Could you be making the following blogging mistakes?
Are you interested in creating your own content? I come across financial advisors every day who are eager to write their own websites, articles, newsletters, and more.
But having worked in this industry for quite some time, I’ve come to realize some common blogging mistakes advisors make when creating their own content. My goal is to share those mistakes with you today, along with some tips on how to avoid them.
Ready? Here are 7 ways advisors go wrong in creating their own content.
Mistake 1: Focusing On The Wrong Topics
Most advisors want to talk about technical topics, such as investment strategies, Monte Carlo simulations, and sequence of returns risk. But your clients and prospects couldn’t care less about these topics. Instead, they want to know that you empathize with them and understand their unique situation.
Put yourself in your client’s shoes and write about the concerns they have. Ask yourself:
- Who will read this article?
- What questions or concerns do they have?
Then write based on these answers. Not only will this help you master the art of empathy, but it’ll help you connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Wondering what you should write about? We put together a list of 170+ content ideas for financial blogs.
Mistake 2: Failing To Include A Call To Action
What do you want your audience to do after they land on your web page? Schedule a call with you? Download a free report? Sign up for your newsletter?
You can have the most captivating website on the planet and still have your marketing message fall flat if you don’t have a strong call to action (CTA).
CTAs are an effective way to convert prospects into clients because they create a sense of urgency. They make it easy for people to take the next step.
For financial advisors, your CTA might be something like:
- Schedule your complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.
- Get your free financial review.
- Download your free Social Security report.
Need more inspiration? Check out these three top-performing CTA examples for financial advisors.
Mistake 3: Writing Too Complex
The financial services industry is loaded with complex jargon and terminology. But remember, your ideal client has never heard of these words before. If they land on your site and see a bunch of phrases they don’t understand, you’ll scare them away.
Ideally, you want your writing to be on a 6th- or 7th-grade reading level. This ensures the majority of people who land on your site will understand what you’re saying.
There are two tools you can use to make sure your writing is both engaging and easy to read. The first tool is the Flesch Ease Reading Test. It uses a complex formula to measure the readability of your writing:
206.835 – 1.015 x (total words/total sentences) – 84.6 x (total syllables/total words)
You then get a score of 0 to 100. The higher your score, the easier your content is to understand. For example, a score of 90 means your writing is on a 6th-grade level, while a score of 30 means it’s on a college level. If you use the Yoast SEO plugin for your website, it calculates your Flesch Ease Reading score for you!
The second tool is the Hemingway Editor, a free website that I personally use all the time. All you do is copy and paste your writing onto the web page. Then the editor gives you a readability score, highlights difficult-to-read sentences, and suggests words you can remove or replace to make your writing more clear and concise.
Mistake 4: Not Being Consistent
Most advisors write when inspiration strikes, then disappear into the internet ether until inspiration strikes again. But this isn’t good for your audience or your content marketing strategy.
Writing high-quality content on a regular basis is key to staying top-of-mind, driving traffic back to your website, and helping your posts rank better in search results.
You don’t have to publish something every day, but it should be consistent. Think about how much content you can comfortably write each month—even if it’s just two blog posts and a newsletter—and stick to that schedule.
To prevent overwhelm, I recommend using an editorial calendar to hold yourself accountable. The Indigo team created a free marketing calendar for financial advisors; feel free to use it to create consistent, high-quality content your prospects will love.
Mistake 5: Not Being Authentic
People hire you because they trust your insights and recommendations, so put that into your writing. If you believe all debt is bad and strongly encourage your clients to pay off everything (including their mortgage) before they retire, write about it. If you believe a second-to-die life insurance policy is the best way to leave a tax-free legacy to your heirs, write about it.
Don’t be afraid to take strong positions on the topics that matter most to you. Your website is often the first impression prospects will have of you and your firm. Show them what you value most.
Here are three tips for infusing authenticity into your writing:
- Write the way you speak. This isn’t a college paper you’re writing, so there’s no need to be dull or overly technical. Remember, the point of writing is to connect with your audience. Imagine what you’d say if your ideal audience was sitting right in front of you, and then put those words on paper.
- Stick to topics that excite you. Create a list of topics that excite you intellectually and creatively. When you’re passionate about a topic, your personality has no choice but to shine through.
- Write first, then edit. Set a timer for 25 minutes and just write down whatever comes to mind. Don’t edit. Don’t reread. Just write. Let whatever thoughts and ideas you have about a particular topic land on paper. Then go back and edit for clarity.
Mistake 6: Going At It Alone
As an advisor, your schedule is already full to the brim with client meetings, financial planning, and administrative tasks. There’s only so much time you can devote to writing. And even if you have the time, you may not have the expertise to craft a digital marketing strategy that generates leads and helps you grow your business.
Don’t make the mistake of going at it alone.
There are several digital marketing agencies out there—such as Indigo Marketing Agency—that specialize in digital marketing for financial advisors. When I ask advisors what they value most about our services, their #1 response is that we take the marketing work off their plate so they can focus on their clients. We’re more than happy to do the same for you.
Mistake 7: Not Embracing A Specialty
Most advisors make the mistake of wanting to be all things to all people. They fear that choosing a niche will alienate high-quality prospects that may not fit that mold.
But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
One of the most effective ways to maximize your marketing ROI is to embrace a specialty. When done correctly, you can choose a niche that doesn’t alienate anyone. Then you can become a go-to expert by writing extensively on that topic.
If you specialize in serving pre-retirees, you may write about:
- Withdrawal strategies they can use for each of their retirement accounts
- Common mistakes they’ll want to avoid during their first 10 years of retirement
- Tax strategies they can use to maximize their legacy
- How to cover healthcare costs in retirement
Then, when a pre-retiree lands on your website, they’ll get sucked in by all the valuable content you’ve created. Before you know it, they’ll be scheduling a call with you to learn more.
Need help selecting a niche? Watch this free workshop webinar on how to choose your specialty.
Ready To Grow Your Business With High-Quality Content?
Creating content that drives your audience to take action requires a special skill set (not to mention it adds more work to your plate). Instead of sinking time and energy into creating content yourself, consider outsourcing it to professionals who specialize in marketing for financial advisors.
At Indigo Marketing Agency, we craft custom marketing strategies for financial advisors. Our Total Marketing Package includes a monthly article that’s written with your tone and target audience in mind. Schedule a free strategy call with our team to learn more.