From Words to Wealth: The Role of a Financial Copywriter

Words have tremendous power to educate, persuade and engage. For a financial firm, a financial copywriter can be vital – breaking down complex jargon and helping to highlight the “pain points” of readers and their solutions.

Below, we explore the role and power of financial copywriting in more detail, highlighting ideas for its potential within financial services marketing.

The Foundations of Financial Copywriting

How do you effectively fuse finance and language? First, a deep understanding of the financial landscape is required. Financial firms naturally have an advantage here.

You know your trade very well. However, effectively communicating this knowledge is often where the barrier lies. Time limitations are often a factor (it takes time to write a 1,000-word article!). Yet, writing is also an art form. Like all art forms, it takes time to hone it.

Mastery of language, grammar and rhetoric is second nature to skilled copywriters. However, unless the writer is an experienced financial copywriter, they will lack the industry-specific knowledge to fully deploy this mastery.

This is where working with a financial services copywriter can help. This type of professional bridges the gap between technical knowledge and writing mastery.

The Process of Developing Financial Copy

How many times have you stared at a blank page, wondering what to write? The process of financial copy is a meticulous journey requiringcreativity, strategic thinking and attention to detail.

It helps to have a strong topic in mind. Accounting and consultancy firms often work in partnership with the copywriter to create a “content calendar” for their articles – e.g. spanning 1-3 months. These topics might be chosen based on various factors, such as:

• Common recent questions from clients
• Trends in the media and search engines
• Milestones in the financial year (e.g. an upcoming budget from the government)

The copywriter will also be empowered by having a clear goal for the communication piece. What do you want them to achieve with the article they are writing? For instance, is it primarily for SEO purposes? Or, is it mainly targeted at current clients via a monthly newsletter?

Balancing Persuasion with Responsibility

Many fields require ethical thinking when crafting copy. Indeed, Google applies special standards for content creators who write about YMYL topics (“Your Money or Your Life”). So, financial copywriters need to be especially mindful of putting “people first” when writing.

However, the bar is even higher in financial copywriting due to industry-specific regulations and compliance environments. Writers need to be careful not to “push too hard”, for instance, when discussing the pros and cons of different financial planning options in an article.

Again, an experienced financial copywriter will be skilled at striking this delicate balance. A non-specialist writer might inadvertently go beyond compliance, while a financial firm might be “too cautious” (and boring) in its writing style.

A good freelance financial copywriter, however, will find an ideal middle point that satisfies different stakeholders and requirements.

Building Trust through Financial Copy

Credibility and reliability are non-negotiable in the financial services sector. Without them, prospects are likely to run away. Financial copywriting services help to build the necessary trust to break down barriers of fear, especially when prospects meet a new financial brand online for the first time.

One great way to do this is by building transparency. Financial copywriters can provide clear and honest information about products, services and financial opportunities – articulating risks, limitations and potential outcomes in a straightforward manner.

These efforts help to reassure readers that the writer is looking out for their best interests, not simply pushing their product(s). Consistent messaging also helps. A cohesive and unified voice across all channels reinforces brand identity, cultivating familiarity and reliability.

Leveraging Data Into Copywriting Strategies

In one sense, financial copywriters have never had it so good. Today’s digital channels (e.g., Google Analytics) provide reams of data, in real-time, about what people are interested in and engaging with.

By analysing customer demographics, behaviours and preferences, copywriters gain valuable insights into their target audience. This enables them to tailor their content more specifically to their readers’ needs and preferences.

Over time, marketers can also track and interpret performance metrics related to published content (e.g. click-through rates and conversion rates). This reveals insights about what is working, guiding future decisions for optimising articles.

Optimising Content for Search Engines

Ensuring content ranks prominently in search engine results pages (SERPs) is crucial for visibility and engagement. Financial copywriters can tailor their content towards Google’s requirements, first of all, by targeting articles towards specific keywords.

By strategically integrating these terms into their content, writers can improve discoverability through search engine algorithms. However, to maximise discoverability, the content also needs to be high-quality, original and informative.

For instance, does the article offer original insights or research? Does it answer common queries, provide nuanced perspectives and offer practical solutions?

Adapting Copy to Different Financial Audiences

A one-size-fits-all approach seldom resonates with all segments of a financial firm’s audience. Varying demographics often have different priorities and characteristics, such as:

• Millennials
• Retirees
• High-net-worth individuals
• Entrepreneurs
• Small business owners

To assist with the writing process, it can help to have a set of “buyer personas” available for reference. These are client/customer “profile descriptions”, outlining their unique traits and psychographics. These are valuable for helping copywriters craft content that speaks directly to their interests and concerns.