The biggest challenge when you’re considering any trend, even those in marketing, is predicting which ones will really pay off and which ones are fads. The same goes for trends in the financial advisory space. By tapping into a useful marketing trend, you can get an edge over your competitors and open the door to new strategies for growing your business, brand, and reputation.
But how will you know which strategy is going to eventually fall flat?
I’ve tried to solve that problem by filtering and winnowing down five of the top trends I believe are worth the investment. I’ve tried to filter out those trends that will eventually turn out to be transitory and find those whose use speaks to broader long-lasting trends in financial advice. Let’s jump in with a few things you can do that I believe will help.
1. Implement a ‘Zero-Click’ Social Strategy
When the content on your page gives the reader good information, so good they stay on it without linking out, we call that “zero-click” content. For example, instead of posting a link on X or Facebook that says, “Check out our latest blog,” you could write a post that summarized the blog’s key points—an executive summary, perhaps—and then add the link to your website for those who want to read more.
This trend arose largely because of the algorithms on many of the most popular social media channels. These platforms want to prioritize the content that keeps people on their sites. Obviously, that way they can benefit from advertising and user engagement. It’s fundamental to their business, meaning this way of doing business is likely to continue.
You might be wondering when developing your own content: Isn’t the goal to drive traffic to my website, where I have more control over the content and can capture leads, instead of to some other social media site? Yes, your own website’s traffic remains important, but if you put zero-click content on the social media platforms as well, it can be a powerful tool in your media strategy. Here’s why:
- You get increased visibility: By creating valuable content directly on social media platforms, you increase the chances of your content being seen by a wider audience. The platform’s algorithm is more likely to promote your post if it keeps users engaged, expanding your reach beyond your existing followers.
- You capture attention: Let’s face it, attention spans are short online. Your zero-click content offers users valuable, bite-sized information that grabs their attention and keeps them engaged on the platform. The concise format can pique their interest and encourage them to learn more, leading them to click through to your website for a deeper dive.
- You build trust and credibility: By consistently providing valuable content directly on social media, you establish yourself as a thought leader and build trust with your audience. They’ll see you as a reliable source of information, which makes them more likely to engage with your future posts and ultimately visit your website for a more comprehensive understanding of your services.
Think of zero-click content as the “appetizer” whetting your audience’s appetite for the main course—the in-depth content on your website. By providing valuable information directly on social media, you will ultimately drive qualified traffic back to your own site, even if it’s not through a direct link in every post.
2. Make Use Of AI
This is also where AI can step in as a powerful ally. If you need help summarizing your larger social media posts, consider using artificial intelligence programs to speed up the process. It can be time-consuming to create engaging social media content, especially if you’re constantly having to craft summaries of your longer-form website content. AI can help with that. The technology has recently made significant strides, particularly in its ability to process and understand human language. This can mean exciting possibilities for advisors who want to generate ideas, create new content and summarize it—and in their own brand voice.
Imagine having an AI assistant that can help you brainstorm post concepts, extract key takeaways from your website articles, and even craft concise summaries for your social media platforms.
By using this technology to streamline your content creation, you can better focus on your higher-level strategy and tailor the AI-generated content to resonate with your specific audience.
If you’re feeling stuck for blog post inspiration, AI can help. You’ll want to start by describing your target audience and desired content themes to an AI writing assistant. It can then generate a list of potential blog post topics and even suggest outlines to get you started. This will jump-start your creative process and ensure you’re addressing topics relevant to your audience. Among the tools you can use are Claude AI, ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Perplexity, Writesonic, Copy Shark and Grammarly’s AI.
3. Consider Making Short-Form Videos
Short-form video has exploded in popularity thanks to platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. People like to watch short clips for work or fun, and even some advisors are starting to use such videos for talking to clients and prospects.
I find these videos highly effective when you include them in other forms of content—putting them on your website, for instance, or sharing them on social media posts, attaching them to emails or embedding them in blogs. They enhance the content and can be used to further promote it.
You might also turn to short-term video platforms, depending on the audience. For example, if you host a podcast and upload it to YouTube, you could cut parts of it into snippets to repurpose as shorts to promote the original podcast.
4. Getting Referrals From Other Professionals
Many of you already get referrals from professionals in other industries, such as attorneys and accountants and other people with influence (also referred to as “centers of influence.”) But few advisors have a formal strategy they use to consistently grow their network of these professionals, count the number of referrals they’re getting and measure success.
By marketing to these individuals, you can build mutually beneficial relationships that involve cross-promoting each other’s services. Here are a few ways you can connect:
- Build a list of target professionals in your CRM: First is outlining whom you want to target. Many advisors think of estate attorneys and CPAs and stop there. But they should go beyond these traditional sources and include people like business succession planning consultants who work with established businesses, private college admissions coaches, high-end real estate agents, executive business coaches and other people who are very connected in their communities.
- Build relationships, not transactions: You’ll want to build genuine relationships with these other professionals and offer them a value beyond just referrals. Consider co-hosting educational workshops with them, providing guest articles for their newsletters, or simply connecting them with other professionals in your network.
- Share content: You’ll stay on people’s minds when you share valuable content with them, items that are relevant to their clients. You could share market updates, for instance, or financial planning tips or insights on new tax laws. Regular communication with influential professionals demonstrates your expertise and keeps you at the forefront when a referral opportunity arises.
- Refer to them: The best way to open the door and build a relationship with other professionals is to ask to speak with them about a client of yours who may need their services.
- Include other professionals as webinar guests: Invite them to your webinar—and ask them to invite their contacts. This will allow both you and your guest to cross-promote your services to your audiences.
- Track and measure: Don’t operate in the dark! Develop a system to track your interactions and referral metrics. This will help you identify which relationships are most fruitful and allow you to tailor your outreach strategies for maximum impact.
5. Start Hosting Webinars
Webinars are one of the best ways to convert prospects into clients. However, only about 23% of advisors use them.
A webinar can cover your audience’s interests in an engaging format. And because it’s a virtual medium, it’s incredibly cost-effective.
As you plan your webinar, focus on topics that your audience is most interested in learning more about. Consider the other professional referral sources and whether you may want additional guest speakers. Guests can make it easier to plan your webinar agenda and reduce the pressure of presenting.
After that, you’ll want to promote the webinar. Email is the best way to acquire registrants. I recommend sending three emails—one a week before the event, one the day before, and one an hour before. Don’t forget to also use social media to promote the presentation. You can do this by tagging any guests, encouraging clients to share the event with others, and focusing on the benefits of joining. A guest from another field will also promote to their own clients and prospects, opening the door for new leads and contacts not currently in your pipeline.
You’ll want to do a practice run before the event to make sure everyone is prepared and make sure to engage the audience in a Q&A when appropriate.
After the webinar, you’ll want to follow up, sending a thank-you email to all attendees and anybody else who has passed along the replay. You’ll want to prompt attendees to book meetings with you to discuss their unique situations. Post a replay (with a nice summary for zero-click content) on your social media platforms, and email the replay to other professionals if appropriate to demonstrate your thought leadership.
Remember, webinars don’t have to have lots of production—such as lots of slides requiring tons or research and design work. Many of the best presentations are just two or three individuals talking about a highly relevant topic, using a few key slides that summarize the points they are making. A “fireside chat” or Q&A format can work very well. In addition, you’ll want to think beyond financial topics. Your target audience is more interested in those that relate to their challenges and insecurities. They’re worried about things like identity theft and college planning and admissions (an admissions coach who helps kids apply to the top schools would get a big turnout). Any topics that combine finance with human interest are a great place to start.
Be Consistent
Marketing trends will come and go. They change year after year. What’s essential is to understand which ones will work for you and to not just try them out for a few months. Consistency is the key to long-term success. Which approach are you going to try?
