Has anyone here figured out financial marketing?

So, I’ve been going down this rabbit hole lately trying to wrap my head around what people mean when they talk about financial marketing. At first, I thought it was just the usual stuff—ads, social media, some SEO here and there. But the more I read, the more I realized finance works a little differently than selling clothes, food, or tech gadgets. It made me curious enough to bring it here and see if anyone else has played around with it.

For me, the challenge started with trust. Like, I can click on an ad for sneakers without thinking twice. Worst case, I return them. But with finance—loans, investments, insurance—people get way more cautious. I noticed friends in my circle would scroll past money-related ads, even if the offer looked decent. And honestly, I was the same. It made me wonder: how do people actually break through that wall of hesitation?

I tried observing what I reacted to myself. For example, if a post came from someone who looked like a regular person sharing their story, I paid attention. But when it felt like a straight-up “Buy Now” ad, I skipped it instantly. That got me thinking maybe financial marketing isn’t really about flashy graphics or discounts. It feels like it’s more about credibility, maybe even education.

A few months back, I tested this idea with a small project. I helped a friend who runs a local financial advisory service. Instead of just posting “Sign up for a free consultation,” we put out simple explainers like “How to figure out your first investment goal” or “Mistakes I made in budgeting.” Nothing fancy, just small tips written like real-life conversations. Strangely enough, those posts got way more engagement than direct ads. People actually commented with their own questions and shared their struggles.

On the flip side, I also tried the typical ad route—targeted keywords like “best loan offers” and “quick investment tips.” Those campaigns got clicks but almost zero follow-up. It was like people were curious enough to peek but not confident enough to take the next step. That’s when it hit me: clicks don’t really equal trust, especially in finance.

One thing that did help a little was consistency. The more my friend kept showing up online with helpful stuff, the more people seemed to recognize the name. It wasn’t overnight, but gradually we saw DMs coming in with real questions like “Hey, can you explain X policy to me?” or “What’s your take on Y investment?” That’s when I realized financial marketing feels less like a sprint and more like building a long-term presence.

Now, I’m not saying I’ve cracked the code. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out. But from what I’ve seen, it seems like the trick is to focus on explaining, sharing personal stories, and being upfront rather than trying to hard-sell. Maybe that’s why a lot of finance content feels more like education than advertising.

If anyone’s curious, I came across a piece that digs into this idea in more detail. It’s called Understanding the Power of Finance Marketing . I found it helpful because it explains why trust and credibility matter so much in this space, and it’s written in a way that makes sense without overcomplicating things.

Anyway, that’s just my two cents. I’m really curious if others here have tried experimenting with financial marketing. Did you find storytelling works better than direct ads? Or do you think it’s all about hitting the right keywords and audiences? Would love to hear what’s worked (or totally flopped) for you guys.