Campaigners top ICAEW social influencer charts
16 December 2020: The most prominent and successful social media influencers in accountancy have been recognised in ICAEW’s latest rankings, as the widespread use of Twitter by accountancy experts gains traction.
The rankings are based on analysis using the Falcon social media listening tool to identify UK-based individuals tweeting about accountancy-related topics. Meanwhile, the #ICAEWROAR algorithm gives more weighting to topical engagement of the authors’ tweets rather than the amount they’ve tweeted. The algorithm considers everything from visibility, relevance and tone of voice, to reaction and audience engagement.
Sabina Rosander, senior social media executive at ICAEW, said it had taken a while for the accountancy profession to fully engage with Twitter, but it was now firmly established as a mainstream communication and influencing platform. “Twitter has a huge role to play in helping the perception of accountancy and accountancy experts in the broader business community,” Rosander said.
Chartered accountant Richard Murphy, who is also Visiting Professor of Accounting at Sheffield University, repeated his 2019 feat and topped the list of accountancy influencers for the second year in a row. Murphy boasts more than 66,000 followers on Twitter and has tweeted more than 75,000 times since his account was set up.
“Twitter is all about communication, so you need a message. The more blatant the promotion, the less successful the Tweet,” he warns. “And remember there’s got to be a hook. Including a question can help people engage with what you’re saying. Have personality, tweet regularly and shamelessly replying to people will help you get noticed.”
New entrant to the #ICAEWROAR rankings Keith Gordon said he was delighted to appear on the list “even more so to appear so close to the top alongside Richard Murphy, whose influence over the past few years has been immense, and with other leading lights of the tax and accountancy world.”
Gordon’s vocal opposition to the loan charge is a recurring theme of his tweets. “What I have found interesting is my engagement with other commentators on the subject,” comments Gordon. “These engagements have been particularly enlightening when protagonists have shown a willingness to listen to others and to modify their stance to take into account others' views.”
In at number 11, Carl Reader said there was now widespread recognition that clients, prospects, peers and professional bodies were all listening in to what people had to say on social media. Tools like Twitter were invaluable in engaging with contacts and 'topping up' relationships - never more important than now in our distant working relationships. “Try to make sure you post as an individual rather than as a firm - and with your own voice, not a corporate voice. Finally, UPLOAD A PHOTO! No-one likes talking to an egg,” Reader urges.
Top 10 Accounting Influencers:
- Richard Murphy (Twitter handle: @RichardJMurphy)
- Keith M Gordon (@keithmgordon)
- Alex Cobham (@alexcobham)
- Judith Freedman (@JudithFreedman)
- Della Hudson (@DellaHudsonFCA)
- Ken Frost (@ken_frost)
- Dan Davies (@dsquareddigest)
- Kevin Ellis (@KevinJDEllis)
- Aynsley Damery (@aynsleydamery)
- Nicola Duke (@NicTrades)
To see who made into onto this year’s Top 50 Influencer list, go to #ICAEWROAR Top Online UK Influencers Accountancy 2020 | ICAEW
Read more about #ICAEWROAR at https://www.icaew.com/about-icaew/icaewroar.