Financial advisors who don't maintain a social networkingpresence are considered out of touch by their affluent customers,according to a new survey by Spectrem Group.

The poll of approximately 2,500 affluent investors found thatmany consider an advisor “behind the times” if they do not usesocial media in some capacity. Nine percent said they wouldactively research potential providers to evaluate their socialmedia activity, Spectrem said.

Although wealthy investors have been slow to embrace socialmedia compared with other demographics, this is changing in ahurry, according to the survey. Approximately half of respondentssaid they currently use Facebook, almost twice the percentage as in2010.

Twitter participation remains near 5 percent, while LinkedIn usehas risen from 10 percent to 22 percent among the mass affluent.Nineteen percent of millionaires now use Twitter, up 2 percent fromthe previous survey, while usage among ultra-high-net worthinvestors has risen from 18 percent to 26 percent, according to thesurvey.

“Led by Facebook, the social media era has finally arrived forthe nation's wealthiest investors, with nearly half the nation'smillionaires now logging onto the social network,” said GeorgeWalper Jr., president of Spectrem Group. “Learning how toeffectively use social media and financial blogs is critical to thefuture success of financial services firms. Providers who fallbehind run the risk of frustrating their investors and losingcustomers.”

Twelve percent of wealthy investors say they read financialblogs, while 22 percent either read or are interested in readingblogs from trusted financial advisers.

The report recommends that financial advisers blog and post toFacebook and Twitter as well as encouraging online interactionswith their clients.