Britain’s most switched-on Financial Planners are now reaching millions of viewers on YouTube, a study by Financial Planning Today magazine has found.

Leading the way in the online video revolution is YouTube 'godfather' Pete Matthew, CEO of Jackson Financial Planning in Penzance, who has seen his videos top 10m views.

His Meaningful Money channel has been live for 15 years and the figures mean he has effectively reached one in seven of the UK’s adult population, with a single video often attracting 100,000 or more views.

Planners have been helped by the fact that Google-owned YouTube has cracked down on dodgy investment scheme pushers that have previously posted on the site. A crackdown on suspect YouTube channels has come under pressure from the FCA and other regulators.

The FCA said last year that by working closer with internet firms it had turned the tide on online investment fraud, with Google’s change of policy on investment promotion alone leading to a "100% reduction in illegal paid-for ads.” That has opened the door to regulated and qualified advisers to offer better quality financial education and guidance.

Mr Matthew told Financial Planning Today magazine, Financial Planning Today's sister bi-monthly magazine, that YouTube can be a good way to find new clients but it takes hard work to build up a profile.

He said: “Go into it with the understanding that it’s a slow burn. Don’t expect to get a viral hit quickly and be inundated with leads.”

He added: “Having an online presence will cement your worth with your existing clients and make it easier for them to refer you, because they can just point their friends to the videos.”

Other popular Planners on YouTube include George Agan of Principles Financial Planning, Chris Bourne of Morenti Wealth Partners in Birmingham, Justin King with his ‘Retirement Café’ and Andrew Haley, a relative newcomer. James Shack and others have also built up a major presence on YouTube.

Mr Agan, a Chartered Financial Planner at Flying Colours Advice in Bracknell, said: “YouTube allows you to build trust at scale. If done right, the only hurdles are whether the client is a right fit for your service and whether you have the capacity.”

Mr Bourne has built up an audience on YouTube of nearly 44,000 subscribers. He said: "Aside from the many enquiries my channel creates, the biggest benefit has been that when people do get in touch with us and speak to me, they feel like they know me already.”

Chartered Financial Planner Mr Haley of Active Financial Planners in Stockton-on-Tees only joined YouTube last year but has already had 120,000 views. He said: “I would encourage anyone that is interested to get started sooner rather than later. YouTube is about building momentum.”

Another popular YouTube Financial Planner is Nova Wealth partner James Shackell who has 244,000 subscribers and can achieve 1m or more views for individual videos.

Mr Matthew’s advice for Financial Planners thinking about starting their own You Tube channel? “Watch other channels. Learn what works. Study thumbnail and title design. Learn the craft of video creation. Get better with each video.”