 t FMI's recent Social Media for Business workshop, DigitLab CEO, Mike Saunders, highlighted the importance of social media for business and why financial advisers need to establish a strong presence on these platforms. |
Tips for growing your business using social media
As a financial adviser, building and protecting your personal brand equity is vital to the success of your business. Social media is a way to enhance your personal brand, and shouldn't simply be seen as a disruption.
The use of social media as part of a digital marketing strategy for business has increased significantly. With nearly half of the world's population spending time on a social media platform every day, it makes sense to capitalise on at least one of these platforms to grow your business.
Where to post and what to share
The success of B2B marketing is primarily based on knowledge-sharing and client relationships. The following channels are best suited to achieving this:
LinkedIn
Seen as a business-focused networking platform, LinkedIn attracts forward-thinking professionals. Other than showcasing their businesses and achievements, users also share insights about industry trends. With beneficial features such as the "recommendations" you receive from satisfied customers and clients, your business earns credibility, which can generate more leads and sales.
Facebook
Facebook for Business gives you access to a wide audience to which you are able to showcase your value proposition in a creative way using text, visuals and videos. Facebook advertising is a valuable sales tool for brand awareness and reaching targeted clients to generate sales leads. Services and products sold by financial advisers are emotive in nature, so authenticity and honesty are vital to a successful social media strategy. Once you have established an online presence, consistent engagement and prompt response times will separate you from the competition.
Website/blogs
According to research conducted by CGI, more than 55% of consumers look for financial experts and wealth-building tips online. |
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As a financial adviser, providing your community with relevant financial and product-related information is key. Use a blog to share industry and personal insights which can then be shared on other social platforms. Positioning yourself as a thought leader in your industry enhances your credibility.
Twitter
While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, Twitter is one of the most popular platforms for sharing up-to-date information. In addition, it's a powerful engagement tool for brand awareness.
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| IT IS CRITICAL TO KEEP UP WITH EVOLVING CONTENT TRENDS. A HEALTHY MIX OF CONTENT WILL ENGAGE YOUR USERS AND ENCOURAGE SHARING WITHIN YOUR CURRENT COMMUNITY TO GROW YOUR REACH. |
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In recent years, video content has surpassed both text-based and image/visual content. According to the American Marketing Association, video content will be the driving factor behind 85% of search traffic in 2019.
Not to be ignored is the growing community of podcast listeners. A 2017 Podcast Consumer report by Edison Research showed that 24% of people aged between 18 and 54 listen to podcasts monthly, and that these listeners tend to be affluent, educated consumers.
FMI knows that online/digital marketing opens up a world of benefits and, unlike traditional marketing, is very cost-effective. Not only do you get access to a wide and varied network, you also receive valuable insight into a potential market through the analytic tools and filtered search results provided by each platform. Employing strategic advertising tactics will provide unique opportunities to present your products and services to the right audience to make sure you get the best return on your advertising spend. |
