Earlier this week Advisor Websites was quoted in Financial Planning Magazine in an article discussing how often advisors should post on social media. We continue to hear the debate over the frequency with which advisors should post on outlets like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

In the article, Advisor Websites Marketing Coordinator Maggie Crowley, cited evidence that research reports indicate the most effective "magic number" in regard to posting online is about 3 posts each day. A multitude of research concludes that, in most circumstances, posting 2-3 times each day is ideal. If you only post once, it’s likely to be lost in the millions of other messages being aired, while more than three posts each day often desensitizes users to the value of your message.

The exception? Twitter. On this social media outlet in particular, it’s acceptable to post as many as 5-6 times each day, as long as your tweets span across several hours. Messages on Twitter are easily diluted through the thousands of posting each minute so you need to use a little more elbow grease to get the job done.

Don’t think you have enough to say to your audience to post more than once a day? That’s okay because experts suggest keeping your posts short – less than 80 words. It’s also worth mentioning that images and video are more likely to engage your audiences. Try writing one short post each day and posting a picture
or video, as well. See for yourself which gets more action.

We hear alot of fuss when it comes to advisors meeting compliance regulations when it comes to social media. If your compliance department doesn't allow it, it's a moot subject. If they do - you need to take actioni. Why? Because your target market is on social media. In fact, half of the worlds' entire population uses some kind of social media outlet! Social media platforms are not only a great way to find new leads, it's also essential to being found by your audience. You clients and prospects are looking for you; you just need to show up!

So now the question stands: As an advisor, how often do YOU use social media? We'd love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on the debate!