Establishing a digital footprint for your financial advisory firm becomes crucial as more investors use the Internet to find, research, and contact financial advisors. Lack of an online presence can mean missed opportunities with investors who could become clients. Many successful RIAs have created a financial advisor YouTube channel to boost their online visibility and credibility.
Think about it – with over 2 billion monthly logins, YouTube offers an incredible opportunity to connect with potential clients and position your brand as an authoritative thought leader in financial services. However, tapping into YouTube’s potential requires a well-planned, strategically executed approach.
As a digital marketing agency specializing in independent RIAs and IARs, the following is a step-by-step guide for developing and executing a winning RIA YouTube strategy for your financial advisory firm.
Understanding your audience
Before you kickstart your YouTube strategy, it's essential to know who your audience is. We like to call this persona-based marketing. Your video content should be tailored to your target demographic so you’re addressing their pain points, concerns, and financial aspirations.
For example, if your target market is baby boomers, you do not produce content that applies to millennials.
For a financial advisory firm, this could range from young adults seeking investment advice and retirees planning their estates to small business owners looking for financial management tips. Once you understand your personas' needs, preferences, and behavior, you can craft content that resonates with them.
Read our Quick Guide, “Guide to Video Marketing for Financial Advisors.”
How to Create Engaging Financial Advisor Videos on Youtube
You’ve heard the saying, “content is king.” To create engagements on YouTube, your content should be informational, problem-solving, and engaging enough to attract and retain your audience.
Ideally, you can break down complex financial concepts into easy-to-understand language, use visual aids where necessary, and ensure the information is accurate and current.
Engaging viewers on YouTube or any video platform requires a balance of several disciplines. It's not just about having good content but also about delivering it in a way that engages your viewers and encourages them to follow your future videos. A lack of engagement is a surefire way to lose viewers and not miss the opportunity to build a list of followers.
Here are some strategies to use when creating your financial advisor videos:
- Your voice modulation can have a big impact on the viewer's engagement. Your voice should be clear and easily understandable. Avoid monotone delivery; there’s nothing worse than watching a boring video!
Instead, try changing the pitch and tone of your voice to emphasize key points and make the narration more interesting. Try to speak naturally and expressively, as if you were talking to someone in person.
- Make your videos more entertaining and memorable. While dealing with people’s money is a serious topic, you can inject humor into your delivery to increase your engagement with viewers. Remember that humor shouldn’t be forced. It should come naturally and fit within the context of your video content.
- Make sure your content is accurate and well-researched. Your viewers will trust you more if they know you're a reliable source of high-quality information. However, you need to balance this with an engaging presentation. Consider delivering your facts in a story-telling format or using visuals to help viewers better understand and retain the information you are presenting.
- Don’t be shy to ask viewers to like, comment, share, or subscribe at the appropriate times in your video. Inviting viewers to comment or ask questions can stimulate interaction. This not only improves engagement but also provides you with valuable feedback and ideas for future content.
- Be sure to include easy-to-understand graphics, animations, and other visual aids that can help illustrate points, provide context, or make your video more engaging. Use them strategically to enhance, not detract from, your content. Be sure to use modern graphics. No one wants to look at outdated graphics.
- Keep the pace of your videos moving. At the same time, it needs to be slow enough so that viewers can follow along but not so slow that it's boring. Editing can be used to keep the pace engaging and dynamic.
- Personalize your content. When filming your videos, address your viewers directly, share personal stories or experiences (where relevant), and show your personality. This helps build a connection with your viewers, making them more engaged and likely to contact you - if they like what they see and hear.
- Invest in good-quality audio and video. This makes your videos look and sound better and shows that you take your platform seriously, which can encourage viewers to engage even more.
Remember, what works for one channel or one type of content may not work for another. It's important to experiment, gather feedback, and adapt your approach based on what works best for you and your audience.
What Type of Videos Should You Create?
Popular formats for financial content include how-to guides, explainer videos, market updates, and case studies. Ensure your videos are not overly promotional but focus on providing exceptional value for your viewers.
Here are some content ideas for a financial advisory firm:
- Create videos that educate your audience about personal finance, investments, taxes, estate planning, etc. Breaking complex financial concepts into easy-to-understand content can help build trust and credibility.
- Showcase real-life examples or “case studies” of how your firm has helped clients pursue their financial goals. It offers prospective clients a glimpse of what they can expect, fostering confidence in your services.
- Another type of video you can create is collaborating with other industry experts or influencers to bring a diverse perspective. Also, interviews with satisfied clients can make for compelling testimonials if your compliance department allows it.
- Think about the pain points that are experienced by your ideal types of clients. A high percentage of investors are seeking solutions for their problems. Why shouldn’t you be the solution to the problem?
Optimizing Your Videos for SEO
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. Therefore, optimizing your videos for search can significantly increase your visibility. Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags. Creating compelling thumbnails and transcribing your videos can also improve searchability.
Developing a Consistent Posting Schedule
Consistency is key on YouTube. It helps build an engaged community and signals to YouTube's algorithm that your channel is active, which can boost your visibility. Develop a content calendar to organize and schedule your videos.
Aim for at least one video per week to maintain consistency.
Typically, the more relevant content you create, the more opportunities you have to increase your online presence.
Promoting Your Financial Advisor Videos
Your YouTube strategy should continue beyond content creation and publication. Promote your videos on other social media platforms, your website, newsletters, and more. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, asking for feedback, and encouraging them to share your content.
You can also embed videos into blogs to boost your SEO exposure for keywords important for your firm to rank for. You can also create a “vlog” that resides on your website. This is where you can embed your video and include a video transcription on the web page.
Analyzing Your Video Performance
Regularly tracking and analyzing your YouTube analytics can provide valuable insights into what's working and what isn't. Monitor metrics like watch time, viewer retention, likes, shares, and subscriber growth. These can help you refine your strategy and continually optimize your content.
Maintaining Compliance
Compliance with regulatory bodies like the SEC or FINRA is crucial for a financial advisory firm. Ensure that all your content aligns with relevant regulations and guidelines. For instance, avoid guaranteeing investment performance or endorsing specific products without proper disclaimers.
Building a brand
Last but not least, your YouTube channel should reflect your brand. Ensure your channel art, logo, video style, and tone align with your brand identity. A strong, recognizable brand can help you stand out from the crowd.
About Paladin Digital Marketing
Since 2003, the Paladin Digital Marketing team has provided specialized digital marketing services to independent RIAs and IARs. Our team has over 100 years of combined financial services and digital marketing experience, so we understand your business.
We invite you to connect with us to learn more about our financial advisor video services.
Happy YouTubing!
