Compliance is key in the journey
It is long overdue that advisers and planners who are already subject to the FAIS regulatory framework step up to take ownership of advice-focused social media feeds. If you are licensed and meet all the ‘fit and proper’ requirements, then why allow some 20-something to claim the spoils on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube?
Brushing up on your soft skills
The second day of the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa (FPI) Convention 2025 was dedicated to soft skills such as client acquisition, client relationships and digital strategies. These conversations were pre-empted by a regulatory update by Katherine Gibson, Deputy Commissioner at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), who spent some time on the risks to consumers of influencers and so-called finfluencers straying into the regulated financial advising world.
Moments later, the first panel discussion of the day dealt with how financial planners should leverage digital assets and social media to better engage with and retain clients. The overt messaging was for advisers and planners to play a more active role in consumer education, using the digital tools at their disposal to expand their reach. “We have assembled a panel of dynamic brand and marketing specialists to share the skills and techniques you need to build digital assets,” said Samkelo Mkhize, Digital Production Manager at the FPI, introducing the chat.
His first question explored the mind shift needed for advisers to overcome the fear of creating a personal brand online. Tim Slatter, Founder of Slatter Communications, said that public relations decision-making should be guided by strategy. Before setting up a digital asset or posting to a social media channel, you need to consider who you want to reach, why you want to reach them and what message you wish to communicate. Slatter encouraged advisers to be authentic, however they chose to show up online.
Business versus personal brand
Mkhize asked Rizanne Oosthuizen, Founder of Profile Me, whether financial planners should focus on their personal brands or that of their advice practice. The trick is to strike a balance between the business and personal brand and consider how each impacts client interactions and business valuation. “Your personal brand is the currency that brings the client in, and the company brand is what retains the client and scales value over time,” she said. There is an obvious succession risk if your personal brand overpowers that of the practice.
Many planners resist going ‘all in’ on social media channels out of fear of looking foolish or being caught in a viral backlash. Business Strategist Juanita Vorster countered that the biggest obstacle for advice professionals wanting to post content on Instagram or TikTok was knowing where to start. She added that early posts were unlikely to go viral due to how the display algorithms were set up, before suggesting a ‘think then do’ approach to audio and video content. Think about what you want to communicate, press record and publish.
How do financial planners balance creating content and running a business? “Our advice to advisers is to start with three minutes, three times per week,” Slatter said. This time should be spent sharing rather than creating content, building your community and engaging with your feed. An ancillary issue that many advice practices face is the mismatch between their brand and certain of the social media platforms. Oosthuizen suggested backing authenticity over intimacy and empowering the client as the ‘hero’ of each story.
Intergenerational differences
Vorster commented on intergenerational differences in how social media is perceived. For many advisers in the audience, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were milestones on their tech journeys, whereas younger individuals grew up with the services already in place. “The moments that make sense to your clients in line with your brand story are the things you press record on,” she said. Another useful tip is to focus on the journey rather than the outcome. Tell people how you trained for the marathon rather than celebrating your finishing time.
According to Slatter, building your brand and presence on social media goes beyond showing up to accessing markets and people. But to do this requires planners to curate digital assets. Vorster suggested paying close attention to feedback through both your acquisition efforts and ongoing client interactions. If, for example, you frequently run up against a recognition problem, then you might consider using digital platforms to help people know who you are, what you stand for and why it is safe to do business with you.
It is all about balance. “You do not have to be prim and proper to be good on social media and keep your reputation intact, nor do you have to be a TikTok clown,” Vorster said. Be yourself and figure out how to package those parts of yourself that you want to offer clients. “Digital is not different to human; it is just that you are not doing it face to face,” piped up the narrator, before asking the panel how financial planners could stand out in a very busy social media world.
Building trust through testimonials
Oosthuizen suggested that your intent and purpose supersede differentiation. “You must have a point of view that is not related to the product that you sell,” she said. Based on over two million consumer interactions with Profile Me’s digital assets, the panellist revealed that consumers wanted to know who they were dealing with, what that brand could offer them and some social proof, perhaps through testimonials, to build trust. Another sure win is to share something of value with consumers, free.
Expanding your brand into the social media realm does not absolve financial planners of their compliance responsibilities. So, while there are no specific regulations applicable to finfluencers as yet, licensed FSPs must still comply with the broader advice-related regulatory framework. The best approach is to keep your online discourse within regulation. “You should be guided by your ethics and morals, and if those are a bit too dark for the regulator, they will find you and come at you,” Vorster said.
Slatter hinted that taking a stance before regulation is introduced would help shape the eventual rules. “My understanding of working with independent financial advisers for many years is that they have a lot of good ideas that do not always get translated into the regulations that are imposed,” he said. The idea is to lead the way in social media and add value through connected conversations with clients. Slatter suggested always aligning your words with your works, thus welding your regulated financial advice with your online storytelling.
Consistency and deep personalisation
In a rapid-fire wrap of proceedings, Mkhize asked each of the panellists for their parting thoughts. Oosthuizen said planners should not obsess over social media and rather focus on the things that show up in their clients’ lives. Asked what planners should do to ‘own’ their social media feeds, Vorster encouraged them to be consistent, to post content even if infrequently, and to always be recognisable. And Slatter suggested deeper personalisation in client engagements.
Writer’s thoughts:
Authenticity and trust matter more than views for advisers entering the social media world; you do not need to be a TikTok clown to make an impact. Could this realisation prompt you to rethink your online strategy? Please comment below, interact with us on X at @fanews_online or email us your thoughts [email protected].
