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Consumer behavior is evolving rapidly; we’re really all millennials now. We have high expectations of companies we patronize, we want personalized experiences, demand mobile-friendly technology, and we consume information quickly – lots of information. It’s not surprising that 88% of consumers first go online to conduct their own research prior to opening a bank account (CA Web Stress Index).
Given the insatiable demand for useful information that we all have, especially in matters related to finance, blogs are a powerful asset that should be a foundation of any bank digital marketing strategy. Here are 5 reasons your financial institution should prioritize content marketing in 2022 and beyond:
If you look at most bank websites, you’ll likely find an “About Us” section with a mission statement that goes something like this, “Our bank empowers people, businesses, and communities to better their financial well-being.” You surely are doing this already through a combination of charitable donations, event sponsorship, educational events, and more. These activities certainly have value, but they also have limited reach. By leveraging the expertise of your employees, you can create educational content that can reach anyone, anywhere, anytime. Consider your customers’ needs when writing blog content – try to make your bank a resource that answers their questions and assists their research into banking and lending solutions. By doing this you are not only fulfilling your bank’s mission statement, but you are also demonstrating credibility and authority with potential customers.
Once upon a time, the buyer journey for consumers and businesses was fairly linear. Today, the buyer’s journey is more akin to a spider web of micro-moments. In fact, Google recently conducted a study of customer journeys and found that no two journeys were exactly the same. Regardless of the path they take, your bank can be present throughout a prospect’s journey by creating useful content that addresses the concerns they have as they have them. With nearly everyone researching online prior to making a purchase decision, you can be sure that your customers and prospects are also searching online for financial answers. Wouldn’t you prefer they find answers on your website, and not from a competitor?
If you asked your customers where they go online for financial advice, news, and inspiration, would your website make the list? Sure, most people would prefer to see cats in their Facebook feed than Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, but where do they look when they have financial questions? When they are curious about down payment assistance programs, want to find local resources for starting a business, or need help creating a trust? Blog content can be created to educate and empower your customers financially, which helps build loyalty with customers. 79% of people think of their banks only as transactional entities, so differentiate by providing them with more than just free checks!
