Cutting through on corporate social media

Corporate social media is in a state of flux, and communicators are having to rethink how they show up online.

At a recent Bowen Craggs Club event, we heard from social media experts Bex Griffiths from HSBC and Christine Dobbin from Unilever on what’s working, what’s not and how to drive performance with credibility, creativity and clarity.

Here are six standout strategies from the discussion to help sharpen your social media approach.

1. Human stories win, every time

"Be really human and relatable," said HSBC's Bex Griffiths, reflecting on the content that gets the most engagement. It’s not necessarily the high-budget, high-polish videos that land best – it’s often simple, people-first posts that surprise and connect.

Whether it’s a reel filmed by employees around the world for the Life at HSBC Instagram account or a playful post about the HQ’s birthday, content that feels real tends to perform best. The takeaway? Your audience wants to see people.

2. Creativity is your competitive edge

In an online world where corporate content shares a feed with publishers, influencers and friends, standing out matters more than ever.

“Creativity is the last great competitive advantage,” said Unilever’s Christine Dobbin. She encouraged teams to think outside the usual corporate box: “You’re not just competing with other corporates. You’re competing with everything else in the feed.”

Unilever has experimented with influencer-style formats to reach investors – even testing TikTok-esque green screen videos in an IR context. The results? Their most creative video was also their best-performing.

3. Use data to ditch the guesswork

Both Bex and Christine shared a data-driven approach to shaping content, especially for paid campaigns. Unilever’s social team A/B tests everything, from opening hooks to video structure.

“Data helps us remove the guessing,” Christine said. “You’ve got three seconds to hook people – maybe even one.” The team studies drop-off rates, tests headlines and reviews which content elements drive real engagement.

In light of that, think beyond views. Look at how much of a video people watch or how long they stay with your article. Depth of engagement beats raw reach.

4. Keep your employees close

Employee-generated content is a cornerstone of HSBC’s strategy – and it’s now deeply aligned with their hiring needs.

Bex explained how the Life at HSBC Instagram account evolved organically into a recruitment tool, giving voice to employees around the world.

HR and recruitment teams now feed into editorial planning: they flag focus markets and in-demand roles, which helps shape who gets featured. But content still feels authentic. “We never tell people what to say,” Bex noted. “But they’ll often say the things we want to be known for naturally.”

5. Know your audience - and your limits

Working in regulated industries doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. It means you need to know your boundaries really well. “Once you know the rules, you can start pushing against them,” said Bex.

It helps that HSBC’s social team is closely connected to internal subject experts and risk teams, making it easier to approve content quickly – even when it’s bold.

Christine echoed this: “You build trust over time. And that trust opens up space to be more creative.”

6. Adapt fast - and plan for change

Corporate social teams are no strangers to change, whether it’s platform shifts, political tensions or unexpected global events. Both speakers stressed the importance of flexibility.

At HSBC, staying on top of social platform specifications, regulatory changes and global trends is essential. The team is also exploring content that responds to industry shifts - for instance, using video to clarify the company’s stance on tariffs.

Meanwhile, Unilever is investing in “business influencers” – internal experts who share branded content. Why? Because it performs. “When an internal expert posts our content, we see up to 3x more engagement,” Christine said.

Final thoughts

Know your brand. Know your audience. And don’t be afraid to try something new. As Christine summed it up: “You need to earn your right to be in the feed.”