Debbie Laskey's Blog: Does Social Media Open Doors for Your Brand?

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Does Social Media Open Doors for Your Brand?

I joined social media platforms back in 2009, first my blog, and then Twitter (called X today), then LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Twitter was what I liked to call "an international water cooler," because people from all over the world were represented and participated. I was able to meet people from other countries, and above all, learn from people who I would never have been able to meet had Twitter not existed. Twitter became an educational, supportive, and inspirational personal and business branding resource.

Over the years, new social media platforms have appeared, some have had staying power, while many shuttered their sites. The jury is still out with the latest crop of new platforms, such as, Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky.

But let's return to Twitter (I refuse to call it "X" and have noticed that several well-known brands also continue to refer to it as Twitter when promoting their accounts). Back in 2019, I read an article on LinkedIn by a Canadian leadership expert who explained why his company was leaving Twitter. Since I continue to use Twitter for brand-building campaigns, brand engagement, community-building - as well as live-Tweeting during special events, such as, the annual Super Bowl, Presidential elections, and more, I thought I'd check in with Bart Egnal to ask if he regrets his decision to leave Twitter. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief bio.

Based in Toronto, Canada, Bart Egnal is the CEO and owner of The Humphrey Group. Over the past 20 years, he′s written countless speeches, coached hundreds of leaders, written a book, and overseen the expansion of the company from Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary, Mexico City, and the United States. He′s also the host of The Inspire Podcast and serves as Chairman of the Niagara Institute. In 2015, Bart was recognized by the International Alliance of Women for his contributions as an ally and continues to be deeply committed to creating a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable world.

QUESTION: We "met" after I read an article you wrote about social media and the decision you and your company, The Humphrey Group, made to leave Twitter back in 2019. I was inspired by your article and wrote a post on my blog (links to both are provided at the end of our Q&A). You wrote, "After three years on Twitter, The Humphrey Group sent its last tweet. And though we will keep our LinkedIn profile, we intend to invest little time or energy into our social media presence in the coming years." Today, nearly 7 years later, what are your thoughts about leaving Twitter - both your company's account and your personal account?

BART EGNAL: No regrets and no loss. For our B2B work, LinkedIn has been the place to have more robust conversations. We have also built a strong following outside of social media through a strong content strategy.

QUESTION: Following the shutdown of your company's Twitter account, what did you hear from your clients/fans/followers?

BART EGNAL: Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

QUESTION: Some of the best aspects of Twitter/X simply cannot be replicated on other platforms, for instance, discussing the ads during the Super Bowl in real time, showcasing creativity in people's bios (for example, whether a title was "Chief Happiness Officer," "Brand Architect," or "Jungle Cruise Skipper," the uniqueness of a person's bio was an invitation to say hello or follow), and participating in TweetChats (this was always a great way to meet like-minded people based on specific topics with hashtags or for brand-building for businesses). What do you miss about Twitter?

BART EGNAL: On a personal note, I do sometimes miss the chance to connect directly with thought leaders. But I found Twitter became more polarizing during COVID and then following the ownership change, so I made the personal decision to also drop off a few years ago, with no regrets.

QUESTION: There are some brands that continue to "speak and engage" on Twitter/X: Sesame Street, Oreo, Merriam-Webster, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and the New York Public Library to name a few. Do you think Twitter/X has evolved into a business-to-consumer only social platform?

BART EGNAL: I can't comment on the platform's evolution but can say we see little B2B value in it.

My gratitude to Bart for sharing his thoughts about social media and for making a repeat appearance on my blog after nearly a decade.