ENGAGE WITH VIDEO

In 2023, video is king when it comes to social media content. And, for financial advisors, video can be a crucial tool in your marketing toolkit, helping you attract new clients, build thought leadership and trust, and keep existing clients educated about a fast-changing landscape. But with so many platforms and options to leverage video, just thinking about where to start can be overwhelming. Here are tips and tricks for integrating video into your social media and marketing strategies.

VIDEO CATERS TO CLIENTS WHO PREFER TO WATCH, NOT READ

As a former journalist, my preferred communication method is the written word, which is why I love contributing articles about estate planning to publications across Canada. But not everyone wants to read an 800-word article. As our attention spans get shorter, sometimes digesting a two-minute video is preferable. The key is to give clients choice. Maybe you have email newsletters and blog posts, complemented by a video summary embedded in both places. It’s not about choosing one lane or the other. For example, personal finance expert Jessica Moorhouse has a YouTube channel with more than 18,000 subscribers where she shares bite-sized videos on investing and estate planning — but she also has a blog where you can read articles if that’s your preference.

Choose A Medium That Matches Your Personal Style

I love following personal finance experts like Alyssa Davies (@mixedupmoney) on TikTok because she really gets that channel and the type of content that does well there — engaging, casual, and current. If you’ve never opened the TikTok app, then don’t force yourself to create content for a channel you’re not comfortable with and an audience you may not resonate with. Focus on developing video content for channels you already spend time on. For example, maybe that means creating YouTube content to embed in your existing marketing campaigns or in Instagram Stories. This doesn’t mean you should ignore new apps when they come out. I experimented with leveraging TikTok to educate Canadians about estate planning and found I had great traction within a couple of weeks. However, it was time-consuming, and I know that “TikTok creator” is not in my future. So, instead, I’ve focused on webinars for our customers and partners, as well as YouTube videos that augment our internal education centre. Lean into your strengths, but make sure you’re learning about new platforms to stay current.

EMBRACE LIVE VIDEO TO CAPITALIZE ON TODAY’S NEWS

A great video can take months to go live — from concepting, to mapping out key points, to filming and editing, to marketing the final product. But not every video has to be perfectly pre-planned. Video is an amazing way to provide education on topics you know clients are worried about today. For example, you could host a live client Q&A where you hop on Zoom and answer questions about mortgage rate hikes, or you could go live on Instagram or TikTok to field questions and share your thoughts on what inflation means for the average Canadian. These live videos don’t need to be as polished as pre-planned content. They’re more about filling the knowledge gap now. A great example is personal finance expert Bridget Casey (@bridgiecasey), who holds Instagram Live Q&A sessions every Wednesday to answer common questions from viewers. These sessions are unscripted and conversational, and help her audience build a relationship with her over time.

Go Off Script To Showcase Your Personality And Expertise

The most valuable thing you have with clients is your relationship, which you’ve built over time. But how do you showcase your personality and your style to someone who’s never talked to you live? Video is really the key. This could be an unplanned reaction video on Instagram Live when the Bank of Canada makes an interest rate decision and your clients want to know how it will affect them. Or it could be a planned video series on a topic such as mortgages that breaks down the key elements into several YouTube videos. Regardless of the format you choose, avoid the tendency to read off a script. Video needs to showcase your personality, not make you look like a robot. Map out your key talking points in advance, and do a few practice takes to get comfortable with the content. Ultimately, keeping it structured but unscripted will ensure your personality shines through.

Three Final Tips For Videos

1. Ensure your videos look professional. Invest in a ring light, use a professional and engaging background, and ensure you have an editor who can add intro and outro graphics and music where appropriate.

2. Include captions in your videos. Many people like to watch videos with the sound off, and this also caters to any viewers with accessibility issues.

3. Keep your videos short. Unless you’re building an educational series with purposefully long-form content, try to keep pre-recorded videos to a maximum of a few minutes.

ERIN BURY is the CEO at Willful.co, a platform that provides an affordable, convenient, and easy way for Canadians to make a will online. Willful works with financial planners across Canada to help their clients get a solid estate plan in place.

DID YOU KNOW?

When asked about their biggest financial regrets, just 3% of Canadians wished they had sought advice from a financial professional — yet those who used a financial professional were more likely to have no financial regrets. It would seem there’s still room for improvement in communicating the value of financial advice.

How big a role will artificial intelligence (AI) play in the future of financial advice? When Accenture surveyed 500 North American financial advisors in 2022:

99% said AI has a part to play

98% said AI is transforming the creation, delivery, and consumption of advice

83% said AI will affect the client-advisor relationship in a direct, measurable, and consistent way within the next 18 months

Your future self has important news for you...

Your future self has important news for you...

Your future self has important news for you...

Your future self has important news for you...

Your future self has important news for you...

Getting your was a great business move!

"The more you learn, the more you earn."

"The more you learn, the more you earn."

"The more you learn, the more you earn."

"The more you learn, the more you earn."

"The more you learn, the more you earn."

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett

The Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation puts YOU at the heart of the great wealth transfer

The Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation puts YOU at the heart of the great wealth transfer

The Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation puts YOU at the heart of the great wealth transfer

Getting your was a great business move!

Getting your was a great business move!

Getting your was a great business move!

Getting your was a great business move!

Government approved for 50% refundable tax credits

Government approved for 50% refundable tax credits

The Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation puts YOU at the heart of the great wealth transfer Government approved for 50% refundable tax credits CICEA.ca

Government approved for 50% refundable tax credits

The Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation puts YOU at the heart of the great wealth transfer Government approved for 50% refundable tax credits

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CICEA.ca

CICEA.ca

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