BRANDfog recently released their 2011 Social Media and Leadership Report, which asked the question “Do you believe that CEOs who engage on social media are better equipped to successfully lead a company today?” The results indicate that both consumers and employees regard CEOs who engage in social media favorably — and this positive image reflects on brand perception as well.
The highlights:
- 82% of respondents are more likely to trust a company whose CEO and leadership team communicates openly via social media about their core mission and values.
- 74% of respondents are more likely to buy from a company whose values are clearly defined through CEO social media participation.
- 86% of respondents rated CEO social media engagement as somewhat important, very important or mission-critical.
- 94% said C-suite social media participation enhances a brand image.
The results also indicate that C-suite engagement in social media improves consumer opinion of both a brand and its executive leadership. Over three-quarters of survey respondents, 77%, said CEO participation in social media leads to better communication, while 71% said it leads to improved brand image and 64% said it provides more transparency, as reported by eMarketer.
The BRANDfog CEO Survey was launched in August 2011 and ran for two months, receiving 400 responses across a diverse spectrum of industries and professionals. The company does have a vested interest in encouraging CEOs to become more involved with social media: their goal is to leverage technology to “track and improve the brand sentiment of C-Suite leaders and brands, and grow their influence across the Web.”
