YouTube Compliance for Australian Financial Advisors: ASIC & AFSL Guide

You want to start a YouTube channel for your financial planning practice. But you're worried about compliance. What can you say? What can't you say? Will ASIC come knocking if you get it wrong?

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These are the right questions. And the fact that you're asking them puts you ahead of most advisors who either avoid YouTube entirely out of fear, or jump in without understanding the rules.

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This guide translates ASIC's Regulatory Guide 234 (Advertising financial products and services) into practical, plain-English rules for creating YouTube content under an AFSL. It's not legal advice — you should always consult your licensee and compliance team — but it will give you a clear framework for what's acceptable and what's not.

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We're Compound One, and we produce YouTube content exclusively for financial services firms. Compliance isn't a side consideration for us — it's built into every step of our production process. Everything in this guide comes from working with licensees, compliance teams, and ASIC's published guidance.

ASIC RG 234: What It Is and Why It Matters

Regulatory Guide 234 is ASIC's guidance on how financial services businesses should advertise. It was last updated in 2012, but the principles are technology-neutral — they apply to YouTube just as they apply to print ads, TV commercials, or social media posts.

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The core principle: financial services advertising must not be misleading or deceptive, and must comply with the Corporations Act 2001 (particularly sections 12DA, 12DB, and 12DF of the ASIC Act, and section 1041H of the Corporations Act).

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RG 234 doesn't ban YouTube content. It doesn't make video marketing impossible. It sets boundaries — and once you understand those boundaries, you can create content confidently.

Key Principles from RG 234

1. Advertising must not be misleading or deceptive.

Content must be accurate, balanced, and not likely to create a false impression — even unintentionally.

2. Material information must not be hidden.

If you mention a financial product or strategy, you can't bury the risks or important qualifications in fine print while highlighting the benefits.

3. Disclaimers can't fix misleading content.

A disclaimer at the bottom of your video description doesn't excuse a misleading claim made in the video itself. If the core content is misleading, a disclaimer won't save you.

4. Past performance isn't indicative of future performance.

If you reference historical returns or performance data, you must include appropriate context and warnings. Cherry-picking favourable timeframes is a red flag.

5. General advice and personal advice have different obligations.

This distinction is critical for YouTube content — we'll cover it in detail below.

General Advice vs Personal Advice: The Most Important Distinction

This is the single most important compliance concept for YouTube. Get this right and most other compliance issues fall into place.

What Is General Advice?

General advice is financial product advice that doesn't take into account a person's individual objectives, financial situation, or needs. On YouTube, this is almost always what you're providing.

Examples of general advice on YouTube:

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• "Salary sacrificing into super can be a tax-effective strategy for many Australians"
• "Index funds are a popular option for investors who want broad market exposure"
• "If you're approaching retirement, it's worth understanding how the transition-to-retirement rules work"

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These statements are about financial concepts and products in general terms. They don't tell a specific person what to do.

What Is Personal Advice?

Personal advice takes into account (or should reasonably have taken into account) a specific person's objectives, financial situation, or needs. On YouTube, you should avoid giving personal advice because:

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1. You don't know your viewers' individual circumstances
2. Personal advice triggers additional obligations under the Corporations Act (including providing a Statement of Advice)
3. It's practically impossible to provide compliant personal advice in a one-to-many video format

How to Stay on the Right Side of This Line

Do:

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• Use qualifying language: "many people," "some investors," "depending on your circumstances"
• Speak in general terms about strategies and concepts
• Remind viewers that this is general information and doesn't take into account their personal circumstances
• Encourage viewers to seek personal advice from a licensed advisor (yes, even if that's you — the video itself shouldn't be the advice)

Don't:

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• Tell viewers what they should do with their money
• Say "you should invest in X" or "you need to switch to Y"
• Make recommendations that imply you've considered the viewer's personal situation
• Respond to specific viewer questions in a video in a way that constitutes personal advice

The Verbal Disclaimer

Include a brief verbal statement in each video. This doesn't need to be a 30-second legal recitation. Something like:

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"Quick reminder — everything in this video is general information only. It doesn't take into account your personal situation. If you want advice specific to you, speak to a licensed financial advisor."

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Say it naturally, early in the video. Make it part of your standard intro. Viewers expect it and it protects you.

What You Need in Every Video Description

Your YouTube video description is where the written compliance elements live. Every video should include:

1. General Advice Warning

A clear statement that the content is general in nature and doesn't constitute personal advice. Example:

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‍The information in this video is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. Before acting on any information, you should consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and seek advice from a qualified financial advisor.

2. Your AFSL Details

Include your Australian Financial Services Licence number and the name of the licensee. Example:

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‍[Your Practice Name] is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. XXXXXX) of [Licensee Name] (AFSL No. XXXXXX).

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If you're an authorised representative under another licensee's AFSL, include both the licensee details and your authorised representative number.

3. Contact Information

A way for viewers to get in touch if they want personal advice. This also serves as a natural lead generation CTA.

4. Relevant Disclosures

If you discuss specific financial products, include any relevant product disclosure statements or links. If you mention performance data, include the time period and any necessary context.

Video Description Template

Here's a template you can adapt:

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[Video description — what the video covers, include relevant keywords]

Important Information

‍The information in this video is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. Before acting on any information, consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and seek advice from a qualified financial advisor.

[Practice Name] is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. XXXXXX) of [Licensee Name], holder of Australian Financial Services Licence No. XXXXXX.

Book a consultation: [your booking link]Website: [your website]

What You Can and Can't Say: Practical Examples

Let's get specific. Here are real scenarios financial advisors face when creating YouTube content, and how to handle them compliantly.

Talking About Investment Returns

Compliant: "Australian shares have historically returned around 9-10% per annum over the long term, though this includes significant periods of volatility and negative returns. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance."

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Not compliant: "If you invest in Australian shares, you can expect to earn 10% per year. That means $100,000 invested today could be worth $260,000 in ten years."

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The difference: the first provides context, qualifications, and appropriate warnings. The second implies a guaranteed outcome with no qualification.

Comparing Financial Products

Compliant: "Industry super funds and SMSFs each have different features, costs, and considerations. An industry fund offers simplicity and pooled investment, while an SMSF gives you more control but comes with higher compliance obligations and costs. Which one is right for you depends on your specific circumstances."

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Not compliant: "You should switch from your industry fund to an SMSF. You'll get better returns and more control over your money."

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The difference: the first presents a balanced comparison without recommending a specific action. The second directs the viewer to take a specific action and implies a guaranteed better outcome.

Discussing Market Events

Compliant: "The ASX dropped 2% today. Here's what happened, why it happened, and how investors have historically responded to similar corrections. Remember, short-term market movements are normal and shouldn't necessarily drive changes to a long-term investment strategy."

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Not compliant: "The market crashed today. You need to sell everything and move to cash immediately. Don't wait — do it now."

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The difference should be obvious — but when markets are volatile, it's tempting to give directive advice. Resist it.

Sharing Client Results

Compliant: "We recently worked with a client who was able to restructure their super contributions to save over $15,000 per year in tax. Obviously, everyone's situation is different, and this strategy won't be appropriate for everyone — but it's a great example of how optimising your super can make a meaningful difference."

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Not compliant: "Our client John Smith saved $15,000 in tax by doing exactly what I'm about to show you. You can too — just follow these steps."

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The difference: the first uses anonymised results with appropriate qualifiers. The second identifies a client (privacy issue), implies the viewer will get the same outcome, and positions it as personal advice.

Topics That Require Extra Care

Some topics carry more compliance risk than others. You can still cover them — just be more cautious.

Cryptocurrency and Alternative Investments

ASIC has specifically flagged concerns about social media promotion of crypto and speculative investments. If you discuss crypto on YouTube:

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• Be especially careful about not promoting specific tokens or platforms
• Emphasise the volatility and risk of loss
• Don't reference your own holdings or profits in a way that could be seen as promotional
• Include clear general advice warnings

Property and Leverage

Discussions about property investment, particularly involving leverage (borrowing to invest), require careful handling. Don't minimise the risks, don't imply guaranteed capital growth, and don't position a specific property strategy as universally appropriate.

Insurance Within Super

Discussing insurance through superannuation — life insurance, TPD, income protection — is fine in general terms. Avoid recommending specific levels of cover, specific insurers, or specific actions (like "you should increase your cover to $X").

Superannuation Strategies Near Retirement

Transition-to-retirement, pension drawdown strategies, and contribution cap optimisation near retirement are popular topics — and they should be. But these strategies are highly dependent on individual circumstances. Use more qualifying language than usual, and emphasise the importance of personal advice.

Building a Compliance Review Process

Having a process is what separates firms that create content confidently from those that avoid it out of fear. Here's what a good compliance review process looks like for YouTube content.

Step 1: Script Review

Before you film, have the script reviewed. This is the most important checkpoint because it's the easiest place to make changes. Your compliance reviewer should check for:

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• Any statements that could be construed as personal advice
• Claims that need qualification or evidence
• Missing general advice warnings
• Product references that need disclosure

Step 2: Filming With Guidelines

During filming, follow the approved script. If you ad-lib (and you will — it sounds more natural), stay within the guidelines you've established. If you're unsure whether something you said is compliant, flag it so it can be reviewed in editing.

Step 3: Edit Review

Review the final edit before publishing. Check that:

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• The verbal disclaimer is included and clear
• No ad-libbed content crossed compliance boundaries
• On-screen text and graphics are accurate
• The video description includes all required disclosures

Step 4: Description and Metadata

Ensure every video description includes:

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• General advice warning
• AFSL details
• Any specific product disclosures (if applicable)
• Contact information

How Compound One Handles This

At Compound One, compliance review is baked into our production process — not bolted on as an afterthought.

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Here's how it works:

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1. We write the script with compliance in mind from the start. We know what language works and what triggers issues.
2. You review the script and make any changes.
3. Your compliance team reviews (if your licensee requires it). We're happy to work directly with your compliance team.
4. We film based on the approved script.
5. We send the final edit for your approval before publishing.
6. We include all required disclaimers in every video description as standard.

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This process means our clients never have to worry about accidentally publishing something that puts them at risk.

Common Compliance Myths That Stop Advisors From Starting

Myth: "ASIC doesn't want financial advisors on YouTube."

‍False. ASIC has never said this. ASIC wants financial services advertising to be fair, balanced, and not misleading. YouTube content that follows these principles is perfectly fine.

Myth: "If I say anything wrong, I'll lose my licence."

‍Unlikely for a single mistake. ASIC typically takes enforcement action against repeated, egregious, or intentional misconduct — not an advisor who accidentally used slightly imprecise language in one video. That said, having a compliance review process minimises even minor errors.

Myth: "I need to get every video approved by ASIC before publishing."

‍No. ASIC doesn't pre-approve content. Your obligation is to ensure your content complies with the law and your licensee's requirements. Work with your licensee's compliance team — they're your first point of review, not ASIC.

Myth: "Disclaimers protect me from anything I say."

‍Not true. As RG 234 makes clear, a disclaimer can't fix fundamentally misleading content. The core message of your video must be compliant. Disclaimers are an additional safeguard, not a licence to say whatever you want.

Myth: "It's safer to just not do YouTube."

‍Perhaps — but "safe" isn't the same as "smart." YouTube is the most effective trust-building and lead-generation channel available to financial advisors right now. Avoiding it because of compliance concerns is like avoiding client meetings because something you say might be wrong. The answer isn't avoidance — it's having the right process.

Want YouTube Without the Compliance Headaches?

We handle compliance-reviewed content creation for Australian financial advisors every day. If you want a YouTube channel that grows your practice without keeping you up at night worrying about ASIC, start with a free growth audit.

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For a broader look at how YouTube works for financial advisors, read our complete guide: YouTube for Financial Advisors in Australia