The Role of Blogging in Financial Communications

For PR and IR professionals interested in the role of blogging and the social media in financial services, private equity, and investment banking communications, check out the article by Davis D. Janowski in InvestmentNews that addresses the conflicting views of blogging held by financial advisors, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FIRA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Financial advisors see their blogs as “a harmless, inexpensive technology” that facilitates communication with their clients. FIRA views blogs as ads that require supervisory review. And the SEC contends that blogs should be treated as a company statement.

The bottom line? To avoid compliance problems, be aware of what you are saying in your blog. Keep your communications general and avoid mentioning specific transactions, products or equities by name. For more information, check out these links:

• Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards’ recently updated Standards of Professional Conduct
• “FINRA Provides Guidance Regarding the Review and Supervision of Electronic Communications”

• The SEC’s “Commission Guidance on the Use of Company Web Sites”