The content needs of the modern investor aren’t markedly different to clients of the past. Today’s investors are still looking to asset management content for economic and market analysis and deep investment insights, but how they seek out information, the speed they expect it and the format in which they consume it has changed dramatically.
With many asset managers failing to keep pace with this change, instead taking the common approach of sporadically producing lengthy, dry and static PDF reports, The Dubs executive creative director Tristan Fawley offers direction to help asset managers adapt and lift their content to meet the needs of the modern investor, and in turn, build a relationship ongoing. “Adopting a continuous publishing mindset, and adapting to deliver research and thought leadership in modern formats for consumption on mobile devices and through social media is key to meeting investor needs,” he says.
Despite a report by PwC revealing only one in ten wealth managers are using social media to communicate, market and distribute to investors, two-thirds of these clients are using social media platforms daily – a sizeable need-gap to be filled.
How to optimise and make your asset management content more engaging
For most asset managers the required shift isn’t in the quality of research or insights shared, but rather in how content is packaged and consistently delivered to clients. To appeal to the modern investor, asset managers need to be striving for a digital-first and always-on content program, fuelled by the wealth of information that already exists within the business.
As Fawley explains, asset managers aren’t short on content. “It comes down to optimising what has already been created and aligning it to a publishing and distribution strategy across different geographies, languages and investor types.”
“ It comes down to optimising what has already been created and aligning it to a publishing and distribution strategy across different geographies, languages and investor types.”
So what exactly do we mean by optimising content? We’re talking about changes that will make the content a more engaging read by adopting many of the common practices you see in editorial content. Think creative headlines that capture attention and also allow for impactful images that will differentiate your content, or pull quotes that draw your eye through an article – all relatively simple changes that can have a huge impact. Blending content formats such as infographics, podcasts, video and long-form editorial also creates variety for your audience and a means of approaching one piece of blockbuster content from multiple angles. “Different audiences like to engage with different types of content so accommodating this gives you increased opportunities to connect and ultimately extend your reach and engagement,” Fawley adds.
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From optimisation to always-on
The benefits of a consistent always-on content and social distribution strategy are ten-fold, but at its core, “consistency is key to building a deep, long-term relationship with investors,” says Fawley.
With one of the key tenets of effective content marketing being to put your audience’s interests first, the sporadic publishing of content is at loggerheads with best-practice, driven by the needs of the business rather than those of the modern investor.
With 63% of institutional investors using social media as their key research source, the modern investor expects credible asset managers to have a consistent presence on social platforms. In fact, 68% of investors use social media to research asset managers, with 20% indicating the quality of research and content informs their decision to hire.
Not just a case of repackaging your content and the job’s done, asset managers must commit to a continuous publishing and distribution program if they want to address the needs of the modern investor and grow at scale.
“Building a systematic and continuous publishing program of insightful content, delivered through platforms like social media will build real scale over time,” says Fawley. “With the right focus and scale, social media can become the primary platform for communication between asset managers and investors and a way to build deep relationships from prospects to long-term investors.”
