Should My CEO Be Present on Social Media?

Let’s get this straight—your CEO is an individual first before being the CEO of your company. As an individual, they may have personal reservations about being on social media, depending on their personality type and interests. The reverse is also true; some CEOs are naturally inclined toward social media, while others have no interest in it at all.

While some CEOs seamlessly embrace social media, others see no value in it and won’t make time for it, regardless of the support they receive.

From my experience managing C-suite brands, personality and ideology play a huge role in determining a CEO’s stance on social media. Some CEOs already browse social media during their spare time and may even prefer co-managing their accounts. Others, however, want no involvement at all. The farthest this latter group will go is to set up an account—perhaps with a name, a profile picture, and sometimes no banner on platforms like LinkedIn—but with zero engagement.

The truth is, regardless of which category your CEO falls into, they can still receive support. The level of support, however, largely depends on your company’s social media policy.

Should CEOs Be Forced to Be on Social Media?

I have always maintained that employees should never be forced to be on social media. Companies should not impose this on their staff. However, if employees, including the CEO, choose to align with the company’s brand on social media (especially on platforms like LinkedIn), there must be clear guidelines to ensure mutual respect between the corporate and personal brands.

A CEO is an employee whose personal brand is tied to the corporate brand, it will be ideal to have them online, but they are also an individual whose privacy must be respected.

So, should a CEO be on social media? The decision should be the CEO’s, not the company’s. It shouldn’t be a mandate simply because they hold the title of CEO. Instead, it should be a mutual understanding between the CEO and the company. One borne out of clarity on the value a CEO's presence will bring their personal brand and the Corporate brand.

 What if our CEO Doesn’t See the Value, But we Do

If your CEO belongs to the category that doesn’t see the value of social media, but you, as the communications lead or whoever is in charge does, here’s what you can do:

1.    Listen and Understand – Take time to understand their concerns about social media. There maybe a misconception that needs to be cleared or even fears that must be allayed. Listen to understand not to justify your stance.

2.    Provide Factual Information – Address their concerns with data and insights, without making them feel pressured. Let them know the value and the importance of having a digital footprint.

3.    Show Successful Examples – Share case studies of other CEOs successfully leveraging social media to build thought leadership and mentor other young ones through their content.

4.    Highlight Thought Leadership Benefits – Illustrate how their presence can build their personal brand beyond their current role.

5.    Align Content Strategy with Their Identity – Develop a content strategy that reflects their personality, values, and the impact they drive within the company.

6.    Let Them Choose Their Platform – Explain various social media platforms and allow them to select the one they feel most comfortable with. Sustainability is key—if they choose willingly, they’re more likely to stay active.

7.    Offer Social Media Support – Have your social media team assist with content creation and management. Remember, they don’t have a lot of time on their hands.

8.    Encourage Basic Understanding – Since they won’t always have the comms team’s support, help them develop an interest and basic social media literacy.

9.    Ensure Active Engagement – If you post on their behalf, also engage on their behalf. A dormant account sends a negative signal.

10. Prioritize Security – Implement security measures to protect their accounts. For example, verify their profiles on platforms like X (Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram and apply privacy settings on LinkedIn.

11. Provide Regular Feedback – Share insights on how their social media presence is impacting their personal and corporate brand. This will serve as some form of motivation.

If Your CEO Enjoys Social Media what can I do to support

If your CEO is already active and enjoys engaging on social media, your role is to provide strategic guidance.

1.    Develop a Content Strategy that aligns with their interest and objective for being visible on social media – content strategy can include experience sharing post, expert advice, personal and company milestones, appearances at speaking engagements, and industry events etc.

2.    Support Platform Management – Offer assistance in managing their accounts efficiently. Remember they are the face of your brand. Pay attention to them as much as you pay your corporate brand.

3.    Provide Regular Feedback – Share insights on how their social media presence is impacting their personal and corporate brand.

4.    Encourage Meaningful Engagement – Help them interact with clients and stakeholders. If they’re active but lack strategic engagement, it can negatively affect the corporate brand.

Handling a C-suite executive’s social media presence requires careful planning and thought. While having a CEO online can be beneficial, forcing them onto social media isn’t the right approach.

However, even if they choose not to be present, I strongly advise including them in your company’s social media monitoring. This ensures:

• You receive alerts whenever they are mentioned online.

• You can periodically check for impersonation attempts or fake accounts in their name.

Ultimately, a CEO or a Senior Manager’s social media presence should be a well-considered decision—not an obligation. It is great for them to have presence but it has to be something based on mutual understanding and building consensus.

Hi my Cherished reader, Thank you for your time. I hope you found the content useful. I am a student of continuous learning so why not share your thoughts with me.

Thank you.

Love,

Eunice