Digital marketing: how financial advice firms can stay competitive 

According to NextWealth’s 2024 benchmark report, growth-focused firms attract 50% more clients through digital channels than the rest of the market.  

But with new technologies, changing user behaviour, and rising competition, staying ahead requires more than just having a website. 

Here’s how financial advisers can navigate the latest changes and build a digital strategy that delivers results. 

How automation is changing paid advertising 

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising remains one of the most effective ways to reach new clients.  

According to Web FX, PPC can deliver a 200% return on investment, meaning firms earn £2 for every £1 spent. 

But the way PPC works is evolving.  

Platforms such as Google Ads are shifting towards automation-first strategies. Features such as automated bidding, keyword selection, and ad copy generation are becoming increasingly standard. 

At Unbiased, implementing automated bidding strategies led to a 67% increase in return on investment (ROI).  

To stay competitive, firms need to: 

• Embrace automation tools 

• Upskill in campaign management 

• Align ad strategies with business goals 

Is social media the new search engine? 

Traditional search engines, such as Google and Bing, are no longer the only places people turn to for information. Social media platforms are becoming powerful tools for discovery. 

According to SproutSocial, 30% of UK social media users plan to increase purchases via social platforms in 2025. Attest reports that 45% of users access social media several times a day. 

To reach these audiences, advisers must: 

• Optimise content for platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest 

• Use platform-specific keywords and hashtags 

• Engage with communities and trending topics 

How advice firms can build trust with UGC 

One of the biggest challenges in digital marketing is trust.  

A YouGov survey found that 81% of UK adults are concerned about the trustworthiness of online content. 

User-generated content (UGC) offers a solution.  

UGC includes photos, videos, reviews, and posts created by real users. It’s authentic, relatable, and highly effective.  

According to Nosto, 79% of consumers say UGC influences their purchasing decisions. 

At Unbiased, launching UGC campaigns doubled our ROI compared to traditional creative. 

How to deal with AI search  

AI is changing how people interact with search engines. Google and Bing now feature AI overviews, summaries that appear at the top of results and answer queries without users needing to click through. 

According to Botify and DemandSphere, these overviews occupy 42% of desktop and 48% of mobile screens, thereby reducing visibility for organic results.  

Seer Interactive also found that click-through rates dropped from 1.41% to 0.64% year-over-year. 

To stay visible, firms should: 

• Prioritise commercial pages: AI overviews appear in 59% of informational queries, but only 19% of commercial ones 

• Focus on EEAT: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness 

• Diversify content formats 

• Optimise for inclusion in AI overviews 

Lead generation offers stability in a shifting landscape 

With SEO and social media becoming less predictable, lead generation platforms provide a reliable alternative. 

Unbiased connects financial advisers with people actively seeking advice.  

We deliver: 

• Verified, high-intent enquiries 

• Tools to manage and convert leads 

• A scalable, repeatable growth strategy 

Unlike other platforms, Unbiased never resells leads; each enquiry is exclusive to your firm. 

Book a free demo today and discover how Unbiased can help you grow your business.