, and the news of the day. Revisit your plan when needed and be active in revising messages or even pulling the content if developments warrant it.  

Your executive team will depend on you to be prepared. With a targeted approach to executive visibility, you can establish trust and credibility with your brand’s customers and other stakeholders.  Provide reassurance and vision during times of disruption. And stand apart from competitors with thought leadership that tells a clear, consistent story.

This article was first published on O'Dwyers.