Despite that, in reality, executives seem to be reluctant from joining the different social media platforms. It is not that they do not appreciate or understand the role of social websites in today’s business, they actually do.

In the same study mentioned above, the results show that 61 percent of top 500 brands were engaging with customers via Twitter, but only 2.5 percent officials for these firms were doing the same.

It’s obvious that executives are too busy leading and managing their companies. They do not have the time to struggle with the 140 characters of Twitter, or the endless pokes from customers on Facebook.

However, deep inside, these officials are quite concerned about their image on social media platforms, fearing their online behavior might affect their companies in a negative way.

Jacqueline Gold, chief executive of a lingerie retailer, admitted in an interview that she was having some concerns prior to joining Twitter. She was “worried about saying the wrong things, looking a fool or upsetting people.”

However slow, things seem to be changing. In 2013, the percentage of top executives participating in social media activities increased a little bit to become around 5.6 percent.

More officials are realizing that their online presence on social media is as important as the representation of their firms on the same platforms.

As companies are realizing it is on social media platforms where they can find, engage with, and listen to their customers, executives should also realize the same.

An official representing himself on any social media platform, sharing news and advices, or even responding to public queries, gives his company a relatable and more approachable personality. It also boosts the confidence in the company.

82 percent of respondents in the same survey reported they are more likely to trust a company whose high-level management is participating on social media network.

The situation in Saudi Arabia is not that promising. I hardly know any high-level executive of a company who is available on social media.

We need to conduct a study on how many top officials from Saudi companies are available on social platforms.

Saudi executives should open the doors of their offices and start engaging with the public. Better late than never, and they are already late.