Why Financial Advisors Need a Content Marketing Strategy

If you want to build your business and stand out in a crowded industry, know this: you need a savvy financial advisor content marketing strategy.

In our increasingly digital world, two things are critical:

Meeting your prospective clients where they are (online!)
Providing the topical content that they’re looking for

Content marketing is not necessarily about selling your services overtly. Rather, its goal is to showcase your knowledge and experience to prospective clients in order to build the “know, like, and trust” factors that can convert those prospects into clients.

This is vastly different from old-school approaches to marketing that focus solely on the selling of services through advertisements across various media platforms. Content marketing allows you to connect with prospects in new and promising ways that add value for your audience – and for your business, too.

Why Content Marketing?

What’s the first thing most people do if they have a question about a topic like investment management, financial planning, or personal finance? Well, they go online and search! That’s why content marketing is one of the easiest, fastest, and most effective ways to build your brand and generate interest in your business.

Forbes defines content marketing as a marketing technique that focuses on creating and distributing “valuable, relevant, and consistent content” in the hopes of cultivating a specific kind of audience that will ultimately lead to profitable customer action. Content marketing aims to differ itself from classic forms of advertisement in that the goal is to create content that consumers actually want to consume, rather than simply using ads – which many people try to avoid.

What Does a Financial Advisor Content Marketing Strategy Look Like?

In operation, content marketing can be as simple as publishing blog articles on topics that people are searching for online and then sharing those articles out through email lists and social media, too. (Bonus points if your blog articles are written with SEO – search engine optimization – in mind so you appear in Google searches!)

Current research on the subject shows that 42% of people turn to Google first when looking for a financial advisor. What’s more, that same research showed that 63% of people are more likely to notice a financial advisor if they’re providing educational and informative content online.

In a time of financial uncertainty for many people, becoming a place where current clients and prospects can turn to find resources and education is incredibly valuable. People need answers to their questions and want reassurance that their financial plan is on track, too. And that’s the beauty of content marketing – you can help people while executing a brilliant financial advisor content marketing strategy designed to build your business, too.

The Benefits of Content Marketing

Let’s dig a little deeper into the benefits of adapting to more current methods of marketing and meeting people where they are. Content marketing allows financial advisors to broaden their visibility, build trust, and grow their book of business in new and innovative ways.

Increasing Visibility

Producing quality educational content consistently can go a long way in expanding your digital footprint and, therefore, increasing your visibility online. Over time, search engines will begin to offer up your content whenever anyone uses their platform to search for financial information and advice. A key aspect of content marketing is SEO, as mentioned earlier, which can significantly increase the visibility of your blog articles, podcast episodes, videos, or any other content you create – which, in turn, increases the traffic coming to your website. Additionally, the more people view your content, the more likely it is that they’ll share what they find on social media, increasing your visibility even further.

Fostering Trust

Finances play such a critical role in the quality of our lives, so finding a financial advisor who is experienced and knowledgeable is a high priority for those looking to hire a professional. They’re going to be looking for someone who has the expertise and education, but also for someone they can trust with something as critically as important as their money. Content marketing affords you the opportunity to demonstrate to your audience that you know what you’re talking about, that you have experience, and that you have their best interests in mind. By consistently sharing quality content, you’re proving that you’re dedicated to empowering your clients with the knowledge they need to make the right choices for themselves and their families.

Growing Your Business

As content marketing increases your business’s visibility and traffic to your website, it becomes an effective way to generate leads. In fact, research shows companies with an active blog produce 67% more leads than those that don’t have a blog. Blog articles are so effective because they don’t only educate and entice your audience right when you publish the blog, but they can be evergreen in nature, meaning they can go on indefinitely to educate and nurture prospective clients. Rather than old-school advertising that you have to keep paying for, a blog article can stay published until you take it down, working around the clock to garner views, attract attention, and bring in business for as long as you need it to.

Financial Advisors Need a Content Marketing Strategy

Financial advisors are in a crowded industry, and the competition can be fierce. If you want to grow your client base, it’s important to find effective ways to stand out from the crowd. Content marketing is a smart approach because it can give you long-term results in an incredibly cost-effective manner. Investing in a strong financial advisor content marketing strategy can be like rocket fuel, supplementing your more traditional marketing efforts and helping the right prospects find your business.

Worried about the learning curve? Unsure you have the time to pull off a content marketing strategy? At Illuminated Advisors, we do it for you!

We offer comprehensive, hands-on content marketing solutions exclusively for financial advisors. Our team is committed to helping you create a brand and marketing strategy that works to garner attention, bring in new clients, and build your business. If you’d like to learn more about what we can do for you or schedule a conversation about what your content marketing strategy might look like, contact us today.