Following the release of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries’ latest Protection Viewpoint report, which revealed that 51% of advisers still do not use social media when communicating about protection, SM Advice has today announced a new, industry-wide initiative offering three months of free social media management to firms with no current online presence.
The annual AMI Viewpoint highlighted a persistent disconnect between the way consumers begin their protection journey, overwhelmingly online, and how they ultimately engage with advice. Despite advisers reporting increased activity in discussing protection, just 39% of mortgage holders recall the conversation. Meanwhile, consumers aged 18–34 are more likely to begin their research on comparison sites, Google, or social platforms before ever speaking with an adviser.
SM Advice’s new programme directly responds to this challenge.
The service will provide firms with content that is fully branded, compliance-approved, and posted on social media, taking care of the end-to-end process, for a three-month period at no cost. This includes image-based posts. Protection content and awareness day content mirroring SM Advice’s existing Lite, Core and Premium structures.
Chris Miles, Managing Director of SM Advice, said:
“The Viewpoint makes one thing abundantly clear: consumers are looking online long before they find an adviser. If half of the advisers aren’t visible in those spaces, the protection conversation risks starting and ending without them. This initiative isn’t marketing. It’s industry support. If we want to reduce misinformation, cut finfluencer noise that isn’t accurate and help more consumers understand protection, advisers need to be present where people are searching. We’re proud to help make that possible.”
A collaborative response to the findings
The initiative has been developed in partnership discussions with industry leaders, including Jamie Page (The Exeter) and Vikki Jefferies (L&G), both of whom are highlighted within the AMI report.
Jamie Page, Head of Protection Distribution, The Exeter said:
“The AMI viewpoint made one thing clear, people are starting their protection journey online, but they need human touch to finish it. The challenge is a lot of them never get as far as speaking to an adviser and that’s where social media comes in. SM Advice’s initiative is a timely and meaningful response. It will help advisers show up online with clarity, confidence and compliance, and ultimately help more consumers stay engaged through to advice.”
Vikki Jefferies, Market Development Director, L&G said:
“We cannot have half of the adviser community remaining invisible on social media, when digital communication is shaping consumer decisions. The AMI findings highlight a real risk to customers, with finfluencers, unregulated content, and misinformation often filling the space where professional expert voices should be. That’s why we support SM Advice’s powerful initiative, offering advisers accessible tools, support, and guidance to use social media safely and effectively, while removing cost and complexity barriers.”
Insight from AMI spokesperson:
“As an independent, non-commercial trade body, we don’t endorse or promote individual firms. However, we can acknowledge when organisations take our research findings seriously and channel them into constructive industry support. SM Advice’s initiative is a good example of a business helping advisers develop the capabilities we have consistently called for. We welcome any effort that equips advisers to communicate more effectively, strengthens consumer understanding, and supports the intentions behind our Viewpoint report.”
Addressing adviser concerns and industry risks
The AMI report notes that finfluencers and unregulated online advice now rank as one of advisers’ top three concerns. Younger consumers are increasingly relying on AI-generated information and short-form platforms for financial guidance, yet few advisers show up in those conversations.
SM Advice’s free programme aims to:
- Support advisers to build compliant digital visibility
- Reduce the space for misinformation
- Strengthen consumer understanding of protection
- Improve the likelihood of consumers completing the protection journey
- Demonstrate collaboration with networks and service providers as a united response to support the AMI findings
The service will be offered only to FCA-authorised firms or those with written confirmation from their network, ensuring regulatory alignment. There is no cap on participation during launch.
A purpose-led initiative with long-term industry benefits
The programme aligns with AMI’s call for the sector to work collaboratively to reduce drop-off rates, improve consumer understanding, and increase the consistency of protection conversations.
Miles added:
“This is not a discount. It’s an investment in raising industry standards. Advisers who aren’t on social media aren’t just missing leads; they risk losing consumer trust to louder, less credible voices. If we want to deliver better outcomes, we must help the whole sector communicate better. This initiative is our contribution to that shared goal.”
