Accountants listening but not engaging in social media

THE MAJORITY of accountants class themselves as media listeners, with just a fifth claiming to be contributors, according to a recent study.

The stereotype that accountants are not engaging in social media is not so straightforward, according to a survey of 1,000 UK accountancy firms by tax and accountancy software provider CCH.

Three-quarters of accountants surveyed use social media sites, compared to 69% last year.

However, although 78% class themselves as social media listeners, just 22% say they are contributors.

More than half (58%) now use smartphones to access social media sites and 26% are using tablet devices.

CCH UK managing director Simon Crompton (pictured) said: "On the face of it, the freewheeling world of social media and the structured world of accountancy seem poles apart. Yet the world of business has changed beyond recognition even in the last couple of years. From LinkedIn recommendations to customer reviews on Facebook, accounting practices are becoming increasingly social media savvy.

"Switched on accounting practices are already tracking conversations in LinkedIn groups and other social networking forums. They are responding to requests for tax advice and sharing views and opinions with prospective customers. The practices that engage can win more business as a result."