Three Steps to Better Social Media Content Planning for Financial Advisors

Social media marketing is a crucial component of financial advisors’ digital marketing strategies. However, without a well-structured content plan, your social media endeavors may become haphazard and ineffective. 

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a social media content plan that will enable advisors like you to reach your target audience, accomplish your marketing objectives, and stay organized and efficient. 

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Before building a content plan for social media marketing, you must identify your target market. This process allows you to tailor content to those most likely to be interested in your products and services. 

Start by identifying your ideal client, and include demographic details like age, gender, location, and income, as well as psychographic aspects such as interests, values, and lifestyle. Make sure to include their pain points — the issues they are striving to resolve.

Once the ideal client is well-understood, audience segmentation is the next step, grouping individuals based on shared characteristics or interests. This approach facilitates the creation of content that is highly relevant and engaging for each subgroup. 

For example, financial advisors might segment their audience into the following groups:

• Millennials who are just starting to save for retirement
• Baby boomers who are planning for retirement
• Parents who are saving for their children's education
• Business owners who are looking for ways to invest their profits

2. Set Clear and Attainable Goals

When establishing objectives for social media marketing, it’s crucial to synchronize them with overarching business goals. For instance, if the aim is to bolster revenue, a corresponding social media target could be to elevate website traffic by 15% within the next three months. This strategic alignment is designed to foster lead generation, and by extension, revenue growth. 

Once objectives are established, a process of prioritization should follow. Not all objectives are critical, and by defining and prioritizing the most vital, you can optimize time and resources, maintain focus, and steer clear of less significant tasks that may lead to a loss of direction.

3. Create a Content Calendar

The creation of a social media content calendar is vital to both quality and consistency. By planning and scheduling content in advance, you ensure a consistent stream of high-quality material relevant to your target audience. 

Here are some tips for developing an effective content calendar:

1. Establish your content pillars: What are the main subjects or themes that best represent your value proposition and resonate with your target audience?
2. Establish a publishing schedule: When it comes to social media marketing, regularity is key. This helps cultivate anticipation and engagement with your brand.
3. Plan your content in advance: We recommend using a content calendar to plan your content for the upcoming weeks or months. This allows you to see the bigger picture and ensure that you cover a variety of content types and topics. Plan for a mix of evergreen content, promotional posts, financial industry news, and engaging visuals.
4. Assign tasks and responsibilities: Social media content creation and management is often a team effort. Get everyone in your advisor team involved in activities such as taking photos at client events, sharing educational articles, and contributing content to fulfill your plan.
5. Monitor and adjust: Your content calendar should not be set in stone. Regularly monitor your social media analytics to see what's working and what's not. Use this data to adjust your content strategy and fine-tune your content calendar to optimize your results.

By following these steps and crafting an efficient social media content calendar, you can remain organized, uphold consistency, and provide valuable content that captivates your audience and bolsters your social media marketing goals. 

Questions, Consultations, and Support

If you’re not currently affiliated with LPL but would like to learn more about how we can help you pursue your business and marketing goals, please contact Business Development.

Consult your compliance department for information about the rules and use of social media and the review of all advisor marketing materials.

Sarah provides custom marketing and social media consultations for LPL Finanical advisors and investment programs. In this role, she consults with and supports clients in effectively marketing their business in today's increasingly competitive environment. View full bio.