Content: How Asset Managers Can Use It to Attract RIAs

Combining a short-term and evergreen approach proves successful

As we discussed in our first post of this four-part series, the digital wholesaling model is proving to be a remarkably effective way for asset managers to reach registered investment advisors at a time when so many health and safety restrictions remain and prohibit in-office meetings. We also spoke about the important role that quality content plays, and how it is vital for asset managers to have a keen understanding of their target buyer personas so that the content they offer is relevant and necessary.

But, for the digital wholesaling model to operate at its optimum level, the Inbound methodology on which it relies demands that content be strategically crafted to address both the short-term, urgent needs of RIAs searching for information, as well as longer lasting thought leadership they often count on. Let’s take a closer look at each type.

Short-term content—creating a sense of urgency 

Short-term content refers to blog and social media posts that have immediacy. This typically means that the premise of the content hinges on a current trend or event that may lose its relevance after a time. It also means that the content will be superseded by newer content. It is a steady and reliable stream of information that demonstrates your asset management firm’s relevancy in current issues. 

The important attribute about this type of content is to keep it educational—never promotional.

Educational content is more beneficial for RIAs and is also easier to create from a compliance perspective.

• Blogging: blogs are comprised of short-term posts. Many blog posts tie topics to current events, like how changes in the economy impact certain industries or investment opportunities. Blogging often gets a bad reputation, since everyone with a computer can share their own thoughts. But blogging can be incredibly useful—when done right.

Companies with blogs get 97% more inbound inquiries than companies without.

• To sidestep the potential stigma of a “blog”, some asset managers have started to title this section of their website “News Articles”, “Firm Perspectives”, or “Insights”. Whatever approach you decide to take, consistent and insightful posts will effectively establish your company’s thought leadership with RIAs.
• The beauty of blogs is that they get indexed by search engines, making them even easier for your target RIAs to find you. A well-crafted blog SEO (search engine optimization) strategy can boost your search rankings on key phrases.
• Social media: Social media posts—whether on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or others—are short-lived by nature. Not only are they brief in length, they too exist in a constant stream of content that is periodically replaced. That is to say, today’s Twitter feed will be vastly different from tomorrow’s. By participating in social media, you place your asset management firm where your ideal RIAs search for information.
• Social media posts also get indexed by search engines. Within the RIA channel, LinkedIn provides the greatest opportunity for B2B connection. Like blogs, LinkedIn posts will appear in a Google search. But note, each search engine has its own unique algorithm for prioritizing social media platforms.

Short-term content should be posted at least twice a month. Ideally, you want to aim for weekly or even more frequently. Search engines reward active posters that share new content. You can also repurpose your short-term content across platforms. So, the blog post that resides on your website can also be done as a post on LinkedIn. You can link to your blog post with Facebook posts and tweets. So, you need not reinvent the wheel with every platform. 

Evergreen content – information with a longer shelf life

One of the best examples of evergreen content is what resides on your web pages. Many asset managers do not recognize the importance of their website as the epicenter of a digital wholesaling strategy to reach RIAs. The reality is your website is one your hardest working Inbound tools that is always on, always prospecting.

• Web pages:  the content on your website may stay for months or years and can be  updated as needed. Dynamic web pages consist not only of strong text content, but also include beautiful designs, images, and videos. When organized in a user-friendly way, your website pages allow prospective RIAs to easily digest your asset management firm’s strategies and offerings. For example, your firm’s investment philosophy would be considered evergreen content. The bios for each principal or portfolio manager are also often evergreen content, changing very little from year to year. In fact, the “Investment Philosophy” and “Our Team” pages are often the most read on asset manager websites.

So, by combining optimized content that is designed to address the needs of your buyer personas, with a strategy that consistently shares both short-term and evergreen content across you digital channels, you are much better positioned to attract the interest of the RIAs you are most interested in having as customers. A steady flow of informative, helpful content can position your asset management firm ahead of the pack. Whether text, video, or graphics-based, content that solves advisors’ concerns will produce stronger results than promotional-oriented (i.e., traditional outbound) marketing.

Once an advisor has read your content, then what? Inbound methodology clearly defines the steps you will take to keep advisors engaged and moving along their journey of discovery.  That journey includes several key components including CTAs (calls to action), landing pages and gated content, which we will discuss in more detail in our next post. Remember, now that you have attracted their attention, you will need to show them what they should do next. Don’t just let them slip away. Advisors will not click through every time they see your CTA, but after a while – after you have proven you are a reliable and valuable source of information—they will want a deeper connection. This is where you begin converting those leads that you have generated.

If you’re interested in learning more about digital wholesaling and why some asset managers are having such great success with it, check out our resources here.