Understanding Your Target Audience on Social Media: A Guide for Financial Services Firms
Introduction: Why Social Media Matters for Financial Advisers
In today's increasingly digital world, social media is no longer optional; it's an essential tool for any financial adviser looking to grow their firm, attract more clients, and build strong professional networks. Many advisers partner with a financial services advertising agency to maximize their digital presence. According to research by Intelliflo, 79% of UK financial advisers who use social media professionally have gained new clients as a direct result of their activity, with an average of seven new clients per year through these channels.
But simply being present on platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook isn't enough. To truly stand out and make an impact, you must understand your target audience—who they are, what they care about, and how to reach them effectively.
This guide will walk you through how understanding your target audience on social media can:
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Help you attract more of the right clients
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Build a recognisable and trusted brand
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Set you apart from competitors
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Strengthen relationships with professional introducers (e.g. solicitors, accountants)
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Position you as a thought leader
What is Social Media Target Audience Understanding?
Definition and Importance
Target audience understanding refers to identifying and analysing the specific groups of people who are most likely to benefit from your financial advice and tailoring your content and social media strategies to engage with them.
Your target audience might include:
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Business owners looking for tax-efficient strategies or exit planning
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Retirees seeking pension advice or estate planning
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Young professionals needing guidance on investing, mortgages, or protection
Understanding these audiences helps you create relevant, engaging content that builds trust and converts interest into action. Research by Smart Insights reveals that targeted content generates 58% more engagement than generic content, which is particularly important in the trust-based financial advice sector.
Why Knowing Your Audience Matters for Financial Advisers
1. Attracting More of the Right Clients
When your content speaks directly to your ideal client's challenges and goals, it feels personal and relevant. According to the Personal Finance Society, 67% of UK consumers are more likely to engage with financial content that addresses their specific life stage or financial situation.
Example: A LinkedIn post titled "The 3 Biggest Mistakes Young Professionals Make When Starting to Invest" will resonate far more with that demographic than a generic post about investment.
2. Building a Recognisable Brand
When you consistently post content tailored to your audience's needs, you build a clear, consistent identity. Research by Edelman indicates that 84% of UK clients say trust is the most important factor when choosing a financial adviser, and consistent, relevant social media presence helps build this trust.
Tip: Stick to a core group of audience personas and create content themes (e.g. "Monday for Business Owners", "Friday Retirement Tips").
3. Differentiating Yourself From Competitors
Most advisers say similar things: "We're independent," "We offer tailored advice," etc. But understanding your audience allows you to demonstrate that you actually understand them.
Research by The Pensions Management Institute shows that 72% of UK consumers can't differentiate between financial advice offerings based on standard marketing messages.
Example: If your audience is business owners, you could share:
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Tips on protecting profits
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Insights into tax-efficient director pensions
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Stories of clients exiting a business and what they did with the proceeds
4. Supporting Professional Referrals
Professionals like solicitors and accountants are more likely to refer clients to advisers who clearly understand and support a specific audience. According to the Financial Intermediary & Broker Association, 61% of solicitors say they refer to advisers who demonstrate expertise in specific client segments.
Example Post Idea: "What business owners need to know about structuring their personal and business finances before selling their company" (tag your accountant partners)
5. Becoming a Thought Leader
When you consistently provide value-driven, audience-specific content, you naturally become a go-to expert in that niche. The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that 65% of UK consumers are more likely to trust financial professionals who regularly share useful, educational content.
How to Identify Your Ideal Clients on Social Media
Step 1: Look at Your Existing Clients
Start with who you already serve well:
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Who are your top clients?
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What do they do?
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What are their main financial concerns?
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Where do they spend time online?
Research by Prudential UK indicates that 83% of an adviser's future clients are likely to share characteristics with their current top clients, making this analysis invaluable.
Step 2: Use Platform Insights
Most platforms offer audience analytics:
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LinkedIn: Follower demographics, job titles, industries
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Facebook/Instagram: Age, location, interests
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X (formerly Twitter): Interests, followers' followers
According to Social Media Examiner, 91% of successful social media marketers regularly review their analytics to refine audience targeting.
Tip: Look at which posts performed best and who interacted with them.
Step 3: Create Audience Personas
Personas are fictional representations of your ideal clients. Include:
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Age range
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Occupation
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Financial goals
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Online behaviour
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Common questions they ask
Example Persona:
Name: James, 42
Occupation: IT Business Owner
Goals: Extract profit tax-efficiently, plan for early retirement
Where he spends time online: LinkedIn, YouTube
Content he likes: Short videos, checklists, case studies
Research by the Financial Conduct Authority shows that 76% of UK consumers prefer financial content that addresses their specific life stage and goals, making personas an essential tool.
Reaching Your Audience Effectively: Platform Selection and Content Strategy
1. Match the Platform to the Persona
UK-specific research by We Are Social shows clear platform preferences among different demographic groups:
Audience Type Best Platforms UK Usage Statistics
Business Owners LinkedIn, YouTube 73% of UK business owners use LinkedIn weekly
Retirees Facebook, YouTube 68% of UK 65+ internet users are on Facebook
Young Professionals Instagram, LinkedIn 84% of UK 25-34 year olds use Instagram regularly
2. Use the Right Content Formats
Different audiences prefer different types of content, according to research by the Content Marketing Institute UK:
Audience Format Types Engagement Statistics
Business Owners Thought leadership posts, case studies, whitepapers 62% higher engagement with case studies
Retirees Videos, FAQs, financial mythbusters 71% prefer video explanations of complex topics
Young Professionals Instagram Reels, checklists, carousels 84% engage more with interactive formats
Content Tip: Always include a CTA (call to action) e.g. "Book a free 15-minute call" or "Download our free retirement checklist". Research by HubSpot shows CTAs increase conversion rates by 83%.
3. Facebook Marketing for Financial Advisers
Facebook remains particularly valuable for reaching certain demographics. According to Meta Business UK, financial advisers who use Facebook marketing for financial advisers strategically see 67% better client acquisition rates among the 45+ age bracket compared to other platforms.
Successful Facebook marketing strategies for financial advisers include:
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Regular "Financial Tip Tuesday" posts that combine educational content with subtle promotion
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Strategic use of Facebook Groups to build communities around specific financial concerns
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Video content explaining complex financial topics in simple terms
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Targeted Facebook ads that direct potential clients to specific service pages
Case Study: A survey by the Society of Financial Advisers found that advisers implementing consistent Facebook content strategies generated 3.2 times more qualified leads than those using the platform sporadically. Financial services digital marketing ideas that perform particularly well on Facebook include retirement planning calculators, pension myth-busting infographics, and life event financial planning checklists.
FCA Compliance Considerations for Social Media
Financial promotions on social media must comply with FCA regulations. Key considerations include:
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All financial promotions must be fair, clear, and not misleading
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Risk warnings must be included where appropriate
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The "one-click rule" - important information must be accessible within one click
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Record-keeping of all social media promotions
According to the FCA's latest guidance on social media and customer communications, 42% of compliance issues related to financial promotions on social media involved unclear risk disclosures.
Best Practice: Create a compliance checklist for social media posts and have a second person review content before publishing.
Measuring Social Media Success for Financial Advisers
Establish clear KPIs to measure your social media effectiveness:
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Engagement Rate: Aim for industry average of 1.7% (financial services)
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Lead Generation: Track how many enquiries come through social channels
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Client Acquisition Cost: Compare social media leads with other channels
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Referral Growth: Measure increase in professional referrals
Research by Hootsuite indicates that UK financial advisers who regularly track social media metrics are 2.7 times more likely to report positive ROI from their efforts.
Tools to Help UK Financial Advisers Get Started
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Canva – for creating branded visuals (used by 67% of UK financial advisers on social media)
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Hootsuite or Buffer – for scheduling posts and ensuring consistent presence
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LinkedIn Analytics – to understand post performance and audience demographics
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Google Reviews, Trustpilot – to collect and showcase social proof (89% of UK consumers check reviews before contacting financial services)
While these tools can help you manage your own social media efforts, many firms choose to work with a financial services advertising agency to develop comprehensive strategies. Research by the Investment Association found that 43% of UK financial advice firms with over £100 million in assets under management outsource their social media marketing to specialised agencies.
Competitive Analysis Strategy for Social Media
To stand out from competitors:
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Identify key competitors: Select 3-5 similar financial advice firms
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Analyse their content: What topics do they cover? What's their engagement rate?
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Identify gaps: What audiences or topics are they neglecting?
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Monitor performance: Track which competitor posts perform best
Research by Brandwatch shows that only 34% of UK financial advisers conduct regular competitive analysis of social media, creating an opportunity for differentiation. A social media marketing agency for financial services can provide valuable competitive intelligence and benchmarking that may be difficult to gather independently.
Conclusion
Understanding your target audience on social media is not just a marketing tactic; it's a business growth strategy. It helps you:
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Win more ideal clients
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Build trust faster
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Deepen relationships with referrers
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Create a brand that stands out
Invest the time to define your audience, learn what they care about, and consistently show up for them online. According to research by the Financial Services Forum, UK advisers who take this targeted approach report 37% higher client retention and 41% more referrals than those using generic approaches.
Ready to get started? Begin by profiling your top three clients today and watch how everything—from your messaging to your results—starts to align.
