For the past three years, H/Advisors Abernathy has studied how CEOs use social media to strengthen their reputations and engage critical stakeholders. This year’s analysis spotlights one audience that has grown dramatically more active and influential online: investors.

This 2025 Social in the C-Suite Report: Investor Relations Edition revealed that investors are not only using online channels to better understand the market, but also closely following executive voices during high-stakes market moments.

As investor presence grows online, CEOs are being called to evolve their executive communications playbook, with an increasing focus on engaging with investor audiences outside of traditional media.

For leaders looking to refine their investor-facing digital strategy, here are four key considerations:

Are investors engaging with CEOs’ content online?

Yes, both retail and institutional investors are increasingly following and engaging with executive content online and in growing numbers.

Our analysis shows that one in three followers of a Fortune 100 CEO on LinkedIn identifies as an investor, signaling that investors increasingly turn to social media to understand corporate narratives, management priorities, and leadership temperament.

In years past, this space was dominated by the presence of retail investors, however they are now joined by portfolio managers, analysts, and institutional decision-makers.

Among that list, Financial Analysts have the highest engagement affinity, meaning they are among the most likely to read, share, and amplify CEO content.

Investor-level engagement is led by senior-level decision makers, as users with the title of Director and above have an affinity score more than six times as high as their junior-level colleagues, making them more likely to engage with C-suite social media content.

For CEOs, this means every post carries the potential to influence market perception and shape investor sentiment long before an earnings call begins.

What content do investors engage with most?

Even in an era of personality-driven media, investors are clearest about what they want to see: company news.

For the third consecutive year, “Company News and Culture” remains the most engaging content category for CEOs, outperforming posts about personal passions or social topics. While lifestyle content can humanize leadership, the data shows that investors primarily engage when executives talk about strategy, performance, and business impact.

At the same time, personal storytelling has surged by 90% since 2023, suggesting that CEOs are finding new ways to connect corporate results with human context, which is an approach that can make financial updates more relatable without diluting their substance.

When is the best time for CEOs to use social media to reach investors?

Investor attention online peaks during high-stakes business events like mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, and earnings announcements. These moments often call for a leadership voice that affirms confidence in the company and its leadership.

For example, M&A announcements generate 53% higher engagement than similar posts from the corporate social media channel. Those post also earn 18% more engagement than a CEO’s typical post, proving that executive voices are uniquely impactful and distinct from their corporate channel counterparts.

When CEOs personally share business updates, they signal confidence, transparency, and alignment across the leadership team, all qualities that are weighty among investors evaluating long-term value creation potential.

The takeaway: CEOs who integrate their voice into moments that matter most can amplify reach, shape narrative, and deepen credibility with key stakeholders.

Have activist investors embraced digital media?

Activist shareholders have increasingly adopted social media as part of their profile building playbook. Within the last year, the top 10 activist investors collectively reached 22.7 billion impressions across digital channels, rivaling traditional outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

With over 60% of prominent activists maintaining active social profiles, digital channels have become a key battleground for shaping public and market opinion. For CEOs, this underscores the importance of proactive storytelling — using social platforms – to reinforce company strategy before an activist or media narrative fills the void.

While direct engagement with activists online is not usually recommended, leaders should at least build a presence online before, during and after an activist campaign to build a measurable and consistent narrative around company performance and strategy.

Those who stay active and transparent build trust among shareholders, employees, and analysts, all of whom are watching in real time.

What’s next for investor engagement across digital channels?

Our research shows that investors are among the most discerning digital audiences, blending social content with traditional media. Over 60% of investor-shared posts include a link to a major news outlet, confirming that trust is earned through consistency across all communications channels.

CEOs who build thoughtful, multi-channel approach are best positioned to reach investors wherever they are consuming information. Integrating LinkedIn, YouTube, podcasts, and traditional media in high-visibility moments like earnings, M&A, and leadership transitions help leaders stand out as trusted, consistent and transparent voices in the market.

In 2025, the path to investor confidence runs through clarity and consistency. CEOs who bring their company’s story to life online with precision, transparency, and purpose aren’t just managing perception. They’re building long-term credibility that endures well beyond the next quarter.