H/Advisors Abernathy ‘Social in the C-Suite’ 2025 Report examines how the rapidly evolving digital landscape is reshaping CEO communications
C-level executives no longer wait for a crisis or market announcement to connect with key stakeholders online
NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- H/Advisors Abernathy, a leading strategic communications advisor, today released the third edition of its ‘Social in the C-Suite’ report. This proprietary research underscores how senior leaders are meeting the mandate to connect with their stakeholders online at a time when the digital landscape is constantly evolving, driven by new channels, shifting media consumption habits, AI and unpredictable algorithm changes.
H/Advisors Abernathy conducted a comprehensive analysis of prominent social media accounts, including Fortune 100 CEOs, policymakers and influential business leaders, to understand their content, channel management, and engagement strategies.
The highly dynamic digital landscape is reshaping CEO communications and strengthening leaders’ commitment to social media: 67% of Fortune 100 CEOs have claimed a social media profile in 2025. Of those, 71% posted at least once per month, which means a 47% increase from 2024. The pressure is on for C-level executives, as data shows that 78% of CEOs in the U.S. have at least half of their peers active on social media.
“For the past three years, our digital team has examined how CEOs use social media to shape and protect their reputations, demonstrating that a strong executive presence online is essential for telling a company’s story,” said Carina Davidson, Interim CEO at H/Advisors Abernathy. “That said, simply being a prominent public figure is no longer enough to break through the crowded digital ecosystem. For senior leaders, success on digital channels demands a refined strategy, consistent presence and a distinctive point-of-view.”
This year’s report reveals that as CEOs continued to grow their social media connections among key stakeholders, engagement rates increased by 19%. Peers, investors and policy leaders are the three most engaged audiences following CEOs on social media. Data analyzed reveals a 32% increase in the number of Fortune 100 CEOs who have optimized their online profiles since 2024, preparing them to address a potential crisis before the issue arises.
“Since we began publishing our annual digital report, CEOs have increasingly prioritized their digital presence, showing steady growth in social media activity, visibility and audience engagement and size,” said Akeem Anderson, Head of Digital at H/Advisors Abernathy. “The question is no longer whether CEOs should be on social media, but how do they engage in ways that improve reputation,” he added.
Other key findings in 2025 ‘Social in the C-Suite’ report include:
- 46% of CEOs are recognized as LinkedIn Top Voices posted about critical issues—a 26% increase since 2024.
- More than half of the content on critical issues authored by CEOs consisted of original posts rather than reshares or comments.
- Large social media audiences can reduce quality engagement: CEOs with more than 32K followers on X saw lower engagement rates.
- Posts about company performance earned the highest engagement and remained the most frequent post type for the third year in a row.
- LinkedIn continues to be the channel of choice for CEOs: 70% of CEOs are active, and engagement rates increased by 15% in 2024, the highest among all channels.
- Instagram is gaining traction among CEOs: Each of this year’s Top 20 Most Influential CEO Voices has an active Instagram account.
- X’s relevance continues to decline among CEOs: Activity dropped by 81%, and engagement rates fell below 1%.
- While LinkedIn is the preferred social media for institutional investors, X remains the top channel for policymakers.
The full report is available for download using this link: https://bit.ly/HAA_SocialCSuite2025
About H/Advisors Abernathy
H/Advisors Abernathy specializes in advising CEOs, board directors and senior executives on effective stakeholder communications and engagement. For over 40 years, the firm has been entrusted by clients across sectors to help build, protect, and enhance their reputation, overcome challenges, and seize new opportunities. H/Advisors Abernathy operates from offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C. and is a core member of H/Advisors, strategic communications experts dedicated to enhancing reputation and building trust to fulfill ambitions. Founded in 2001, H/Advisors employs 1,500+ multi-disciplinary experts in 40+ offices across Europe, America, APAC and the Middle East.
For more information, please visit https://abernathy.h-advisors.global.
Follow H/Advisors Abernathy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/h-advisors-abernathy.
Contact
Angela Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Director of Marketing
H/Advisors Abernathy
Angela.gonzalez-rodriguez@h-advisors.global
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