Top 3 Most Engaging Content Topics for Finance Brands
Engaging content is the name of the game these days. Discovering what resonates with readers, then communicating it in a way that’s genuine often makes the difference between a potential customer merely viewing your content and them becoming a customer. That’s why we write stories instead of copy. Stories connect us.
Consider this: on average, it takes 5 to 7 impressions for people to remember your brand. But an engaging story is something people remember after the first read. Even if it’s not a story’s every detail, readers remember the takeaway. The more engaging the story, the more a reader takes away.
So, how do you come up with engaging content ideas? If you’re imagining a Mad Men scenario with a bunch of people spit-balling ideas in a smoke-filled office, you’re not far off. Working on thought-starters is where engaging stories begin – minus the smokey office.
Thought Starters for Financial Businesses
For financial businesses, the challenge of engagement is a numbers game, but not in the way one would expect. The balance of someone’s bank account or 401k is generally only of interest to that individual person. Unlike other industries where the challenge is to take a general principle and make it specifically relatable to the individual, stories for the finance sector must generalize the specific in a way that captures the largest possible amount of interest.
This is good news, for two reasons. First, people are concerned about their finances. It’s an evergreen subject that potential customers easily relate to. Second, it changes the calculus of developing thought starters. For the financial industry, a solid thought starter that will generate quality engagement is the one that connects the current moment to a person’s finances.
1. Solutions + Relevance = Engagement
An obvious example of this is inflation. In the summer of 2022, inflation stories – regardless of your institution’s intersection with the topic – are almost guaranteed to engage. The challenge becomes connecting what you’re brands solutions or services to the topic. So, a good place to begin for thought starters for financial businesses would be to ask yourself, as a financial institution, where are some of the logical intersections between your business and a timely topic.
2. What sets you apart?
Besides combing the headlines for inspiration, thought starts for the financial industry should focus on wide-ranging topics – like refinancing a mortgage or choosing a brokerage company – and find differentiators unique to your business that relate. For example: why having a personal finance advisor is important if you’re planning on refi-ing your home. Sell your differentiators and lead people to understand how you can help them solve their problems and reach their goals.
3. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
At the end of the day, stories for financial businesses should avoid being bogged down by the numbers themselves. A number is powerful; use statistics sparingly to seal the engagement then pair with a strong Call to Action. Engaging content through storytelling will ensure that readers understand what you need them to know. Being able to simplify complex financial topics, allows readers to trust because you are meeting them at a level where they can easily understand what is being presented.
Overall, finance topics can be the most valuable, yet the most difficult to understand if readers are given content that they can't quite relate to or easily digest. Understanding these foundational points will help your brand ensure your story is being told and making the most impact possible.