The opportunity around ESG

The opportunity for ESG-focused strategies in finance is immense and rapidly expanding. In Europe alone, ESG fund assets under management are projected to surpass 50% of mutual fund assets by 2025, growing at a compound annual rate of 28.8% from 2019 to 2025. This rise reflects not only investor appetite but also an evolving media and digital landscape:

• Output in specialist sustainability publications has surged by 76%, while global searches for ESG-related content have increased by 63% in the past year.
• Social media engagement around these issues has also risen by 36%, showcasing a growing audience actively seeking ethical and sustainable financial solutions.

These trends underscore the need to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance deeply within your brand narratives and leverage these platforms to connect with a motivated audience.

Making Environmental, Social, and Governance a core brand pillar

Leading finance brands are going beyond static reports, weaving sustainability into their core messaging and operations. Consider the example of Stewart Investors. Their interactive environmental and social governance (ESG) tools go beyond numbers to immerse investors in their sustainability journey. These tools enable users to explore ESG metrics dynamically, diving deep into data without the need for complex spreadsheets.

Executive creative director at The Dubs Agency, Tristan Fawley, worked on the interactive tools created by Stewart Investors. Speaking about the tool created, Fawley explains, “We created an interactive application (digital and mobile optimised) that allows investors to view how Stewart Investors are affecting the companies they invest in.” He continues, “It was created to provide invested company information for almost 200 companies including location, history, what Stewart Investors like about the company, risks and associations to key benchmarks such as the UN SDGs and Project Drawdown categorisations.”

Thinking about how they made these tools stand out, Fawley shares, “In a world where many companies talk about their Environmental, Social, and Governance credentials it was important for Stewart Investors to show how they are different, in both the approach and how they disclose their credentials. ‘Greenwashing’ (where companies appear more ‘green’ than they are) is commonplace so being able to provide in-depth evidence of how they operate was key.”

“The application has become a core point of differentiation for Stewart Investors. Although many companies may talk about their ESG credentials they don’t show them beyond top level information, Stewart Investors does,” explains Fawley.

Finally, Fawley advises financial marketers to, “Be transparent, provide information and showcase it in a digital-first format.”
Such strategies demonstrate how ESG can become a central brand narrative. By building resources that both educate and engage, Stewart Investors positions itself as a thought leader in ethical investment.

Key Takeaway: Finance brands must ensure ESG isn’t confined to an annual report but reflected in the user experience, brand story, and long-term vision.

Consistent ESG storytelling across touchpoints

One of the challenges finance brands face is ensuring consistency in ESG messaging across all channels. Australian Ethical Super provides an exemplary case. Their social media campaigns frequently highlight their investments in renewable energy projects, while their blog posts offer in-depth discussions on how their fund choices align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This omnichannel approach ensures investors experience a cohesive ESG narrative, whether they’re browsing a website, scrolling on Instagram, or reviewing annual reports.

At the upper end of the creative spectrum, Apple’s 2023 ESG video is a masterclass in storytelling. Though a tech company, its engaging visuals, creative narrative, and focus on real-world impact offer lessons for finance brands. Finance marketers, even with tighter budgets, can learn from Apple’s example: using storytelling to transform abstract metrics into relatable, human-centered narratives.

Key Takeaway: A consistent ESG narrative across platforms builds credibility and keeps commitments top-of-mind for members and stakeholders.

Building trust through transparency

Transparency is non-negotiable when it comes to ESG. Investors increasingly demand not just promises but proof. To add to this, finance brands are increasingly coming under fire for greenwashing, and governments around the world are making amends to ensure this practice is limited. Brands like Ninety One, a global investment manager, excel here. Their online ESG dashboards break down portfolio-level impact data in a user-friendly way. For instance, users can explore carbon intensity metrics for each investment product, coupled with explanatory content that contextualises these numbers within broader sustainability goals.

Beyond numbers, transparency also means admitting challenges. Brands that communicate their ongoing improvements – highlighting areas of struggle alongside successes – foster trust by showing their commitment to continuous improvement.

Key Takeaway: Finance brands must make their ESG data accessible and meaningful while embracing honest conversations about their journey.

ESG as a competitive differentiator

In a crowded market, ESG has become a crucial differentiator. Aviva Investors integrates ESG into their brand positioning as a driver of both financial performance and societal impact. Their campaigns, such as “Investing with Purpose” emphasise ESG isn’t just about doing good but also about delivering resilient long-term returns – a message tailored to appeal to sophisticated investors.

Key Takeaway: By linking ESG to both purpose and performance, brands can carve out a distinct niche in the market while appealing to values-driven investors.

Creative campaigns that inspire action

Creative campaigns can transform ESG from a compliance exercise into a movement. While Apple’s high-production ESG videos are aspirational, finance brands can adopt more accessible strategies.

Consider Triodos Bank, which uses customer stories to illustrate the impact of its ethical banking model. Their “Colour of Money” blog often features interviews, stories and advice that explores ethical investing, sustainable initiatives and other ESG-related topics.

Key Takeaway: Even with modest budgets, finance brands can use customer stories, videos, and interactive content to create ESG campaigns that resonate deeply with their audience.

Lessons from industry leaders

To drive ESG communication that truly hits the mark, finance brands should:

1. Invest in interactive tools: Create digital experiences that let users explore ESG data in an engaging way.
2. Leverage visual storytelling: Use tools like infographics, videos, and animations to demystify ESG metrics and bring impact stories to life.
3. Adopt a multi-channel approach: Ensure ESG messaging remains consistent across websites, social media, investor updates, and reports.
4. Be transparent: Build trust by making ESG metrics accessible and sharing honest updates about progress and challenges.
5. Humanise the message: Borrow from Apple and Triodos Bank by centering ESG stories on real people and communities affected by your investments.

With ESG now the norm, your finance brand must recognise the opportunity to lead not just with products but with purpose. Authenticity, transparency, and creativity are the pillars of successful ESG communication.

The post How finance brands can lead in ESG communications appeared first on Financial Marketer.

In this environment, super funds and asset managers must rethink their marketing strategies to not only minimise costs but also address evolving client sentiments, emphasising transparency and value.

Understanding the shifting economic landscape

The global economic environment remains volatile, with inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions, and shifting interest rates creating a complex backdrop for financial markets. The performance of superannuation funds, asset managers, and other investment vehicles has become increasingly tied to these macroeconomic factors, requiring firms to stay agile in their marketing and communication efforts. This has seen that 67% of marketers worry about reducing spending while staying ahead of competitors.

The Australian superannuation industry’s 2023 rebound is a case in point. While the 7.6% growth in assets reflects a recovery, it doesn’t negate the challenges posed by prior market contractions. Additionally, the cost-of-living crisis in Australia and similar pressures in other developed markets means investors and members are more acutely aware of the impact of fees on their returns. This heightened awareness isn’t limited to superannuation funds; it extends to the entire asset management industry, where transparency and perceived value have become crucial differentiators.

The global relevance of Australian superannuation trends

While Australia’s specific regulatory and market conditions are unique, the broader trends affecting its superannuation industry are relevant to financial services firms worldwide. The pressures Australian super funds face—such as balancing growth with cost efficiency and navigating member expectations in a volatile market—are shared by super and pension funds globally.

Similarly to Australia, despite market volatility global pension funds grew by 11% in 2023. This global alignment of challenges and volatility underscores the need for a more nuanced marketing approach. Super and pension funds not only need to communicate their resilience and growth in the face of market volatility but also provide a clear rationale for the fees they charge. This requires a shift from traditional marketing tactics to strategies that prioritise transparency, education, and value-driven messaging.

Cost-efficient strategies to match social sentiment during market volatility

Given the current economic pressures, super and pension funds must be particularly attuned to the sentiments of customers and members. When individuals are facing financial strain, they are less tolerant of what they perceive as excessive spending by the institutions managing their money. This presents a unique challenge for marketers in the superannuation and asset management sectors; you must balance the need to promote your services with the necessity of demonstrating fiscal responsibility.

One of the key considerations for super funds and other finance brands is the perception of marketing expenditures. In times of economic hardship, members are likely to be critical of marketing campaigns that appear extravagant or out of touch with their financial realities. This criticism can be particularly sharp in the superannuation industry, where members are acutely aware their funds are being used to finance such campaigns.

”While large-scale marketing efforts like paid partnerships or above-the-line advertising may seem like the easiest way to achieve mass reach, their high costs and lack of tangible value for members will face scrutiny during economic pressure,” says The Dubs Agency head of strategy, Alexandra Middleton. “To navigate this delicate terrain financial marketers need to put audience, not brand, first and build their strategy around delivering value at every stage of the funnel.”

Marketing should focus on conveying the value your brand provides as well as addressing the needs of your audience, even if it means stepping back from brand messaging or direct promotion. To do this effectively financial marketers need to identify the key topics that are relevant to their audiences in the long-term and build big rock content pieces that allow them to own the topic in market. Minimising investment in multiple marketing initiatives, these big rock content pieces can then be atomised to provide multiple opportunities to reach your audience using messaging that really matters to them. The Big Shift is the perfect example of this.

“From one big rock content piece a finance brand could produce awareness, consideration and conversion content year-round, simply by honing in on different angles within a big rock content piece,” says Middleton.

At an awareness level, this could involve using creative in-feed social content to engage audiences on the trends and topics that interest or concern them. Consideration content then provides an opportunity to introduce your brand, educate your audience and solve their needs, often through more editorial content. It can also be an opportunity to address barriers to entry such as performance and fees. Here funds can highlight past performance and explain the rationale behind fees as well as the strategies in place to protect and grow member assets. Transparency and education are critical components of this approach. By demystifying the fee structure and clearly articulating how those fees contribute to long-term growth and stability, you can build trust and reduce scepticism among your members. Having built a connection with your audience and addressed their needs, atomised conversion content can then focus on practical tools and resources that ultimately drive your audience to take action.

Leveraging data and insights to drive marketing effectiveness

The use of analytics can help identify emerging trends in member sentiment, allowing you to proactively address concerns before they become widespread issues.

For example, social listening tools can be used to gauge member reactions to market fluctuations and adjust messaging accordingly. If members are expressing concern about market volatility, marketing campaigns can be tailored to reassure them by highlighting the fund’s risk management strategies or long-term investment approach. Similarly, segmentation analysis can help identify different member groups based on their financial situation, enabling more personalised communication that resonates with their specific needs and concerns.

Strategic marketing in an era of market volatility

The financial services industry is at a crossroads, where the interplay between market performance and member expectations is more complex than ever. For superannuation and asset managers, the key to navigating this environment lies in adapting marketing strategies to reflect the realities of the economic landscape and the evolving sentiments of your members.

By focusing on transparency, education, and value-driven content, you can not only weather the current volatility but also strengthen your relationships with members and clients. In doing so, you position yourself not just as custodians of wealth but as trusted partners in your members’ financial journeys, capable of guiding them through both the peaks and troughs of the market cycle.

The post How to market cost-effectively in times of market volatility appeared first on Financial Marketer.

The best way to keep your clients happy and loyal? Do the right thing and know your responsibilities. In fact, just like a social media strategy, a privacy and security strategy should be a key part of your brand. With that in mind, here’s an overview of what’s been happening over the past 12 months, and what you need to know to stay up-to-date.

The Digital Service Act: the future of marketing

If you’re advertising to customers in the European Union, you need to be across the Digital Service Act, which was launched late last year. Based on how online platforms distribute information, this act has a couple of purposes. Regarding companies such as Google and Meta, the objective is to hold them accountable for the content that’s on their site. And for consumers, the act will better protect their online rights and ensure that advertisers behave ethically.

In marketing, the most significant change will come in how you can target consumers in the EU. The act prohibits online ads that target consumers based on sensitive personal data. This can mean things like religion, sexual preferences or political beliefs. It will also give consumers more information on the ads they are being shown – including if and why an ad is targeting them specifically.

By empowering consumers, these new rules should have a big impact on transparency and visibility within advertising. Now, those in the EU will be informed on why they’re being targeted by an ad and who paid for it. Additionally, they’ll now be able to see whether content is sponsored or organically posted.

Changes in privacy law around the globe

Data breaches are becoming more and more common in the digital age – which is why countries are introducing harsh new penalties for companies that don’t protect consumer data. In the United Kingdom, the 2018 Data Protection Act controls how consumer data can be used by customers. It decrees that, should a data breach happen, consumers need to be notified within 72 hours. By reacting quickly, it means that those affected by the breach can take action to protect themselves and change any details, passwords or sensitive information that was compromised in the data breach.

Australia is an interesting example of how companies are reacting to data breaches, their impact on consumers, and how governments are changing relevant laws. With 2022’s massive breaches of Medibank and Optus – two brands trusted by millions of Australians – privacy and the protection of user data came into the public spotlight. After these leaks were made public, the Australian government launched into action, announcing tougher penalties for companies who didn’t take appropriate care of their customer details. While the previous maximum penalty was $2.22 million, under the new bill, this increased to either:

• $50 million
• 3 x the value of any benefit obtained through the misuse of information
• 30% of a company’s adjusted turnover in the relevant period

Despite these beefed-up penalties and the risks of not taking care of customer data, many companies weren’t ready. According to a report by advisory firm Arktic Fox, only 41% of brands claimed they were prepared for the new measures. Similarly, just 23% were focused on improving things over the coming 18 months. These statistics are damning – especially when building trust is such an important part of branding.

See opportunities where others don’t (or won’t)

We know that finance brands should focus on trust in times of crisis. And the same philosophy applies here – it’s all about customer confidence in your brand.

Instead of treating them as a chore or a boring thing you have to tick off, why not treat privacy and security as an opportunity to differentiate your business? It could be a fantastic advantage that solidifies your niche in the financial field. After all, according to Cisco, nearly a third of consumers have stopped doing business with a brand that isn’t up to snuff in the privacy and security arena. And if your brand isn’t serious about protecting data, you could be next.

But by taking a proactive approach, you can avoid losing customers, and even attract new ones. In fact, according to that same Cisco report, for every dollar that companies invest in privacy, they see a $2.70 return. In a similar vein, a study by the Harvard Business Review actually showed that being upfront about how customer data is used for ad targeting actually increases click through rates.

These examples prove that privacy and security don’t have to be boring parts of doing business, and that paying attention to them is a great way to increase profits and attract customers – especially in the B2B sector.

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Step into the metaverse

While it might sound intimidating, the definition of metaverse is pretty simple. Basically, it’s a generic term to describe an online 3D space where every user has their own unique avatar. If you’ve seen or read Ready Player One, it’s a little bit like that: an entire world set in an online location (just without the wild dystopian vibes).

What are some examples of the metaverse?

The biggest name in the metaverse is Meta (formerly Facebook). They’ve pumped serious money into their Horizon Worlds project, which has more than 300,000 users exploring a virtual world through VR headsets. Here, you can interact with others from all over the globe, check out brand activations and host events.

Another project, which is more about blending existing ways of working with the metaverse, is Mesh for Microsoft Teams. In this tool (where VR goggles are optional), users from all over can join together and collaborate. Whether it’s having a meeting, working together on shared documents, or exploring the virtual world, Mesh is a versatile tool that can add a new level to your Microsoft Teams experience.

Interestingly, some of the other companies putting money into metaverses are a bit more unexpected. These include Epic (who make the incredibly popular Fortnite video game) as well as Roblox Corporation, developers of the Roblox phenomenon – an online world where users can create, program and play games online. Although these might seem like typical videogames to the uninitiated, they’re actually incredibly rich online metaverses featuring concerts, one-time events, celebrity appearances, and virtual currency that users can spend in-game.

Such things might not be where your brand would usually advertise, but they’re a clue into where we might be headed in the future – a truly interconnected world.

How B2B brands can benefit from the metaverse

Whether it’s a custom space or media-grabbing activation, there are plenty of opportunities for B2C companies to make their mark on the metaverse – which is why brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, Adidas, and fast-food chain Wendy’s have all gotten involved.

“It has always been those businesses that have been early adopters and pioneers who have often benefitted the most and become leaders in new products and services that customers have migrated to,” says The Dubs social media director, Andrew Frith.

“Financial companies need to be present and active in new media if they hope to keep engaged with younger generations who will mature and become their next main customer persona.”

In the financial sector, businesses have also gone about setting up in the metaverse. Pakistan’s Allied Bank opened a virtual branch where users can conduct transactions, meet with staff and learn more about services, while HSBC bought up land in The Sandbox metaverse so they can engage with a younger audience. Also of note: JP Morgan Chase entered the Decentraland metaverse with a locale where visitors can learn about how the bank is getting involved in blockchain and other emergent technologies.

While these are exciting developments in the B2C space, opportunities also await for B2B companies. Why not try one of the following:

Level up your marketing materials: Studies have shown that people remember information better when it’s presented in a virtual environment – and that’s precisely what you get when you have a presence in the metaverse. Forget overwhelming clients with an avalanche of old-fashioned documents or static infographics. Instead, use the interactivity and tactile nature of the metaverse to your benefit. Once you’re hooked in, you can present your marketing materials like a physical book, play brand videos in a virtual movie theatre, or create a bespoke explorable space that shows off what makes your brand memorable.

Take client calls into the 21st century: The metaverse is a great way for B2B businesses to keep in touch with clients from Alaska to Zimbabwe. It’s easier than an email and more personal than an everyday video call. Just throw on some VR goggles and suddenly you’re sharing virtual space with clients and communicating like you’re side by side. Once you’re in, sales pitches become more streamlined, collaboration is stronger, presentations take on a new level and you can hold meetings that blur the line between virtual reality and reality.

Elevate your event: For an example of a virtual event done well, take a look at iHeart Media’s virtual Billie Eilish concert, where the company invited hundreds of advertisers and branding head honchos to attend a concert and catch up in a custom 3D space. Instead of a generic avatar, the guests were represented by a live webcam feed of themselves, so they could recognise other concertgoers and chat between songs.

Now, your company might not have the budget to have Ms. Eilish perform, but imagine what your next event or expo could look like if you decided to get away from the traditional physical space and blaze new trails in the metaverse.

So, is switching to meta for the better?

There’s no doubt that metaverses are still in their infancy, but it does seem like they’re going to – in some capacity – be the future of the internet.

The trick is finding a way to interact with them that feels authentic to your brand and gets you value for money. For a B2B finance brand, the real opportunities come in how you communicate with clients, host industry events, and display your marketing materials in a way that stands out from the competition.

The post The metaverse for B2B finance marketers appeared first on Financial Marketer.

Just the gist of inclusive marketing

Inclusive marketing recognises and embraces the diverse needs, backgrounds, and experiences of individuals and communities within the financial landscape. It goes beyond targeting a narrow demographic and instead focuses on creating campaigns, messaging, and strategies that resonate with a broad range of audiences.

By incorporating inclusivity in financial marketing, you can foster a sense of belonging, build trust, and cultivate lasting relationships. Inclusive marketing involves authentically representing diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences helping you to tap into new markets, drive growth, and reinforce your commitment to a more inclusive and equitable future.

According to KPMG, marketing that reflects the target client is more effective in influencing their behaviour. The research notes, 69% of black consumers are more likely to be persuaded to buy a product or service from a brand whose communication strategy positively reflects their ethnicity. Further to this, a survey by Deloitte found out of 11,500 global consumers, the youngest respondents (from 18 to 25 years old) took greater notice of inclusive advertising when making purchase decisions.

The six principles of inclusive marketing

According to SalesForce, there are six principles of inclusive marketing.

• Tone – Consider your tone throughout all marketing communications and ensure it remains respectful and considerate of all communities and individuals.
• Intentional language – Consider the language and symbols used throughout your marketing and where they are placed to ensure mistakes aren’t made.
• Representation – People want to see themselves represented in marketing and the media. Ensure your campaigns are diverse and reflect the diversity of society.
• Context – Don’t miss out on cultural influences or the order and hierarchy in traditional marketing. For example, stock photography can often uphold stereotypes that need to be negated.
• Avoid appropriation – Ensure your finance brand doesn’t assert cultural appropriation practices by taking culturally significant aspects of minority groups without understanding their significance.
• Counter-stereotype – Go against stereotypes and ensure content uplifts individuals and communities.

How to get inclusive marketing right

To effectively embrace inclusive marketing, your finance brand must prioritise authenticity, empathy, and a deep understanding of its diverse audience.

The most important thing is to research and learn about the unique needs, aspirations, and challenges of various demographic groups. This serves as the foundation for developing an inclusive message that connects with a diverse range of audiences and your target clients.

Your finance brand should prioritise and authentically reflect diversity in its marketing materials. This means presenting a diverse range of viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds in a respectful and accurate manner. Featuring different individuals in commercials, photography, and content is one important way of ensuring this.

Inclusivity also includes language and communication. You should constantly try to use inclusive language that avoids preconceptions and stereotypes, ensuring a respectful and equal environment. Building an inclusive brand identity requires adapting language to be gender-neutral, inclusive of varied abilities, and culturally sensitive.

The importance of a review process

Often, culturally insensitive campaigns or campaigns that lack inclusion occur because no one from that community group has been consulted. You’re not expected to know everything about what’s inclusive or culturally insensitive, but you are expected to ask questions and ensure content remains respectful.

One way your finance brand can help promote and achieve inclusive marketing is through collaboration and partnerships. By actively seeking out diverse voices, consulting with community organisations, and involving a wide range of perspectives, you can ensure your marketing efforts are culturally sensitive, inclusive, and resonant.

Looking beyond marketing

Furthermore, accessibility and inclusive design play a vital role. You need to ensure your digital platforms, communications, and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes providing alternative formats for content, optimising website accessibility, and accommodating diverse communication preferences.

Final thoughts on inclusive marketing

At the end of the day future generations and diverse consumers are expecting more from their finance brands. By embodying authenticity, empathy, and a commitment to inclusivity, you can forge genuine connections with your audience.

Inclusive marketing goes beyond mere representation; it’s about fostering a sense of belonging, empowering individuals, and creating a financial landscape that’s accessible to all. When you get inclusive marketing right, you not only drive business growth but also contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous society as a whole.

The post How finance brands can achieve inclusive marketing appeared first on Financial Marketer.

Content marketing for asset managers

Content marketing can benefit asset managers in several ways. According to HubSpot, “Consistent, high-quality, and engaging content impacts audience decision-making more than any other technique.”

Given asset management firms generally produce sophisticated research and insights papers for its own purposes and for clients, your firm may already have an impressive bank of content that’s able to be repurposed for content marketing material.

For asset managers, building a relationship with your clients is important to foster loyalty and brand trust – two things that are critical to your brand’s longevity and success. Content marketing can improve this as it enables you to engage with clients directly and offer them valuable information in a timely manner. Adopting an always-on marketing approach is a surefire way to build that connection with your audience and become a brand they look to for trusted information.

Content marketing shouldn’t be an afterthought. Instead, your asset management firm should take a targeted and strategic approach in order to see the benefits. For B2B marketers globally, content marketing makes up around 26% of their overall budget indicating it’s a priority for businesses in all industries.

Some benefits of content marketing for your asset management firm:

• Foster a positive brand image
• Increase engagement
• Improve lead generation
• Become a trusted brand
• Improve conversions
• Strengthen your SEO strategy
• Increase brand awareness and foster loyalty

Building trust through content marketing

One of the main benefits of content marketing for asset managers is its ability to build trust and loyalty. According to findings by Edelman Trust Barometer, while trust has increased in the financial sector in Australia there still remains large trust inequality (AKA trust in the informed population is high but low in the uninformed population). In the UK and USA, trust in business has continued to decline.

According to Edelman however, good, high-quality information is “now the most powerful trust builder across institutions”. Content is key to building and improving trust among clients and stakeholders. Providing transparent information that’s educational, easy to understand and value-driven will help your asset management firm maintain loyalty.

Asset managers leading the charge

Aviva Investors

Aviva Investors’ high-quality editorial content supported by its strong distribution channels – LinkedIn and X – highlights how asset managers can do content marketing effectively.

Adopting an always-on content strategy approach, Aviva Investors shares long-form and short-form editorial and audio content on its website to provide insights into the investment landscape alongside timely and important information that stakeholders and clients require.

In combination with the editorial content, Aviva also delivers its annual ‘Little Book of Data’. This is published yearly and is a coffee table book of over 120 pages displaying data in a visually stunning way.

Aviva’s social media presence combines short-form videos and imagery with informative post copy that captures the attention of users while supplying them with important data.

Vanguard

Vanguard Group is leading the charge in offering a diverse range of content across multiple channels. From editorial to podcast content, Vanguard showcases how to achieve diversity in an asset manager’s content marketing strategy.

The best aspect of Vanguard’s online editorial content is it’s easy to digest and offers key information for every level of investor. On Instagram, Vanguard provides tailored content that appeals to a diverse range of investors, sharing infographics alongside short snippets from its podcast. On X, LinkedIn and Facebook content is targeted towards sharing longer-form articles, alongside short videos. This means content remains fresh, interesting and engaging for followers.

Finally, its podcast ‘The Expanding Universe of Choice’ provides conversations with experts about a range of investing topics in short 20-minute episodes. Expertly made, this podcast enables Vanguard to become a bigger authority in the industry, reach a greater investor audience and create a more ‘human’ connection with audiences.

Pictet

Pictet showcases how to deliver a diverse range of editorial content for every type of investor. Its ‘perspectives’ section provides weekly market insights from the Chief Information Officer (CIO), alongside trending news stories that offer timely information on interesting topics.

Its editorial content is not only easy to understand, as it’s written simply and in plain English, but it’s also easy to navigate. The user experience is enjoyable helping to improve the average user’s session time.

To break up the written content, Pictet has also invested time and effort into producing high-quality short-form videos. These videos feature leading industry experts and offer insights into a broad range of global topics that may affect investments. With a high-production value, these videos are professional and engaging to watch.

Pictet shares both its editorial content and videos on LinkedIn regularly, while also providing insights into the company, such as industry awards and employee achievements. This offers a more ‘human’ side to the content program, helping to build connections while also sharing important information with investors.

This diversity in content and focus on delivering information that’s been written and produced by industry experts, highlights a great way asset managers can get their content marketing right.

The post The benefits of content marketing for asset managers appeared first on Financial Marketer.

For finance brands, particularly in the B2B sphere, it might be tempting to cut budgets or opt for a stripped-back performance-based marketing approach. However, according to Josh Frith, Managing Director at The Dubs, “Right now, we’ve seen that investor audiences are seeking reassurance, loyalty and empathy. And content marketing is the ideal way to deliver that”.

“A robust content programme allows asset managers and other finance brands to share their own research and views on the investment landscape. There’s no better way to build trust with audiences,” Frith says.

So, how can your finance brand continue to create valuable content during this period of global uncertainty?

Leading with empathy during a recession

A recession can have a large impact on the wellbeing of your clients. Keep this understanding at the front and centre of your content marketing strategy. This is important, as sharing content that leads with empathy can help you to continue to build trust and foster loyalty.

Offer transparent and educational materials

During times of uncertainty, transparent communication goes a long way in maintaining trust, building confidence and fostering loyalty. Be open and honest with your client communications and regularly update them on changes in the market or your finance brand’s everyday dealings. This steady presence online and in communication materials will build strong brand awareness and create meaningful connections with clients.

At the end of the day, great financial content marketing is focused on education. Adopting an always-on content marketing strategy that prioritises educational resources is key to maintaining trust with your clients. Create strong thought leadership, easy-to-understand infographics, short-form videos and engaging editorial content in order to continue to provide value to clients.

Keep your ear to the ground

During periods of recession and economic downturn, the social climate can change rapidly. It’s critical your finance brand continues to monitor the global mood and recognise the style and type of content people are responding to best. One of the worst things that can happen is for a piece of your content to be viewed as out of touch or not reflective of what your current audience needs.

Utilise your monitoring tools to see which content is working and what’s not working. Always maintain active communication with your current target audience and actively engage with them by starting conversations.

Final points for marketing during a recession

Your content marketing shouldn’t stop because of a recession. Instead, your finance brand should shift its focus and rethink its marketing strategy. Here are a few final points to consider when creating content during a recession:

• Don’t panic and stop marketing, instead, rethink your strategy and identify new marketing objectives
• Maintain an empathetic approach to all your marketing materials
• Monitor the mood of your audience to ensure your content is still hitting the mark and not turning clients away
• Actively engage your audience and communicate with them – find out what content they want and need at this time
• Share your acts of goodwill and charitable initiatives during this time to improve brand awareness, maintain trust and foster loyalty
• Be active during periods of high uncertainty by sharing educational resources that are easy to understand, timely and present accurate information

The post The lowdown on content marketing during a recession appeared first on Financial Marketer.

Everything you need to know about integrated digital marketing

Digital marketing is important for your finance brand to implement so as to build meaningful relationships with clients and improve brand awareness. With consumer journeys fragmented across multiple communication channels, you don’t want potential leads to be lost in the milieu. When done right, an integrated digital marketing strategy can ensure your finance brand nurtures leads no matter where your client interacts with your brand.

How to create a successful strategy

To create a successful integrated digital marketing strategy, you need to understand your consumers intimately. Utilise data across your communications channels, to track and analyse your client’s journey. From there, you can build a detailed and comprehensive digital marketing strategy that’s tailored to your specific audience base.

Here are some tips for creating a successful integrated marketing strategy:

• Identify the number of visitors that are visiting your website on mobile or desktop. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and caters to people not only finding you via search engine results but also social media channels.
• Recognise your target audience on each different social media channel (For example, often LinkedIn will have a much different audience than Instagram). Create tailored content that not only aligns with the right content format but also provides value-driven information specific to your target audience.
• Understand what channels you’re generating the most leads from. Are you gaining more leads from social media or search engine results? Once you identify this, you can begin to plan a marketing content strategy that succeeds.
• Look for trends in your data. The best part about customer relationships moving online is that you have more data at your fingertips than ever before. Begin to identify what content makes your audience click or remain on your website.
• Ask your clients how they found your finance brand and what channels they saw your content. Speaking to clients can help offer you a better perspective on the customer journey and inform your marketing decision-making in the future.

At the end of the day, to nurture leads, convert clients and maintain retention you need to be creating an authentic relationship with your audience. You need to ensure that everywhere a consumer interacts with your finance brand is a positive one. An integrated digital marketing strategy can ensure your finance brand doesn’t lose connection with potential clients.

The post The ins and outs of integrated digital marketing appeared first on Financial Marketer.

The benefits of developing a niche marketing message

Rather than simply advertising your finance brand’s products and services, you need to offer a solution to your client’s problems. This will be different for each audience you select. By becoming a solution to your client’s issues, you can improve retention rates and overall customer satisfaction ultimately helping your bottom line. In fact, by improving the overall customer experience you can improve customer retention by 33% and customer satisfaction by 32%.

Defining a niche

As the technological revolution continues to evolve, fintechs are becoming increasingly popular and niche specific. For your finance brand to keep up and compete it’s important you also define a niche and create financial marketing messages that are targeted and specific.

A niche isn’t just an audience like Gen Z or Millennials. A niche is defining your key audience and identifying a problem they have. So, a niche audience you may identify might be Millennials who are buying their first property. Your solution as a finance brand may be to offer tailored products (such as budgeting tools) alongside educational resources they will find hard to access somewhere else.

Overall, to help define your niche audiences you need to have a good understanding of your current customers. Consider what problems your niche audience experiences regularly and how you as a finance brand can offer easy solutions to that issue.

Here are some ways to instantly define a niche:

• Identify underserved communities and address their key financial problems
• Identify key values your finance brand can address (such as environmental or social issues)
• Select a specific demographic you can tailor your content and services to (for example, providing services for just women or only Gen Z and then finding a specific problem)
• Understand your customer data and who currently benefits from your services
• Identify key opportunities in your marketing strategy to target different market segments
• Create an effective call to action that engages and encourages your audience to choose your finance brand

What your finance brand can learn

Defining a market niche is more than just pigeon-holing your finance brand. It’s about delivering specific and personalised marketing messages that actually engage audiences. By identifying a few different market segments and tailoring your advertising and content marketing toward them, you can retain your current audience, nurture leads and convert clients.

The post Finding your niche as a finance brand appeared first on Financial Marketer.

Distribution must also be considered in order to gain engagement and effectively nurture leads. Understanding your audiences, what type of content and what platforms you’re creating content for are all important things you need to consider. Here we break down how your asset management firm can nail content distribution so you can nurture prospective leads.

Omnichannel marketing to distribute content

To gain leads, convert clients and build brand awareness, it’s critical your asset management firm adopts an omnichannel marketing approach. This simply means you should be creating and distributing content across a range of platforms such as social media, email marketing, blog posts etc…

No two investors are the same, so it’s important your asset management firm considers a multitude of ways investors want to interact with your content. This enables you to reach a broader audience, no matter where investors interact with you.

A great way of achieving an omnichannel content distribution strategy is to repurpose and reuse existing content in different ways. This could look like your asset management firm taking an hour-long webinar, and breaking it up into bite-sized videos that can be shared on your socials.

Additionally, it’s also important that your asset management firm builds monitoring tools to identify what content is performing well and what content investors are interacting with. This will help inform not only your content marketing strategy but also the best ways and platforms in which to distribute content.

The importance of a multimedia approach

Not only is an omnichannel approach important, but so is achieving a multimedia strategy. Producing content in just one format is not an effective way to distribute content. Instead, adopting a multimedia approach will see you creating a wide variety of content from blog posts to videos to infographics.

Distributing content in a variety of formats ensures your content remains fresh and engaging for investors.

Key tips and takeaways to help you distribute content effectively

There is a range of factors to consider when creating a content distribution strategy. For asset managers it’s imperative you:

• Understand your audience, whether that’s institutional, wholesale or retail
• Identify how your audience consumes content
• Recognise where you have the largest audience base
• Create content that aligns with what your audience wants
• Know how your audience wants to receive specific content and communication

By ensuring you understand these five simple things, your content distribution strategy can effectively nurture leads and build meaningful connections with investors.

While the content you produce is important, it’s also critical you not only share it via the right channels but also at the right times. Utilise your investor engagement data to build a strong strategy that communicates the right information when it’s most effective.

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