Social media can be a valuable tool for your business. But it is vital that you use it in a compliant way. Cetera has a complete social media guide available in Pinpoint. We recommend you read that guide thoroughly to ensure you are using social media compliantly. To find the Cetera Advisors Social Media guide, go to Pinpoint, select Compliance Guides and Manuals (under the Additional Resources heading), and select Written Supervisory Procedures. Then click on the Social Media User Guide.
Here is a screenshot of what you should see as you navigate to the guide:
Before engaging in social media for anything other than a purely personal purpose, associated persons must successfully complete the social media training course located in the AdviceWorks Learning Center.
Another key to using social media compliantly is ensuring the social media site is properly linked to Cetera’s Social Media Supervision Tool (SMST). Twitter/ X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles (other than static LinkedIn profiles) require review by Cetera Advertising Review. To accommodate this requirement, associated persons will need to utilize the Social Media Supervision Tool (SMST). If you are not sure if your social media site is linked to SMST, please reach out to the Prosperity Network Compliance Team.
LinkedIn: Associated persons who would like to use a LinkedIn account solely as a static (non-interactive) business card-style profile, and do not have a Facebook account / page or Twitter/X account for business purposes, are not required to take the social media training or register their LinkedIn account in Social Media Supervision Tool (SMST). The associated person is, however, still required to have their profile approved by advertising review by submitting it in Pinpoint. Associated persons using a static LinkedIn account are prohibited from using the messaging and InMail features of the LinkedIn website. Please review Cetera’s Social Media Guide for more information.
Facebook: Associated persons may have unmonitored personal Facebook accounts. A site will be considered personal if it does not contain information relating to securities products, strategies, market commentaries or financial guidance. If Facebook information is included in email messages, the email page set up must be submitted to advertising review for review and approval prior to use. If you wish to use Facebook for business, it must be linked to the SMST tool. Please review Cetera’s Social Media Guide for more information.
Twitter/ X: Associated persons may have unmonitored personal Twitter/X accounts. A site will be considered personal if it does not contain information relating to securities products, strategies, market commentaries or financial guidance. If you wish to use Twitter/ X for business, it must be linked to the SMST tool.
"Handle" is the user's Twitter/X name. Handles, for unmonitored personal Twitter accounts may not be a reference to the securities business. For example, financial adviser, financial guru, Cetera Financial, Bob Jones Financial Services, CFP®, and annuity czar would not be allowed. Also, handles for business accounts must follow the firm's policy on titles. For example, "securities expert" would not be permissible. Additional guidance on titles can be found in the Communications with the Public Guidelines. Handles are considered advertising and must be submitted to advertising review in Pinpoint for review and approval prior to use.
If a Twitter/X handle is included in email messages, the email page set up must be submitted to advertising review for review and approval prior to use. If you wish to use Twitter/ X for business, it must be linked to the SMST tool. Please review Cetera’s Social Media Guide for more information.
Instagram: An Instagram profile will be considered personal if it does not contain information relating to securities products, strategies, market commentaries or financial guidance. All references to investment related business and DBA materials must be sent in for review. Instagram posts are considered advertising and must be submitted to advertising review for review and approval through the Social Media Supervision Tool (SMST) prior to use. If you wish to use Instagram for business, it must be linked to the SMST tool. Please review Cetera’s Social Media Guide for more information.
We have created a simple Social Media chart to help guide you as to whether your social media activity is permitted. Click this link to view the guide: Social Media Quick-Chart
Please review Cetera’s Social Media Guide for more complete guidance and information.
Please contact the Prosperity Network Compliance Team with any questions:
compliance@prosperityadvisors.com or 913-529-5500 Option 2.
Internal Use Only