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A recent study suggested that content marketing has become ubiquitous in fintech marketing; however, there may be one marker that determines overall success: authenticity. To better understand what this means, let’s look at exactly how fintechs are using content marketing:
- Almost all (99%) of the fintechs in the study had an active social media presence: LinkedIn (98%), Twitter (90%), Instagram (64%).
- The bulk of content revolves around insights and commentary (88%) and videos (86%).
- Almost half (45%) have produced podcasts or webinars over the past 12 months.
Fintechs are in it to win it when it comes to creating content, but creating good content that resonates with your target audience is an entirely different objective. Fintechs, in general, often struggle with creating readable (read: sans jargon), educational (aka not sales-y) content, and getting that content in front of the right people (choosing the right distribution channels). There’s one other ingredient that many are missing: authenticity in fintech marketing.
What is Authenticity in Fintech Marketing and Why Should I Care?
We’ve talked before about the importance of building trust and credibility with your buyers, especially for fintechs. What some might not understand is that trust and credibility is not something borne of fancy marketing campaigns — it’s earned. It means providing value before a sale is made and fostering a genuine connection with your audience.
Your audience is busy and distracted. People are constantly inundated with marketing and advertising…in addition to things they actually choose to pay attention to. No one is interested in adding one more “shouting voice” to the mix, especially when it comes across as inauthentic.
Your audience is smart. Buyers have well-honed BS detectors and will slice through your sophisticated marketing tactics like a sharp knife through warm butter. Your audience is more discerning than ever and will be highly sensitive to even the slightest bit of exaggeration or deception.
Your audience is attracted to organizations with a purpose. People (especially younger generations) are looking for brands that have values and stick to them. They are enticed by organizations that seem to have a purpose, especially if it’s a purpose they share. Even if you’re a B2B fintech, remember that you’re still connecting with other people responsible for making decisions in their organization, and those people want to feel connected to what you stand for.
I’m Convinced. How Can I Be Authentic in Fintech Marketing?
Adding authenticity in fintech marketing is an involved endeavor. You can’t simply sprinkle authenticity on all of the content you create and call it a day. It’s an inside job. It requires some digging into your organization and even changing some of the fundamental ways you do business. Here are some ways to gradually infuse authenticity into everything your organization does.
Focus on Purpose and Values
Since your prospective buyers are looking to connect with organizations that have similar values, the first step should be to identify what your business values are and how they align with your purpose. Why do you do what you do?
This is where storytelling can come in handy. Tell people, in an honest, genuine way, what your business does and why. This is a quick win in terms of fostering that connection with your audience and showing who you really are. It’s crucial to be a little bit vulnerable in telling this story and really show your hand. Even an ounce of “faking it” will be sniffed out by prospects, so it’s important to be truly honest.
Promote Transparency
People trust companies that allow them to peer behind the scenes to see how things get done. There are several different ways to be transparent as a fintech brand. To start, let people get to know the people behind operations. People connect with other people, so introducing your team as real people (you know, ones that have hobbies and senses of humor and funny stories) can be a great way to help people connect with your company and culture.
Let people see how your organization runs. It can be as simple as a “day in the life” story of one of your team members or from the perspective of an intern. Letting people see “how the sausage is made” can give them peace of mind that your organization is above board and functions well as a whole.
Keep it Real
If you find yourself adding a coat of sugar to everything you create, take pause. While some marketing content should certainly position your company as polished and professional, over-polished can be overkill if it happens in everything you do. Injecting authenticity in fintech marketing means being a little vulnerable and a lot relatable. Perfection is hardly relatable, so sometimes it can be good to give it a rest and let people see the real you.
One way to do this is to be open and honest about losses, mistakes, and hardships that your company experiences. Of course, you can control the narrative and how those are presented, but allowing some vulnerability to show can create a sense that you’re bringing your audience along with you on this journey and allowing them to see every part of it, good and bad. When companies keep it real in this way, they have a much easier time building trust and credibility, even though it may seem counterintuitive. People trust brands that tell the truth, and sometimes, the truth is messy.
The decision-makers you’re trying to reach are people just like you and me. Connecting with them will require sincerity and authenticity in fintech marketing. In this day and age, it’s table stakes to do business in a world where discerning people are getting picky about with whom they do business.
