Digital Marketing for Asset Managers

Doesn’t it feel like your manager JUST put a meeting on your calendar to discuss 2024’s marketing goals and planning? Well, while we were all busy executing those carefully laid plans, 2025 snuck up on us.

With a month of ’25 under our belts, it’s the perfect time to stop, take stock, and strategize. The digital landscape for asset managers continues to evolve. This article offers insights and actionable strategies to help you navigate these changes and maximize your marketing impact in the coming year. We’ll explore emerging trends, revisit core principles, and provide platform-specific guidance to ensure your brand stays ahead of the curve.


2025: Voice Search, Reddit, and AI—Oh My!

  • 🗣️Voice Search: With over 35% of U.S. adults owning in-home smart speakers and nearly all of our mobile devices equipped with a voice assistant, the ability to speak searches has changed how search engines populate top results. Instead of typing “best investment firm,” people using voice search tend to employ natural speech patterns, like, “What is the best investment firm near me?” With this shift in mind, marketers working on SEO should optimize their language to increase their chances of being discovered, which means strategically incorporating keywords common in natural speech and ensuring their digital presence is accurate and consistent. (sixthcitymarketing, theedigital)

  • 👂Reddit: On Reddit (AKA “The Front Page of the Internet”), community is key. With nearly 6 billion monthly visits, brands are investigating how to establish a presence on the platform and engage in valuable conversations. Reddit posts can amass enormous reach, which can catapult brand visibility and provide marketers with meaningful insights. Whether it’s directly engaging with well-established communities through AMAs or tapping into trending topics through Social Listening, Reddit is one platform that firms should not ignore. (meltwater)

  • 🤖⚖️Ethical AI: In 2024, AI and automation experienced dramatic mainstream adoption, with organizations increasingly integrating these tools into their daily workflows. Teams were able to boost productivity and efficiency in many ways, from content creation to outbound messaging, and letting the algorithms quickly handle time-consuming tasks. However, savvy audiences can detect when marketing efforts have been stripped of the creative value only human beings can provide. AI-generated content lacks emotional intelligence and cultural nuance. See Exhibit A:


Key Learnings from a Dynamic Year

While digital marketing tactics evolve, core principles remain in place. Here’s what resonated with audiences in the past year and how to apply these insights moving forward:

What works?

  • Employee Advocacy Goes Viral: 2024 saw a boom in employee advocacy content on LinkedIn and Instagram, with LinkedIn in particular reaching a milestone 1 billion users last year. As employees became brand ambassadors, firms amplified their reach and organic growth. LinkedIn content shared by individuals often outperforms corporate posts, as users are more inclined to engage with their connections. Tap into the power of the personal network! (digital marketing institute, forbes)

  • Visual Storytelling for the Win: From LinkedIn Carousels to snackable Shorts, rich media reigned supreme in 2024. These formats can turn complex information like investment research and detailed charts into eye-catching, digestible content. Social media is an attention-based economy and you can add value to your followers’ timelines by providing content in engaging formats that encourage viewers to spend time with your brand. It’s all about the funnel. (hootsuite, infillion, piktochart)

What’s out?

  • Copy-Paste Content: A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. Optimize content for each platform, recognizing the unique audiences and algorithms of each. Authenticity is paramount; avoid overly curated and heavily templated posts. Consistency is still important, but be sure to prioritize fresh, customized content that reflects your brand’s unique voice.

  • Short-Form-Only Approach: While short-form video remains a valuable tool, audiences are demonstrating an appetite for a variety of content lengths. Don’t neglect longer-form content like webinars, interviews, and in-depth articles. A balanced approach ensures you cater to diverse preferences.

This Year on Social: Platform-by-Platform Playbook

  • LinkedIn: With a wide array of marketing vehicles to expand and engage with your professional network, the opportunities to amplify your brand voice continue to increase. From establishing a newsletter to hosting LinkedIn Live events, we encourage firms to consider which features might be the right fit for expanding their footprint and continuing to build trust among their networks.

  • X: One of X’s greatest strengths has always been its ability to facilitate real-time conversations and amplify thought leadership. By strategically leveraging trending topics and hashtags, firms can position themselves as industry leaders and foster meaningful engagement. However, despite declining overall user activity, X remains a highly saturated platform. To stand out, consider focusing less on chasing viral trends and more on curating a presence that delivers valuable insights, fosters professional dialogue, and solidifies your voice as a trusted authority in the field. (socialnicole)

  • YouTube: YouTube viewers value consistent programming with recurring themes and familiar faces. Take advantage of features like Chaptering for better SEO, Playlists to organize your content, and Shorts to showcase key moments and attract new viewers. A polished, well-organized channel enhances the viewer experience and builds loyalty. If you’re launching a channel, focus on a clear content strategy to reach your audience and keep them coming back for fresh, engaging videos. (noble desktop, steel croissant)

  • Bluesky: As the Musk-era of X continues to take shape, one alternative has taken center stage. Bluesky is steadily growing, now reaching 27.5 million users, while X has seen a shift in user dynamics, with some opting for alternative platforms. Since October 2024, X usership has declined by at least 8.4%. Are the people who would benefit from your thought leadership and products making the same migration? It’s worth looking into. (mashable, yahoo tech)

  • Instagram: Creativity and connection are top of mind for Instagram this year. The platform seeks to further embrace AI and other creative tools to encourage users to make their content stand out and aims to continue refining its algorithm to help smaller creators increase their visibility. Take advantage of these changes by diversifying your content — the grid should be dynamic and engaging. Perhaps you can put your spin on popular memes? (social media today)

  • Facebook: To effectively promote your business on Facebook, a professional business page is a must. If firms plan to have a presence on the platform, they should ensure that all branding opportunities are utilized, including banners, profile images, and business information. Beyond ensuring that your profile makes its best impression, it may be worth considering starting a Facebook Group — a community where you can start meaningful discussions and foster a sense of belonging among investors.

  • TikTok: To Tok or not? That really is the question of the moment. Last month, millions of users and onlookers were left befuddled in the wake of the platform’s pseudo-ban. While TikTok isn’t yet mainstream among asset managers, its influence warrants attention. For firms ready to experiment, the platform rewards authentic, bite-sized financial content. Focus on educational snippets that showcase your expertise, but maintain a balanced approach across other established platforms. Keep monitoring TikTok’s evolving landscape and audience engagement metrics to inform your strategy.


Looking ahead to 2025, adaptability and clear strategy will shape digital marketing success in asset management. Tactics like personalized thought leadership, rich media, and employee advocacy drove results in 2024. But staying competitive will require even more agility and data-driven insights.

  • Prepare for New Frontiers: Voice search and Reddit are reshaping how audiences seek information and interact online.

  • Invest in Authenticity: While AI has its place, human creativity and organic content build trust that technology alone can’t replicate.

  • Make Complexity Approachable: Video, carousels, and tailored storytelling will continue to simplify complex financial concepts and resonate with diverse audiences.

This is a great time to reflect on what’s worked and explore new strategies for 2025. Hewes is here to support asset managers in navigating the evolving digital landscape. If you’d like to discuss ideas or next steps, feel free to reach out to us at hewesteam@hewescomm.com.

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