Advisor interest in social media is accelerating across multiple channels, new research by Registered Rep. shows. The two polls of more than 1,400 Rep. readers conducted just six months apart — in September 2011 and in March 2012 — showed the share of advisors who use social media for business purposes rose by up to 12 percentage points. Among the group, 43 percent use it for networking with other professionals, 26 percent prospect for clients with it, and 20 percent use it for marketing. More than one out of four advisors say they've landed clients with social media, but the technology isn't as disruptive as that may suggest. While more than one out of five made their first contact through social media, 45 percent reached out electronically only after making their first contact through more traditional methods.
