Financial services and a flourishing digital presence may not be naturally synonymous – though this may be just the kind of forward-thinking you need to push your business to a new level. If you think about it, it only makes sense: a business that is dependent on image, reputation and customer feedback has to do well with an appealing online presence. However, you need to go beyond having a decent website to stand out from the rest in the modern marketplace — which means localizing, utilizing social media, measuring performance, and much more. It’s time to think digital presence strategy.
Get From the Click to the Front Door – Faster
Googling your financial services will most likely be one of the client’s first points of engagement — so why not start there? Make sure that your website, social media platforms and advertisements are aligned with your business objectives. Invest in looking good and being functional. Ensuring that you’re listed as a business on relevant platforms, as well as being mobile-friendly, is a good idea, too.
Your digital presence is the face of the brand, which also means it may be the first reason a customer finds interest in or turns away from your business. There are several things you can do to make a lasting impression. Become a face of authority in your the financial industry by delivering useful content for the customer on your website; promote your good reputation through customer testimonials and reviews; and, add more value to your service by building a relationship with your customer by making a connection and answering questions as they come (think chatbot technology).
Gain the Trust of the Modern Consumer
How do you earn the trust of a skeptical 21st century consumer? When you’re dealing with people’s money, that trust is even harder to obtain. The key here is through consistency, whether it’s online or offline. That’s why your business must not only be searchable on the web, but have the same voice, appearance (fonts, colors, images, etc) and overall message across all boards — whether it’s on LinkedIn, highway billboard or the company slogan on your office door.
The more clearly you tell customers what to expect from the service experience, the more likely they will feel comfortable going into an offline interaction. Keep in mind that complying with the format of a specific social media or outreach method does not mean your company’s message has to change. Don’t betray your customer’s trust. Each platform is a new hat for your business – the face underneath should always remain the same.
Invite the Locals for More Business
Throwing a general service offer into the void of the web and hoping for the best is a thing of the past. In fact, targeting is a modern marketing trend that will not go away. Local targeting in particular, through tools like Google Ads or Facebook Ads, will help your clients find you easier. The web ranking systems prioritize local services over-generalized offerings — and your customers are more likely to search for services near where they live or work. Whether you’re a partner in a small group or an international service with hundreds of locations, some local customers want exactly what your business has to offer. Don’t deprive your community of your services!
Measure Performance, ROI & Continually Reap the Benefits
Are you getting your money’s worth from your digital marketing efforts? There is only one way to find out. Don’t invest in building a digital presence for your company blind – it’s time to invest in a digital marketing advisor tool. You will want to look into factors such as conversion rates, cost per lead, lead close rate, cost per acquisition and many more to measure the performance of your digital marketing efforts. Confused by these terms? There are platforms out there to help businesses in the finance industry — like Veriday — and help you track where your money and efforts go.
Find what works and what doesn’t in your digital presence efforts. Rinse and repeat. The value of a strong digital presence is not going out of trend any time soon.
