Majority of global executives want their CEOs to participate in social media

Nearly 8 in 10 executives believe that CEO sociability improves company reputation.

A new study by Weber Shandwick found that the majority of global executives (76 per cent) want their CEOs to actively participate in social media. Titled "The Social CEO: Executives Tell All", the study reveals deep insights on CEO sociability and provides a guide on the Seven Habits of Highly Social CEOs in order to inspire CEOs.

Conducted in partnership with KRC Research, the study surveyed 630 senior executives from 10 countries worldwide, including emerging and developed markets. The study defined social media participation as "posting messages, videos, pictures, etc. on a social media site." Executives in the study are described as having a social CEO - those with CEOs who participate in social media - versus those with an unsocial CEO.

Weber Shandwick said that the executives recognise a multitude of returns when CEOs are social, including improved company reputation, business results and employee engagement.

According to 80 per cent of executives whose CEOs are social, the top-ranked benefit of CEOs' sociability is company news and information-sharing. Other important advantages include improving company reputation (78 per cent), demonstrating company innovation (76 per cent), "humanising" the company, improving employee communications and building media relations (75 per cent each) and improving business results (70 per cent).

Weber Shandwick's chief reputation strategist Leslie Gaines-Ross said CEOs are now expected to be chief content providers for their companies.

"Social media is not only an efficient and engaging way to relay information but is also linked in executives' minds with being a better leader," added Gaines-Ross.

The study found that many CEOs who don't participate in social media are actually already communicating with employees through company intranets (50 per cent) and making themselves visible to external constituents on their company websites (62 per cent).

"CEOs must strategically utilize the right digital platforms that advance their communications - ranging from their own intranet and website to social network pages and feeds to video and image sharing platforms," commented Chris Perry, global president of Weber Shandwick's Digital practice.

The study also contains a guide to the key qualities of highly active CEO social media users in a section called Seven Habits of Highly Social CEOs. Read the full study here: The Social CEO: Executives Tell All.