Practice Management

Engage young investors with your social media marketing

Mar 19, 2025|ByKatie Cullen, CFP

Key takeaways

Young investors are seeking financial advice through social media channels, creating an opportunity to showcase your expertise and build relationships with the next generation of clients.
Optimize your social media presence around your chosen platform, a specific cadence and specialized content to build engagement with potential clients.
Build relationships with young investors by communicating in a way that makes them feel comfortable and trust you.

Social media marketing is ‘business critical’ for advisors

Social media helps advisors find potential clients, network with other financial professionals, communicate at scale and build brand awareness – all at a low cost. Yet the realized value of social media as a digital marketing strategy continues to rise. A recent FINRA study found that more than 60% of adults under the age of 35 seek investment information on social media,¹ creating a vast opportunity for you to showcase your expertise and connect with the next generation of clients.

While roughly half of mass affluent and high-net-worth investors across generations say they are more likely to engage with advisors who have a social media presence,² young investors have stronger expectations. 79% of Gen Z adults (ages 18-28 in 2025) and Millennials (ages 29-44) have accessed financial advice on social media,³ and 23% of Gen Z adults say they wouldn’t even consider a financial professional who didn’t have a social media presence.⁴

As your aging clients transfer their assets to the next generation, your presence on social media is undeniably critical to the future of your business.

Capturing the attention of your target audience and building rapport can be easy to do when you show up where they are most comfortable. If social media isn’t in your wheelhouse, consider having a junior advisor manage your social media accounts or hiring a third-party financial marketing and communications firm (e.g., FiComm Partners) to execute on your behalf.

Which social media platform should you use? What kind of content should you post? How often should you be active? Our online course can help you optimize your social media strategy to drive stronger growth.

Take the social media strategy course Take the social media strategy course

Optimize your social media strategy

Boost the growth of your business by optimizing your social media strategy around three pillars: platform, cadence and content.

1. Pick the right platform

Concentrate your efforts on one or two platforms where you can connect with your target audience in a way that suits your communication style. Start by asking your best clients which social media platforms they prefer. Include some young clients in this group or, if you don’t have any young clients, ask the adult children of your best clients.

Next, consider which format you prefer for engaging with your followers.

LinkedIn is used for information-sharing and networking through a professional lens.
Facebook allows followers to get to know you in a more casual and personable way.
X (formerly Twitter) is ideal for posting short and snappy real-time updates, known as “microblogs.”
YouTube is an effective platform for educational videos.
Instagram is suitable for sharing personal anecdotes through photos and short videos.

There is no best social media platform for advisors, although LinkedIn and Facebook garner the largest amount of advisor marketing dollars.

Advisors spend more marketing dollars on LinkedIn and Facebook
% of advisors spending by platform

Source: Broadridge, “Financial Advisor Marketing Trends Report,” 5th edition, 2024.

2. Commit to a cadence

Consistency is key to building a following on social media. User expectations vary by platform.

YouTube: one high-quality video per week
LinkedIn and Facebook: several posts over the course of a week
Instagram: one post per day
X: multiple microblogs per day.

The visibility of your profile is driven by your ‘activity’ on a given platform, which includes your posts as well as your reactions to other influencers (likes, comments and shares). Advisors who successfully gain clients using social media are active on their platforms an average of 35 times per month.⁵ Need to level up your activity? Each time you post, also take a moment to react to posts from three other contributors, but be selective. Only react to content that aligns with your philosophy and the clients you serve.

3. Captivate with your content

Your social media posts should aim to spark a meaningful conversation, so your topics need to interest your clients and prospects. For inspiration, recall some recent interactions with your best clients. What have they asked you lately? Posting about topics that are top-of-mind for them can attract similarly minded clients and prospects to your profile.

While the format of your posts can be the same, the type of content should vary. Try to mix it up across these categories, defined by the content’s purpose:

To connect – Humanize your business and encourage personal interaction. There are many ways to start these conversations: Share your team’s successes, introduce new employees, showcase your volunteer work, reflect on recent local events or news headlines, take a poll, or share blog posts. When you talk about your business, make it personal and aligned with your unique story. Share success stories that illustrate how you help clients achieve their goals or avoid costly mistakes.
To invite – Offer clients the opportunity to attend webinars or in-person events. Invite prospective clients to meet with you for a free consultation.
To educate – Focus on concerns that are relevant for clients today. These topics might be seasonal, such as capital gains tax, or lifecycle-driven, like saving for college or estate planning. Consider creating videos as they are a particularly effective format for informative, educational and ‘how to’ content.

Build trust through your social media presence

Young investors are cautious about whom and what to trust online. They want you to provide clear explanations and discuss financial topics that are relevant for their stage of life. Be consultative and authentic, not salesy. Remain focused on building trust in these virtual relationships. The time you invest in them today is likely to yield high returns for your business in the future.

Focus on what drives trust for young investors
How Gen Z investors decide whom and what to trust online

Source: FINRA Investor Education Foundation & CFA Institute, “Gen Z and Investing: Social Media, Crypto, FOMO, and Family,” May 2023.

Your social media strategy is an investment in your future

Taking an intentional approach to your choice of platform, cadence and content will help you stand out from other advisors and connect authentically with current clients and the next generation. The relationships you build today will impact your business in the future, particularly as young investors assume control of the assets you manage for their parents today.

BlackRock can help you grow your business with an effective social marketing strategy. Learn more about the BlackRock Business Consulting team or use our online resources.

Katie Cullen, CFP

Head of BlackRock Business Consulting

Katie Cullen, CFP®, is Head of BlackRock Business Consulting. She helps advisors identify opportunities to accelerate business growth to include collaborating with outside experts in all fields of growth leadership and transformation.

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