Social Media Best Practices for Financial Professionals

Social media isn’t just for vacation photos or reconnecting with old friends. It’s a powerful tool for financial professionals to grow their business, build client relationships and show their experience. But using social media in a regulated industry takes strategy and care. This guide will help you build a strong, compliant presence while engaging your connections.

Why social media matters for financial professionals

Social media offers incredible opportunities for financial professionals. It helps you reach potential clients where they already spend time. It also allows you to showcase your personality and experience in a way traditional marketing can’t match. Regular engagement builds connections over time, turning followers into clients and clients into advocates.

Many financial professionals worry about compliance issues or struggle to find time for social media. But with the right approach, these challenges become manageable, and the benefits far outweigh the effort.

Get started

Before posting anything, take these important first steps to build your foundation:

• Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach? Young professionals? Pre-retirees? Business owners? Your content should speak directly to their needs and concerns.
• Choose the right platforms. Don’t try to be everywhere at once. LinkedIn works great for professional connections, while Facebook might better reach clients nearing retirement. Instagram can help you connect with younger audiences.
• Create a complete profile. Add a professional photo, compelling explanation of who you are and contact information. Make sure your profile clearly explains how you help people.
• Check compliance requirements. Understand what your firm and regulators allow. Many firms have specific social media policies you must follow.

Content that connects

You don’t need fancy tools or a marketing degree to create good content. Focus on these basics:

• Educate, don’t sell. Share helpful financial tips or break down recent economic news.
• Tell stories. Share personal experiences or examples that illustrate financial concepts.
• Use visuals. Posts with images or videos get much more engagement. Create simple infographics, share charts that explain concepts or record quick tip videos.
• Be consistent. Regular posting builds connections and keeps you top-of-mind. Even posting just twice a week makes a difference.
• Include a call to action (CTA). Every post should guide your audience toward a next step. A simple CTA like “Learn more on my website” or “Contact me to discuss your goals” can turn passive engagement into meaningful connections. Be sure to link back to your own site or include contact details so interested followers know how to reach you.

Save time with Ameritas content

If you’re looking for high-quality, client-friendly content to share, Ameritas offers resources that can help. Visit Ameritas Insights to find blog articles on topics like retirement planning, life insurance and financial well-being. These blogs are written with clients in mind and can be shared directly to your social media platforms to provide value and spark engagement.

You can also explore the Ameritas YouTube channel for educational videos that explain financial concepts in a clear, visual format. Sharing these videos with a brief caption or personal insight can help reinforce your experience while keeping your content fresh and relevant.

When sharing Ameritas content:

• Add your own commentary to personalize the post and connect it to your audience’s needs.
• Tag Ameritas when appropriate to increase visibility.
• Always check with your firm’s compliance team to ensure you’re following guidelines for third-party content sharing.

By leveraging existing Ameritas content, you can stay active on social media without having to create everything from scratch—saving time while still delivering meaningful value to your followers.

Engagement: Building relationships

Social media works best when it’s truly social. Try these engagement strategies:

• Respond quickly. Answer questions and thank people for comments within 24 hours.
• Ask questions. Encourage followers to share their thoughts or experiences.
• Join conversations. Comment thoughtfully on posts from clients, colleagues and industry leaders in your field.

Compliance considerations

Staying compliant on social media requires attention to detail. Keep these rules in mind:

• Don’t give specific investment advice.
• Avoid promises about performance or returns.
• Archive your posts—most firms require it.
• Disclose any relationships with products or services you mention.
• When unsure, ask your compliance team to review your content.

Measuring success

How do you know if your social media efforts are working? Track these key metrics:

• Engagement rate. Are people liking, commenting and sharing your posts?
• Follower growth. Is your audience growing steadily?
• Website traffic. Are people clicking through to your site?
• Lead generation. Are you getting inquiries from social media users?
• Client feedback. Do clients mention seeing your content online?

Time-saving tips

Many financial professionals struggle to find time for social media. These strategies help:

• Use scheduling tools. Plan and schedule posts in advance with scheduler tools.
• Create content batches. Set aside a few hours monthly to create multiple posts at once.
• Repurpose content. Turn one blog post into multiple social media posts or reshape content across platforms.
• Set time limits. Dedicate specific time for social media rather than checking constantly.

One post at a time

Social media helps financial professionals connect with clients and prospects. Focus on being helpful, staying compliant and showing your authentic self. Start small, stay consistent and adjust based on what your audience responds to.

The most successful financial professionals on social media aren’t always the most polished—they’re the most genuine.

Social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Building connections takes time, but the relationships you create will be worth it.