CEOs chase social clout with LinkedIn posts

Move over models and actors, chief executives are flexing their power as influencers through LinkedIn posts.

Matt Tindale is managing director of LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

CEOs are morphing into online influencers as the number of posts by business top dogs on LinkedIn doubles year on year.

More than 80 per cent of ASX 100 CEOs are now on LinkedIn, and regularly use the platform to make company announcements, release financial results and communicate directly with employees, peers and the broader business community.

The number of posts shared by chief executives on LinkedIn has surged 52 per cent in the past two years.

In recent weeks, WPP CEO Mark Read used the platform to announce his resignation from the global advertising company, while NAB CEO Andrew Irvine shared behind-the-scenes insights into the company’s results announcements.

Last week Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh Cassidy used the site to break down the company’s Melio acquisition, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s CEO Matt Comyn lodged his first social media video post to announce the brand’s sponsorship of the Australian national soccer team.

Xero chief executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy spruiked the Melio acquisition on LinkedIn.

The rise in activity reflects the increased focus on thought leadership from the C-suite, particularly as the CEO role becomes increasingly linked to the company brand.

“Thought leadership plays a huge role in building brands and brand has never been more important to a company’s growth,” said LinkedIn managing director for Australia and New Zealand Matt Tindale.

“When CEOs show up on LinkedIn, they’re not just representing the business, they’re helping shape how it’s perceived. People want to hear directly from decision-makers, and when a CEO shares a post or video, it brings a level of authenticity that cuts through. It humanises the numbers, gives context to the decisions, and brings the company’s values to life.

“And it works – CEO posts on average receive eight times more impressions and four times more engagement than the average post.”

Brand ‘safe space’

LinkedIn’s reputation as a “safe space”, as opposed to other social media and digital environments, is also a key driver behind the surge in activity, Mr Tindale said.

“LinkedIn is a trusted, professional environment where leaders can directly communicate with their audiences in a brand-safe space,” he said.

“And because we champion identity verification, leaders know they’re engaging with real people, not anonymous accounts, which makes the conversation more meaningful and constructive.”

The growth in CEO use is also coinciding with the strong increase in video use across the professional platform, where video is growing at twice the rate of other formats while time spent watching videos on LinkedIn is also rising – up 36 per cent year on year.

“(CEOs are) using the platform to lead conversations and connect directly with their audiences,” Mr Tindale said. “This shift is driven by a growing expectation for leaders to demonstrate authenticity and transparency. CEOs are leveraging LinkedIn – often through short-form videos – to speak directly to their customers, clients, staff, investors and peers, providing context and clarity behind big decisions and driving real conversations.

“Whether it’s a major announcement or a quick video update, CEOs are turning to LinkedIn to share insights, engage with feedback and shape their company’s story in real time.”

LinkedIn has 15 million members in Australia and 1 billion members worldwide.