Learn how you can leverage social media to educate the UK’s High Net Worth Individual market and ensure your brand is front of mind when they are making financial decisions.

1. High Net Worth
Individuals in the UK
Seeking Investment Inspiration on
Social Media

2. 2
The investment world as we know it is being reshaped.
A big shift is underway when it comes to wealth management – it’s not
just the mass affluent that are turning to social media channels to discover
information and make investment decisions. In the UK, High Net Worth
Individuals (HNWIs) are increasingly tapping into their social networks for
guidance.
If you market to these individuals, this should spark your attention. After all,
in the UK, the total number of HNWIs increased by over 13% between 2012
and 2013 to reach a total of 527,000, representing a total wealth of
USD$1.9 trillion (equivalent to approximately £1.2 trillion GBP).1
Moreover,
the number of ultra HNWIs in the UKis forecast to grow 18% between 2013
and 2023, from 10,149 to 12,015.2
Key Findings
This eBook shares insights we gleaned by surveying HNWI – that is, those
holding over USD$1 million (equivalent to approximately
£650 million GBP) in personal investable assets -- who use LinkedIn and
other social media channels. We found that HNWIs in the UK increasingly
rely on digital and social channels to inform their financial decision-making:
• 70% of HNWIs in the UK use social media
• 61% use social media networks for at least one financial purpose
• 70% access social media via mobile devices
• 71% access LinkedIn several times a week
• 42% of HNWIs under 45 years of age feel their wealth manager
should be active on social media3
HNWIs in the UK are increasingly engaging with social media for financial
purposes – representing a significant opportunity for finance marketers to
build relationships. For financial advisors and firms serving these investors,
the opportunity is clear: build relationships with HNWIs on social media
by providing the helpful content they seek on the channels that are most
trusted for investment information. That said, to stay relevant, trusted,
and connected with this audience, it’s critical to understand their unique
behaviours and expectations.
Read on to better understand how financial advisors and services firms in
the UK can tap into this opportunity.
1
Capgemini Financial Services Analysis, 2014
2
Knight Frank Research, The Wealth Report, 2014
3
Ledbury Research, Young Wealthy Segment Report, 2014
Using Social Media as a Critical Tool
in the Decision-Making Process
HNWI WEALTH IN UK:
USD$1.9TR
(equivalent to
approximately
£1.2 trillion GBP)

3. 3
Even though the UK population of HNWIs is relatively small (527,000 in
20134
), it grew by over 13% between 2012 and 2013. LinkedIn research
found that the uptake of social media – and LinkedIn in particular – for
investment-related information is growing rapidly among this group. This
is backed by Ledbury Research, which found that among HNWIs in the
UK, newspapers (including online versions), radio, and TV are becoming
less favoured sources of financial information. Instead, websites and
online forums are supplanting these traditional sources.5
In other words, social media in general and LinkedIn in particular are
emerging as key information resources for HNWIs in the UK. 70% are
engaged on social media and access this channel via mobile devices.
This conforms with research from the Ledbury UK Millionaire Omnibus,
which found 75% of HNWIs in the UK use at least one social media
platform.
Over 50% of HNWIs in the UK use LinkedIn, which is more than their use of
any other social media site and more than LinkedIn usage in the
U.S. In fact, 71% of HNWIs in the UK access LinkedIn several times a week.
Again, this is in line with findings from Ledbury Research, whose research
shows that on average, this population uses two social media platforms, with
LinkedIn the most used of the major platforms.
70% of HNWIs in the UK Engage in Social Media
4
Capgemini World Wealth Report, 2014
5
Ledbury Research, Client Landscape 2014 Report
Fact: Majority of HNWIs in the UK turn to social media
and access it via mobile devices.
Opportunity: Optimise your content on LinkedIn for
mobile consumption.
Usage of social media - by country
Social media users LinkedIn users
100%50%0%
U.S.
UK
AU
CA
HK
U.A.E.
SG
69%
39%
50%
49%
45%
73%
46%
40%
99%
98%
97%
85%
70%
75%

4. 4
Top Reasons for Using Social Media
While 91% of HNWIs in the UK are over the age of 45, 38% of them work
full-time and 23% are self-employed. These business professionals use
social media for the following reasons:
• Connect/reconnect with colleagues
• Read updates/posts and stay up-to-date with colleagues and friends
• Follow experts, influencers, companies and brands
• Receive timely updates relevant to their jobs/industry
61% of HNWI in the UK on social media use these networks for at least one
of these financial purposes:
• 53% keep up-to-date with current financial trends
• 48% gather preliminary information about financial products
policies or institutions
• 33% re-evaluate a financial decision that has already been made
• 30% recommend a financial product, policy or service
HNWIs in the UK under 45 years of age are more at ease with financial
services firms that use social media. In fact, around 42% of them feel their
wealth manager should be active on social media.6
6
Ledbury Research, Client Landscape 2014 Report
Fact: 61% of HNWIs in the UK use social media networks for at least one financial purpose.
Opportunity: Establish a presence and provide the financial information HNWIs are seeking.
Do you use the following social media sites/services? - by age
% of HNWIs under 45 years of age – by country
U.S. UK AU CA HKU.A.E. SG
83%80%
59%
16%
13%
9%
5%
Social media users LinkedIn users
25-34 45-5435-44 55-64 65 and over
99%
49%
94%
54%
89%
53%
76%
51%
66%
36%

5. 5
Trusting LinkedIn for Financial Information
Of all the social media networks they turn to, HNWIs in the UK place the most trust in LinkedIn as a source for financial information.
Ledbury Research provides more insight into this finding, as they found that HNWIs in the UK primarily use LinkedIn to communicate
with professional contacts and build professional networks. Moreover, it found that one in four HNWIs follow financial and investment
industry thought leaders on LinkedIn.
Fact: Of all the social media networks they use, LinkedIn ranks highest in terms of a trusted source for HNWIs in the UK.
Opportunity: Build brand reputation and cultivate interest on LinkedIn.
1
2
3
LinkedIn is the most trusted source for financial information

6. 6
Fact: HNWIs turn to social media throughout the
financial decision journey.
Opportunity: Provide information at every stage.
Social media serves the following purposes throughout the HNWI
financial decision journey:
Seek advice or information to help make an investment
decision
Gather information about investing, products, and
companies
Share a personal experience with a financial product,
service, or company
The influence of social media among the affluent audience is set to
increase. 29% believe social media is influential when forming
opinions about financial products/services, and 1 in 4 believe social
media will become more influential over the next 12 months.
This comes at a time when 73% of HNWIs in the UK report being
optimistic about the general investment environment over the next
12 months, according to Ledbury Research’s Client Landscape 2014
report. Compare that to the 44% who reported optimism in 2013, and
22% in 2012. This is a continuation of a trend, with the percentage more
than tripling since 2012.
HNWIs in the UK are showing that optimism by increasing the ratio of
their wealth allocated to riskier asset categories, such as alternative
investments and stocks and shares. According to Ledbury Research,
the percentage of stocks and shares in the average HNWI portfolio
has risen from 15% to nearly 18% in the last year, while alternative
investments comprise 4% of portfolios.
Shaping Opinions and
Influencing Decisions

7. 7
Marketer Implications:
Capitalise on the Trusted LinkedIn Platform
Social media is playing an increasingly critical role as HNWIs in the UK consider their investment options. While financial
advisors in the UK have been slow to adopt social media, they clearly have much to gain by allocating more of their focus and
online budget to engaging HNWIs in these channels.
With high mobile usage among HNWIs in the UK, content must be
snackable and easy to consume. Use Sponsored Updates on LinkedIn to
deliver content directly within the mobile feed.
Develop content for mobile.
Develop content that is relevant by stages in life and in the financial
decision journey and utilise LinkedIn’s precise targeting to reach
exactly the right audience. Keep in mind the content HNWIs seek on
social networks: financial trends and preliminary information about
financial products policies or institutions.
Ensure relevance through targeting.
One of the most desired types of content is preliminary information
about financial products. Make sure you’re delivering the information
HNWIs seek.
Highlight new products.
Specifically, firms can impact their top lines by doing the following:
Build relationships with the younger HNWIs.
42% of HNWIs under 45 years of age feel that their wealth manager
should be active on social media. Ensure your brand is always front of
mind by developing a content marketing strategy focusing on serving
thought leadership, industry analysis and product updates on LinkedIn.

8. Ready to engage with
HNWIs on LinkedIn?
Visit http://lnkd.in/contact