Just under two-fifths of those surveyed said they used the social networking tool for social purposes. A similar proportion used it to increase brand awareness.
By contrast, only 18% said they used the feed to gain new clients and less than one in ten used it to talk to existing clients.
Prolific Mortgage Finance managing director Lea Karasavvas, otherwise known as @Mortgage_Mind, said answering questions posed over Twitter could be time-consuming.
However, he said the social media tool had brought him into contact with industry figures he had never met before: “Above all, it has helped form a unity among those brokers on it, bringing the industry together.”
Blacks Connect business development manager Emma Maria Mason, who has provided social media tips for brokers said Twitter gave brokers a forum to share best practice.
She said: “It is good as a community where they can talk and share advice. You do see a lot more of these conversations going on. Pre-credit crunch, you didn’t see that.”
Brokers could also learn more about their clients’ concerns through searching for key words about mortgages, she added.
What the mortgage twitterati thought:
Coreco director Andrew Montlake (@montysblog): “Yep, pretty much. But it does lead to clients/introducers getting in contact.”
Edinburgh Mortgage Advice founder Mark Dyason (@EdinMortAdv): “True for me, but I do have clients that tweet and have gained a few this way.”
Lentune Mortgage Consultancy managing director Stuart Gregory (@Mortgage_Stu): “The aim is brand awareness and social contact. Support network, by the way brokers, is great.”
Prolific Mortgage Finance owner Daniel Bailey (@MortgageDanny): “It is a great way to mix with other industries, solicitors, accountants, build up working relationships and help each other with professional knowledge.”
Coreco director Rob Gill (@robdgill): “I’d say 90% news, industry updates & networking, 10% client.”
