LinkedIn Use Doubles at Accountancy Firms

Monday, December 12, 2011 Print Email

Nearly half of mid-sized firm staff use the professional network.

2011 will go down as the year that accountancy firms flocked to social networks, with nearly 13,000 professionals in the mid-tier now signed up to LinkedIn.

According to research into the use of business social media by mid-sized accountancy firms, almost half of their personnel now have a LinkedIn account, double the number compared to last year.

The research by PR consultancy Kelso Consulting found that the number of employees with a profile on LinkedIn jumped nearly 80 per cent since 2010.

And not only have the number of accountants and their support staff with profiles rocketed, but the number of people following the mid-tier firms on LinkedIn has nearly tripled since last year, increasing to 23,000 from around 8,000.

Tim Prizeman, Kelso’s director said: ‘It is a reflection on the poor state of the economy that LinkedIn’s use has increased so dramatically over just 12 months, and there has been a similar rush to open accounts by Britain’s solicitors too. As LinkedIn is all about staying in contact with past and present colleagues and clients, and most accountants know referrals from these are the best source of new clients, it is a logical step in our austere economy.’

But Prizeman warned firms that had not adopted the new social networking strategy to beware. ‘Many business owners as well as senior executives have LinkedIn accounts too or regularly use other social media: many of these will not be impressed by accountants with Luddite attitudes towards technology who then claim to be providing leading-edge business advice,’ he said.

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