The Rise of Social Media in Investing: What Introducing Brokers Need to Know
It’s widely recognised that social media is a hugely useful way of allowing Introducing Brokers to communicate with their audience, but looking at this from the perspective of information consumption, is it popular?
A recent study undertaken by the global investment giant Fidelity contained a number of fascinating findings, including the point that almost half of investors in the UK now put their faith in social media, finfluencers and AI tools when making financial decisions.
Scope Markets Social Media Strategist Konstantinos Toulis explains more about the scale of this phenomenon and offers some best practice insights for IBs looking to harness this trend.
Social media is investors’ new first stop - for better or worse
New research from Fidelity International reveals that while nearly half of UK investors trust professional financial advisers, only one in three actually used a qualified adviser in the past two years.
In contrast, more than 40% of investors turned to social media instead, while the influence of finfluencers, search engines and AI tools continues to grow.
So, where are investors going for financial information?
More than 40% use social media platforms to guide decisions
12% turn to finfluencers on X, Instagram and TikTok.
13% trust the top results on search engines.
11% and 8% gather advice from web forums and AI tools.
This shift is strongest amongst Gen Z and millennials, with more than 20% of those aged up 45 who participated in the survey saying they trust finfluencers, AI and podcasts over verified sources.
But the risk here is snap decisions, emotional trades and knee jerk investor behaviour.
Regardless of your take on legacy information providers, this isn’t a wise way to make any purchasing decisions, yet one on four investors admitted they were buying holdings just hours after spotting a new fund or stock.
The message for IBs: be where your clients are
If your clients are on social media, you need to be there too - but not just as another voice adding to the noise.
With unregulated information and “get-rich-quick” hype growing fast, there’s a real opportunity for IBs to stand out as trusted, responsible sources.
Four best social media practices for IBs
✅ 1. Position yourself as the credible expert
Be the antidote to unverified advice. Share accurate market insights, updates and explainers, content that builds confidence, not confusion.
✅ 2. Prioritise education over hype
Your followers don’t need empty promises; they want understanding. Help them make informed decisions by explaining risks and opportunities clearly.
✅ 3. Embrace tech - but keep it human
AI tools can help you generate ideas and summaries but always verify what you share. Combine smart tools with your personal insights to keep your content reliable and relevant.
✅ 4. Stay compliant, stay trusted
Regulators like the FCA are cracking down on rogue finfluencers. Make sure your posts meet local compliance rules, include disclaimers, and don’t promise what you can’t deliver. This protects you and your clients.
Final thought
Social media isn’t just a place to push messages - it’s now where investors go to find answers. Be the answer they can trust.
The entire team at Scope Markets is committed to helping our partner brokers navigate the client relationship journey at every stage.
We know that ensuring a client remains engaged with content served in the format they want is a successful route to longer term retention.
Talk to us to learn more about why we put real emphasis on supporting our partner brokers at every stage of their journey or click here to visit our Partner Registration page.