Voya Financial Expands Social Media Program Support for Affiliated Financial Advisors

WINDSOR, Conn., June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), which has rebranded from ING U.S., announced today that the company's registered broker-dealer, ING Financial Partners, has expanded its social media program and support resources for its network of affiliated financial advisors and registered representatives.  The program is now available with single sign-on capabilities to all 2,400 financial advisors and registered representatives in the network, while a growing body of financial and retirement-focused content has been developed to provide them with relevant social messages that are readily compliant for posting on Facebook and LinkedIn.  This content is meant to help advisors connect and build relationships with existing and prospective fans and followers as they leverage the expansive social media landscape.  Social media will also serve as a useful communications resource as the broker-dealer completes its brand transition from ING Financial Partners to Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., in September 2014.

"It's clear that social media has emerged as a powerful tool for financial advisors; however, in the regulated industry that we operate, the appropriate guideposts must be in place for them to take advantage of this channel," said Tom Halloran, president of ING Financial Partners.  "We've developed a program that offers the support, tools and content needed to tap into social media in a compliant manner.  With the increasing role social media plays in so many aspects of our lives — including financial decisions — this effort demonstrates our commitment to the advisors we work with as well as our focus on serving the retirement readiness needs of clients."

Voya's broker-dealer first tested its social media program with a select number of advisors prior to a broad rollout in May 2014.  With new single sign-on capabilities, advisors can automatically access social media sites through the company's cloud-based customer relationship management system.  This platform serves as a central hub to manage most aspects of an advisor's practice, including how they connect on social media.

Along with an expanded social media presence for its affiliated network, Voya Financial is also growing social media efforts with innovative programs and actively reaching out to consumers through its own corporate channels, specifically Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  Earlier this year, the firm launched an innovative new social media initiative that enables fans and followers to interact with advisors through a live question-and-answer format held on the Voya Facebook page.  The advisors, who are associated with the firm's media-facing Voya Retirement Coach program, provide content, generate conversation and address specific topics such as budgeting, debt management and saving for retirement.  The company plans to hold these events quarterly throughout the year. 

Additionally, during the first half of the year, the company launched a pioneering, multi-platform media sponsorship with NBCUniversal that integrated social media into live television segments on the "TODAY" show and other NBC News programs.  Using the #TodayMoney hashtag, consumers posed questions on retirement-related topics that were answered on-air and through Voya and NBC social channels.

As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company™ and its mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time. 

Media Contact:
Maggie Dietrich    
Voya Financial  
Office: 860.580.2699 
Cell: 860.335.7528 
maggie.dietrich@us.ing.com

About Voya Financial
Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), which has rebranded from ING U.S., is composed of premier retirement, investment and insurance companies serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States.  The company's vision is to be America's Retirement Company™ and its guiding principle is centered on solving the most daunting financial challenge facing Americans today — retirement readiness.  Working directly with clients and through a broad group of financial intermediaries, independent producers, affiliated advisors and dedicated sales specialists, Voya provides a comprehensive portfolio of asset accumulation, asset protection and asset distribution products and services.  With a dedicated workforce of approximately 7,000 employees, Voya is grounded in a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time.  For more information, visit voya.com.  Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

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SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.