NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BRANDfog, a Social Media Branding Firm that makes CEOs and senior executives more visible, powerful and influential across the Web, released the results of its BRANDfog 2012 CEO, Social Media and Leadership Survey. The purpose of the survey was to better understand the connection between C-Suite engagement on social media, and the attitudes of customers and employees toward the brand. The survey revealed that executive engagement on social media channels raises the brand profile, instills confidence in a company’s leadership team, and builds greater trust, brand loyalty and purchase intent for its customers.
BRANDfog’s survey findings overwhelmingly confirmed that C-Suite executives who engage in social media are viewed as better equipped to lead a company, communicate values and shape a company’s reputation in today’s changing world. Specifically, the survey found that more than 80% of respondents believe that CEOs who engage on social media are better equipped than their peers to lead companies in a Web 2.0 world. What’s more, 93% of respondents believe that CEO engagement on social media helps communicate company values, and grow and evolve corporate leadership in times of crisis.
“The most effective leaders throughout history have been great communicators, yet the vast majority of modern day C-Suite executives are conspicuously absent from social media channels,” said Ann Charles, CEO of BRANDfog. “We are now at a tipping point, where business leaders must begin to communicate their vision through social media. As consumers begin to seek out brands that serve a broader social purpose, the best way to articulate company values is through the voice of the executive leadership team. This bolsters confidence in business leadership and provides a halo effect for the entire brand.”
Aman Singh, Editorial Director of CSRwire, Forbes.com contributor, and CSR Journalist stated: “Transparency, vision and open communication are key to great leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy today. It’s not surprising to see the results of BRANDfog’s Survey reaffirm that social media plays such an influential role in shaping a company’s brand image.”
"We’ve always believed that trust and transparency are more important in today's volatile business marketplace and our survey findings made that connection very clear," Ms. Charles said. When asked about the connection between trust in a brand and its executives, 82 percent of survey respondents said they were more likely to trust a company whose CEO and leadership team engage in social media.
Ms. Charles concludes, “The next generation of business leaders will require new set of talents and skills to be successful. We’ve been talking about this for some time, and wrote about it in the Fast Company article: The Making of the Modern CEO. The simple truth is, the survey confirms that CEO social media interactions will build lasting relationships between brands, customers and investors, which will lead to a corporate culture with a foundation in transparency and openness. This will be the genesis of better business leadership. ”
The full results of the survey may be found at: http://www.brandfog.com/CEOSocialMediaSurvey
About BRANDfog
BRANDfog believes in the power of social media to create better business leaders through social engagement, communications, and transparency. Leveraging technology, BRANDfog shapes, monitors and enhances the brand sentiment of C-suite leaders and brands, and grows their influence across the Web. BRANDfog helps clients become influential thought leaders, creating a company culture that attracts new talent and enlarges business opportunities.
Visit BRANDfog at: www.brandfog.com