Today’s investors don’t just rely on referrals—they do their research online. Before reaching out, most prospects are looking for credibility, clarity, and confidence in the Advisor they choose to work with.

While traditional referral-based growth from client introductions is still effective, a strong digital presence is now essential for Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) to attract new clients and build lasting trust.

Digital marketing—through content, outreach, and visibility—can help set you apart from the competition and reach potential clients when they’re actively exploring their options.

Read on for seven strategies.

1. Build a High-Performing Website

Your website can be the first interaction potential clients will have with your firm, so it’s critical that it not only looks professional but also functions effectively.

Why? Because:[1]

• 94% of users will leave a website simply because of low-quality design
• 88% of users won’t return to a website after having a bad user experience
• 75% of a company’s credibility is based on website design
• 42% of users will leave a website due to poor functionality

A well-designed website can help convert visitors into leads by delivering clear, relevant information and guiding them to book a consultation or explore your services.

Key elements include:

• Clean, modern design and simple navigation
• Fast loading speeds and mobile responsiveness
• Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like “schedule a consultation” or “sign up for our newsletter”
• A well-written bio to help visitors relate to you
• Educational content (blogs, guides, FAQs)
• Lead capture forms to collect information

2. Create Credible Content

Content marketing can be an effective way to demonstrate your expertise and connect with potential clients. It can also potentially increase lead generation according to 74% of companies.[2]

Using blog posts videos, email, and social media posts directing viewers to your website can help answer common questions and demonstrate your expertise.

Focus on:

• Common financial planning topics
• Ways to help solve clients’ challenges
• Timely market commentary
• “How-to” guides about specific life stages or financial goals

To learn more about content creation, read 4 Benefits of Blogging for Financial Advisors.

3. Nurture Leads with Email Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing leads—with the ability to influence 59% of consumers’ purchases.[3] By delivering consistent, valuable, timely content directly to a prospect’s inbox, email marketing can help build interest, strengthen credibility, and encourage long-term engagement.

Effective strategies include:

• Automated welcome/drip campaigns
• Invitations to events or webinars
• Personalized content based on user behavior
• Monthly newsletters with market updates and tips

Symmetry’s monthly OnBalance newsletter, which includes a market summary and curated, relevant content, is designed to help Advisors stay connected to their clients. OnBalance can be easily customized so Advisors can include their photo, firm logo, and contact information.

4. Engage Your Audience with Social Media

Social media can help you build relationships, share your expertise, and maintain a consistent presence with current and prospective clients. It provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with prospects and clients in real time. By sharing valuable insights, industry updates, and personal stories, you can foster deeper connections and showcase your firm’s expertise.

A 2025 survey found that 28.5% of respondents use social media for financial advice.[4] Regular, authentic interaction not only boosts your visibility but also helps position your firm as approachable and trustworthy—key elements in potential clients’ decision-making process.

Leverage social media by:

• Repurposing blog content into visual carousels or bite-sized posts
• Sharing relevant articles or market insights with brief commentary
• Highlighting team culture or community involvement
• Engaging directly with followers through comments or polls

For more tips, read 5 Strategies for Financial Advisors to Make the Most of Social Media.

5. Use Video to Connect and Educate

Video content has quickly become one of the most effective tools in digital marketing—especially for service-based businesses like RIAs. Short-form video also has the highest ROI of all marketing trends.[5]

Video enables you to communicate complex topics in a more engaging, accessible way while giving prospects insight into your personality and approach.

You can use video to:

• Break down key financial concepts
• Build trust through face-to-camera messaging
• Offer clarity and transparency
• Stand out in a crowded feed where video is often prioritized by algorithms

Some ideas include:

• Short-form educational clips answering common financial planning questions
• Quick market updates or “what this means for you” segments
• Client FAQ videos or myth-busting series
• Snippets from webinars
• Live Q&As

6. Accelerate Growth with Paid Advertising

While organic strategies such as content creation and social media engagement are vital, they can take time to yield results. Paid advertising can help you quickly scale your efforts, boosting brand awareness and generating qualified leads.

Platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, and LinkedIn provide sophisticated targeting tools that enable you to reach specific demographics, behaviors, and locations. For example, you can target individuals who are actively searching for financial advice, those with specific financial needs, or people within particular income brackets or geographical areas.

• Facebook: Ads see an average click-through rate (CTR) of 2.53%[6]
• Google: Businesses make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Google Ads.[7]
• LinkedIn: Brands have seen a 33% increase in purchase intent resulting from ad exposure.[8]

Use paid advertising to strategically:

• Highlight your expertise and services with targeted ads
• Run campaigns with offers like free consultations to capture leads
• Use retargeting ads to re-engage visitors who haven’t converted

7. Measure the Impact

Without clear metrics, it’s difficult to know what’s working, what needs adjustment, and where to allocate resources for the greatest impact. This data not only helps optimize current efforts but also informs future initiatives.

Regularly tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), such as website traffic, lead conversions, email engagement, and campaign ROI, can help you gain valuable insights into how your marketing strategy is performing. And companies using data-driven marketing experience a 20% uplift in sales and are six times more likely to be profitable year-over-year.[9]

Implementing tools like Google Analytics, CRM platforms, and email marketing dashboards can provide a clear, data-driven view of your digital footprint and client acquisition efforts.

Key metrics include:

• Website traffic and source
• Conversion rates (contact forms, consultations booked)
• Cost per lead (CPL)
• Email open and click-through rates

Implementing the Strategies

The right digital marketing strategies can help you reach more ideal clients, strengthen your credibility, and support your long-term growth. Working with a team that understands the RIA space—including compliance and client expectations—can make the process more efficient and aligned with your goals.

The Symmetry Marketing team works with RIAs to help enhance their online presence and build a foundation for sustainable growth. Our team performs marketing diagnostics, audits, and evaluations so we can tailor specific strategies to meet your needs—whether you’re looking for overall digital marketing, website development, video production, or content creation.

Ready to get started? Contact us to find out how Symmetry can help. 

For Financial Professionals Only. Symmetry Partners, LLC provides this communication on this site as a matter of general information. Information contained herein, including data or statistics quoted, is from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed or warranted. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may not be reflective of current opinions or positions. All content on this site is for educational purposes and should not be considered investment advice, recommendation or offer of any security for sale. Symmetry Partners does not provide tax or legal advice and nothing either stated or implied in this material should be inferred as providing such advice. Symmetry Partners does not approve or endorse any third-party communications on this site and will not be liable for any such posts.

 Symmetry is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or excluded or exempt from registration requirements. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the SEC. Please be advised it is the financial advisor’s responsibility to check with its own firm Compliance Department or OSJ for usage requirements related to marketing strategies.

[1] Flynn, J., “25+Wonderful Website Design Statistics [2023]: How to Create the Perfect Website,” Zippia, January 16, 2023 https://www.zippia.com/advice/website-design-statistics

[2] Haan, K., “Top Content Marketing Statistics,” Forbes March 28, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/content-marketing-statistics

[3] Kumar, N., “Email Marketing Statistics of 2025 (Trending Data & Insights),” DemandSage, March 17, 2025, https://www.demandsage.com/email-marketing-statistics

[4] Akana, T., Lee, A., and Santucci, L., “Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations (LIFE) Survey: How Americans Use Social Media for Financial Advice,” Federal Reserve Bank Philadelphia, March 2025.

[5] “The State of Marketing 2025,” HubSpot.

[6] Barnhart, B., “31 Facebook Statistics Marketers Should Know in 2025,” Sprout Social, February 20, 2025, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-stats-for-marketers

[7] Smith, B., “34 Advertising Statistics to Know in 2025,” WordStream, https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/07/19/advertising-statistics

[8] Macready, H. and Stanton, L., “51 LinkedIn Statistics to Shape Your Social Strategy,” Hootsuite, January 15, 2025 https://blog.hootsuite.com/linkedin-statistics

[9] Chakraborty, P., “Harnessing Data-Driven Marketing: Key Statistics for 2024,” WinSavvy, https://www.winsavvy.com/harnessing-data-driven-marketing-key-statistics