I’d wager that the topic of online lead generation wasn’t a large part of your professional education…but it should have been.
Developing digital marketing strategies for financial professionals can be a difference maker for any firm when applied correctly. Now, more than ever, digital marketing strategies for financial professionals are necessary to reach today’s internet-engaged audiences, build trust, and motivate them to reach out.
Digital marketing is a broad umbrella term covering a huge range of services, tools, and strategies. The most successful digital marketing strategies for financial professionals have a few different concepts working together for a comprehensive process that takes someone from cold lead, to curious, to interested.
Here’s an overview of the most popular digital marketing strategies for financial professionals that are working to generate leads for professionals today:
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO, or search engine optimization, ensures your website is easily findable by those using Google or another search engine. They’ll either find you prominently on the results page…or one of your competitors.
Effective SEO means optimizing your website content with relevant keywords, improving site architecture, and verifying your site is mobile-friendly since the majority of searches are now on mobile devices. For financial professionals, focusing on local SEO can be particularly beneficial. This means optimizing your website for local search terms and listing your business in local directories, driving region-specific client traffic to your services.
2. Content Marketing
In the finance industry, if you can build trust and convey credibility, you are 90% of the way toward having a new client. Content marketing allows professionals to showcase their knowledge and position themselves as authorities in their industry, 100% free.
Leveraging your website to regularly publish informative articles, tutorials, or even outside resources can create engagement and keep your company top-of-mind. Content that addresses common financial challenges or explains recent changes in tax laws, for example, can be highly beneficial. This strategy is especially useful when paired with SEO in order to have a step-by-step strategy that brings prospects in at scale and educates them on why they need you.
3. Social Media Engagement
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook provide powerful tools for connecting with clients and enhancing brand visibility. Financial professionals can use these platforms to share content, participate in discussions, and engage with both current and prospective clients. Regular updates, professional insights, or even topical memes shared on these platforms can help maintain client relationships and attract new ones.
Shoot for curating a healthy audience rather than trying to go “viral” with a one-time moonshot. Clients you bring in from social media via your own digital marketing strategies for financial professionals will be those who have seen your content many times.
4. Email Marketing
Email marketing has been a mainstay of digital marketing for decades and the average professional checks their inbox more than four times daily. Consider email marketing like a lead-generation crockpot. Season your subscriber list with occasional but valuable emails about what you do and how you do it, and over time they’ll understand your value and reach out.
To avoid unsubscribes (or worse, people who “mentally unsubscribe” and become ad-blind to your emails), create messages that are personable, interesting, and actionable. Convey personality and tell stories they won’t hear anywhere else. Then you can end with a call to action that motivates people to reach out or learn more on your website. Popular services for email marketing include Mailchimp and Constant Contact.
5. Webinars and Online Workshops
Given the complex nature of financial services, webinars and online workshops are excellent ways to execute digital marketing strategies for financial professionals. In this medium, you can demonstrate expertise and directly interact with a broader audience. These platforms offer an opportunity to address client questions in real-time, provide detailed explanations of financial concepts, and discuss industry trends.
These sessions can be archived on your website or social media channels, providing a resource for potential clients and enhancing your digital footprint. You can also slice snippets out of your video content for use on social media, giving a single video much more mileage.
Popular services for creating your own webinar include Zoom Webinars and WebinarJam.
6. Online Reviews and Testimonials
In the financial services industry, reputation is everything. Online reviews and testimonials (carefully adhering to the SEC rules, of course) can significantly influence potential clients, and in many cases, they’re the first and most prominent thing people see if they Google you. Encouraging satisfied clients to leave positive feedback on platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and your active social media pages legitimizes your reputation, directs prospects to your site, and provides a healthy boost of SEO value all on its own.
Watching your reviews and responding professionally to any negative reviews can also demonstrate your commitment to client satisfaction.
How to Get Started
Developing digital marketing strategies for financial professionals can feel like a daunting task. It’s rare for a newcomer to get far enough to feel comfortable, even rarer for them to have a high-ROI advertising campaign.
If you have an interest in getting help with any of the above—or even if you’re not sure where you should start—we can help.
No matter your experience level or results so far, feel free to reach out for a free strategy session where we can discuss what would be the best approach for you. To get in touch, call 978-880-8763 or email ron@auxani.com.
About Ron
Ron Bradley is Founder and CEO of Auxani Advisors, an entrepreneurial-minded company based in Danvers, Massachusetts, committed to building businesses and financial success. Ron began his 40-year career as a producer for MetLife, where he was quickly promoted to Regional Director. Though his esteemed career led him to become one of the founding IMOs at Life USA (now Allianz Life Insurance Company) and to serve on the board of directors of a number of leading insurance companies, Ron felt a calling to do more. In 1982, he had a vision of strategically coaching financial professionals to help them grow their businesses. This entrepreneurial spirit prompted Ron to create Auxani Advisors, which now serves those advisors looking for the next generation of retirement products and concepts to meet their clients’ needs.
Ron’s passion for coaching has taken him all over the country conducting workshops, trainings, and seminars to share his knowledge with a variety of financial advisors and firms. To learn more about Ron, connect with him on LinkedIn.