The financial services sector in the USA has long been plagued by a lack of trust, and it seems 2018 has been no different. In fact, this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer reported that general consumer trust levels in the United States had suffered ‘the largest ever recorded drop in the survey’s history’ with governments, the media and businesses all taking a significant hit.
Given this backdrop, rebuilding consumer trust has become a crucial KPI for thousands of financial services marketers. Content marketing has, in fact, been proven as an effective remedy. In a report by Contently, 47% of millennials indicated they’d be more likely to trust a financial services company if it created useful content.
To find inspiration, we took a look at three US finance brands leveraging quality content to build trust and strengthen consumer relationships.
47% of millennials indicated they’d be more likely to trust a financial services company if it created useful content.
Finance content marketing example one – Fidelity Investments – The Future According to Now Podcast
Teaming up with agency The Atlantic, Fidelity created a brand-new podcast designed to investigate the latest in technological innovation.
The short episodes cover themes including automated vehicles, alternatives to plastic and breakthroughs in biotechnology. Not only do they provide a helpful briefing to modern consumers, but they build a future-forward, innovative and knowledgeable brand image for Fidelity. Positioning the business as inquisitive, intelligent and ahead-of-the-curve builds consumer trust in Fidelity’s ability to meet their future requirements.
Finance content marketing example two – Bloomberg’s Diversity and Inclusion Blog
As trust in financial institutions diminishes, many are choosing to highlight the human side of their work, using content to demonstrate how they live and breathe their values.
Initially built to support the firm’s employer brand, Bloomberg’s Diversity Blog is a great example of how content can be used to attract a diverse range of employees. A rich selection of blogs, with input from relevant experts and spokespeople, demonstrates that the business’ core, human values are supported through action, not just written in the business strategy.
Finance content marketing example three – Western Union – Currency at a Crossroads
Western Union’s Currency at a Crossroads is so much more than a feature story. Following the theme of the future of money, the microsite uses slick web techniques to guide the reader through a series of articles, quizzes, interactive infographics and photographs. It is a fantastic example of thought leadership, leveraging multiple content types to produce a highly professional web page.
By creating such a rich and compelling resource, Western Union looks to position itself as a thought leader and trusted advisor at the forefront of the future of money. By creating useful pieces of content, the business is genuinely adding value to its customers, increasing positive sentiment towards the brand.
Image: Western Union
