Okay, let’s dive in. Social media. Now, as a financial advisor, I know what you’re probably thinking: “That’s not for me,” or, “I don’t have time for that.” But hear me out—if you’re not using social media, you’re leaving a ton of potential clients out there waiting for someone like you. And trust me, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Let’s make this whole social media thing a lot less scary.
1. Figure Out Where Your People Are First thing you gotta do? Find out where your audience hangs out. Social media is everywhere, but not everyone’s on every platform. If you’re spreading yourself too thin trying to be everywhere, you’re just wasting your time. You need to know where your ideal clients are—LinkedIn for the professionals? Facebook or Instagram for people thinking about retirement? Maybe a bit of all?
The key here is to not try to do everything. When I started out with social media for my business, I tried to be on every platform. Man, that was exhausting, and it didn’t really work until I focused on the places where my people were actually hanging out. Once I did that, things clicked. And if it doesn’t work? No worries, you can always change it up. Just start with the places that make sense.
2. Consistency is Key—But Don’t Stress About Perfection Alright, so now you know where your people are. Time to get going. But here’s the thing—you don’t need to post 10 times a day. Just show up regularly. It doesn’t need to be polished to perfection, either. The key here? Consistency. If posting once a week feels good to you, then start there. Share your thoughts, offer value, and be present when people need help. But don’t overthink the “perfect” post.
Trust me, trying to make every post perfect will hold you back. If you keep editing and tweaking every single word, you’ll never post anything. Just post what feels right to you. Be human. People wanna see you, flaws and all. So don’t stress if not every post is a work of art.
3. Give Value First, Sell Later One thing a lot of financial advisors mess up? Selling in every post. Don’t do that. Listen Financial Advisors Social media isn’t for constant sales pitches. It’s about building relationships. People don’t wanna hear “Buy my stuff” all the time. They wanna learn.
So give ‘em value. Share tips on budgeting, saving for retirement, or how to make smarter investments. Share things they can actually use. The more helpful you are, the more likely people are to reach out when they need advice. I’ve seen it happen countless times—advisors who post useful stuff, and boom, their inbox is full of consultation requests.
A while back, an advisor shared a simple tip about setting up a monthly savings plan. Nothing groundbreaking, but super helpful. It got shared all over, and suddenly, people were following him just because they liked his advice. That’s the trust you wanna build.
3. Don’t Just Post—Engage So you’ve been posting some helpful stuff, right? Now, don’t just leave it at that. Social media isn’t a one-way street. If you’re not talking to people who comment on your posts, you’re missing out. It’s all about engagement. Take a few minutes each day to respond to comments, answer questions, or just join the conversation.
I’ve worked with advisors who have great content, but they don’t spend enough time engaging with their followers. And guess what? They miss out on building solid relationships. When you engage, people feel like they know you. It builds trust.
One client I had replied to every single comment. Even if it was just a quick “Thanks for commenting! Let me know if you have any questions.” Simple, but it made people feel heard. And that kind of engagement? It leads to more business. So don’t just post and ghost. Respond. You’ll see results.
4. Video Is Your Friend Let’s talk video. Social media is moving in that direction, and it’s something you gotta get on board with. Now, I know—it’s scary. Being on camera? Yeah, it’s not always easy. But it’s worth it. You don’t need to be a pro with fancy gear—just grab your phone, hit record, and talk.
I know an advisor who started doing quick, 30-second videos about retirement mistakes. At first, he was stiff, but over time, he got more comfortable. And guess what? His videos took off. People started engaging, commenting, and reaching out. Why? Because they could see him, hear his voice, and connect with him in a way that text just can’t do.
Video builds trust. And the best part? You don’t need to overthink it. Just talk about what you know. Keep it real.
5. Share Real Success Stories People love hearing success stories. Marketing is all about showing you know what you’re doing and that you can actually help people solve problems. So, share those client stories—just make sure you’ve got permission first. Talk about how you helped someone save for their kid’s education or set up a retirement plan that works.
Real stories stick. One of my clients posted a story about helping a couple buy their first home after getting their finances together. Simple, not complicated, but it got a ton of engagement. People remember that kind of stuff when they’re looking for an advisor.
You don’t need a novel, either. Just a short breakdown of how you helped. And hey, if you’ve got testimonials, even better. Share them!
Focus on Content Themes
Focus on Content Themes
To get the most out of your marketing efforts, your content across all platforms needs to work together. As an example, from DVMelite, if you’ve created a guide on marketing, complement it with videos, social media posts, and blog content around the same theme. This ensures consistency and reinforces your message.
Honestly, that’s the key to a successful campaign, I’ve seen companies posting scattered content that doesn’t connect with their website or services. It confuses the audience and dilutes the message. The key is alignment—sync up with your team to ensure everyone understands the content themes. Educate your target audience consistently across all channels and maximize the impact of your marketing strategy
6. Targeted Ads Can Help You Grow If you’ve been posting for a while and are ready to take things up a notch, ads can be a game-changer. You don’t have to go all in, but running a few targeted ads can help get your message in front of more of the right people.
Let’s say you want to connect with business owners. You can run LinkedIn or Facebook ads targeting that specific group. And don’t just push for a “book a consultation.” Offer something valuable first—like a free financial guide or a checklist.
One client ran a Facebook ad for a free retirement eBook, and it was a game-changer. He didn’t hard-sell anything. Just offered value, and boom—people started reaching out. Ads can really help boost your visibility.
7. Host Webinars or Live Q&A If you really wanna connect, host a webinar or a live Q&A session. This is a killer way to show off your expertise, answer questions, and build trust. No need to make it fancy. Just pick a topic people care about—retirement planning, taxes, or investing—and go live.
I had an advisor who did a monthly “Ask Me Anything” on Facebook. No script, just him answering people’s finance questions. It wasn’t polished, but it was real, and people loved it. He got new clients directly from those sessions. It’s all about being helpful and engaging in real time.
8. Hashtags—Use Them Smartly Hashtags can be a big help, but don’t overdo it. Use the right ones to help people find your posts, but don’t just throw in random tags. Stick with a few that make sense for your content.
For instance, if you’re posting about tax planning, go with #TaxTips, #RetirementPlanning, or #FinancialAdvice. Keep it relevant, and don’t go overboard.
9. Track What’s Working (and What’s Not) Finally, keep an eye on what’s working. Use analytics. See what kinds of posts are getting the most engagement. Maybe your video posts are blowing up, but your written content isn’t getting much love. Don’t be afraid to tweak things as you go.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s about figuring out what works for you and your audience. And if something’s not clicking? Try something else. Social media’s all about experimenting and getting better with time.
Final Thoughts: Just Do It Look, I know social media can seem overwhelming. But trust me—you’re leaving business on the table if you’re not using it. You don’t need to get it perfect. Just start.
Post something useful, talk to people, and be real. You’ve got the knowledge—now get it out there. Take that first step and start showing up.
You got this. What’s stopping you?
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
