The financial services industry is experiencing unprecedented digital transformation, with marketing budgets, customer expectations, and technological capabilities evolving at breakneck speed.
Financial institutions are investing heavily in digital marketing as competition intensifies and client acquisition costs continue to climb.
The global wealth management market alone is projected to grow from $1.68 trillion in 2023 to $3.62 trillion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.0%. This comprehensive research examines the latest digital marketing statistics shaping the financial services landscape in 2025-2026.
Industry Expansion
The financial services marketing sector is experiencing explosive growth across all segments.
The global wealth management market is expected to add $460.1 billion in revenue between 2025 and 2029, expanding at an 8.5% compound annual growth rate during this forecast period.
Financial advisory services specifically are projected to grow from $159.50 trillion in 2024 to $181.60 trillion by 2029, marking a 2.27% annual increase.
Global financial wealth reached an all-time high of $305 trillion in 2024, rising over 8% fueled by strong equity markets.
Marketing Budget Increases
Financial planners are significantly ramping up their advertising investments, with plans to spend up to 22% more on advertising over the next two years specifically to acquire new customers.
Among financial advisors, 31% plan to increase their marketing budgets in the coming year, signaling growing awareness of marketing’s critical role in driving long-term success.
The average financial advisor now allocates $15,908 annually toward marketing initiatives, reflecting how marketing has transitioned from optional to essential for growth.
Wealth managers globally project an average of 13.7% growth in assets under management (AUM) in 2025, with U.S. firms expecting even higher growth at 17.6%.
Digital Advertising Spend by Sector
Digital advertising spend is surging across all financial services sectors in 2025, with the payments and money movement sector leading growth at 23%.
The banking and lending sector follows closely with a projected 20% increase in ad spend for 2025, marking the second-highest growth among financial services sub-sectors. Insurance industry ad spend is expected to experience 17% growth in 2025, representing a slight decline from 2024 but still demonstrating robust expansion.
The securities, investment, and wealth management sector will see a 14% growth in ad spend during 2025, with expectations for continued but slower growth of 6% in 2026.
Digital Channel Prioritization
According to recent banking industry research, digital advertising emerged as the clear leader among planned investments, with 82.1% of respondents anticipating growth in this channel, up significantly from 68% the previous year.
This shift underscores the financial services industry’s commitment to digital-first strategies as customer acquisition increasingly moves online.
Search Marketing and SEO Performance
Search engines serve as the primary starting point for financial services consumers, with 90% of loan and mortgage consumers, 85% of check cashing consumers, and 76% of tax return preparation consumers beginning their journey with an online search.
Mobile searches related to financial planning and management have grown 70% over the past two years, reflecting the mobile-first nature of modern consumer behavior.
Specific query types show even more dramatic growth: mobile queries for “what should I invest in?” have increased 65% year-over-year, while “retirement calculator” searches have surged 115% in the last two years.
Local search is also booming, with mobile queries for “bank near me” growing over 60% in the past two years, and “financial advisor” searches increasing 75% over the same period.
Consumer Intent and Spending
The lack of brand preference among searchers presents significant opportunities, as 93% of check cashing consumers, 81% of loans and mortgage consumers, and 54% of tax return preparation consumers did not have a specific company in mind while searching.
These undecided searchers represent substantial revenue opportunities, with loan and mortgage consumers spending an average of $28,435 after running a search, banking consumers spending an average of $3,432, and accounting consumers spending an average of $683.
Cost and Conversion Metrics
Financial services keywords rank among the most expensive in Google Ads and Microsoft Bing Ads, with some costing $4.00 or more per click due to the high lifetime value of customers and fierce competition.
Despite these high costs, the average conversion rate for financial services search ads is 5.10%, while display network ads convert at 1.19%.
The average cost for a financial services lead stands at $653, making it one of the more expensive industries for client acquisition.
Organic search drives 64% of calls to financial services providers, compared to 36% from paid search, highlighting the critical importance of a strong SEO strategy.
Social Media Marketing Benchmarks
Financial services firms are seeing varied engagement across social media platforms, with Instagram leading at 3.8% average engagement as of March 2025, followed by LinkedIn at 3.2% and Instagram Reels at 3.1%.
TikTok generates 1.6% engagement, while X (Twitter) achieves 2.1% and Facebook reaches 1.8%.
For financial institutions, Facebook remains the most frequently used platform with an average of 5.9 posts per week, followed by LinkedIn with 5.3 posts weekly.
Content Format Performance
Different content formats generate varying levels of engagement across platforms.
On Instagram, posting 26 updates per week (posts, Stories, and/or Reels combined) generates the highest engagement rate at 4.64% in financial services, while just 2 weekly updates garner 4.16% engagement. Instagram users particularly enjoy carousel posts, which generate more engagement than photos or Reels in the finance sector.
On Facebook, album posts generate the most engagement, followed by status updates and posts with photos, videos, and links.
LinkedIn posts with photos and videos outperform posts with links, while on X (Twitter), replies carry more weight at 2.9% engagement compared to status updates at 2%.
Audience Growth and Adoption
Follower growth rates vary significantly by platform, with Instagram leading at 2.26%, followed by TikTok at 0.98%, Facebook at 0.61%, LinkedIn at 0.51%, and X (Twitter) at 0%.
Social media usage for financial advice is expanding rapidly, with nearly one-third (30%) of adults using social media for financial advice in 2023.
For banks specifically, inbound engagement increased 20% from 2023 to 2024, even as posting frequency decreased slightly to an average of 9.5 social posts per day.
The influence of social media on purchasing decisions is substantial, with 86% of customers surveyed reporting they make at least one influencer-inspired purchase every year.
Artificial Intelligence and Personalization
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming financial services marketing, with 62% of wealth management firms acknowledging that AI will significantly transform their operations according to a London Stock Exchange Group and ThoughtLab survey.
Financial advisors overwhelmingly view AI positively, with 90% having positive views of AI technology and its potential applications in wealth management.
About 35% of advisors cite artificial intelligence as their top area for technology investment, reflecting growing belief in AI’s role in streamlining and scaling marketing efforts.
However, adoption remains relatively low, with only 20% of U.S. advisors reporting using or planning to use generative AI in their marketing efforts as of 2023.
Personalization Performance Results
The impact of AI-driven personalization on business outcomes is dramatic. Advisors using generative AI for personalization have seen a 5X increase in leads and a doubling of conversion rates according to the 2025 BCG Global Wealth Report.
Salesforce research shows that businesses using AI personalization have experienced a 200% or greater increase in conversions.
Some fintech platforms have reported a 34% increase in user engagement on personalized sections after implementing AI-driven recommendations.
AI is also dramatically accelerating content processes, with campaign time-to-market falling by 50% while content creation time is 30% lower according to Bain & Company analysis.
Client Expectations for Personalization
Customer demand for personalized services is intensifying, with 72% of High Net Worth Individuals preferring firms that offer highly personalized products and services according to the Capgemini World Wealth Report.
Over 50% of banking customers expect personalized services, with many willing to switch providers for better experiences.
Among self-directed clients, 44% strongly expect wealth management websites and apps to help them meet financial goals, up from 40% the previous year.
The lack of proper digital tools has real consequences, with 77% of relationship managers in Canada and the U.S. reporting losing business due to inadequate digital interaction tools.
Phone Calls and Conversion Channels
Phone calls remain the preferred conversion channel for financial services consumers, with 66% of banking consumers and 57% of investment consumers calling to make a purchase.
Complex financial services often require multiple touchpoints, as 72% of loan shoppers made at least 2 phone calls to the financial institution during the loan vetting process.
After running searches, 95% of check cashing consumers, 93% of accounting consumers, and 75% of tax return preparation consumers call a business to complete their transaction.
January is the month financial services providers receive the highest call volume, requiring optimized call experiences even during peak periods.
Mobile Call Leads
Mobile devices play a critical role in driving phone leads, with 49% of financial services phone leads from organic search coming from mobile devices and 52% of phone leads from paid search originating on mobile.
The price point at which financial services consumers are most likely to call to make a purchase is $416, with higher-priced services driving increased phone conversion rates.
Phone Call Value and ROI
Phone calls deliver substantially higher value than other conversion types. Inbound phone calls convert to 10-15x more revenue than web leads, making them one of the most valuable conversions financial services marketers can drive.
Caller retention rate is 28% higher than web lead retention rate, making phone-driven conversions more profitable in the long term.
Among marketers, 84% report phone calls having higher conversion rates with larger order value compared to other forms of engagement.
Nearly 80% of consumers utilize mobile apps for their financial services or banking needs, underscoring the critical importance of a strong mobile app presence.
Customer Experience and Service Expectations
Customer experience has become a top priority for financial institutions, with 63% of financial services organizations ranking customer experience as their number one priority.
Among companies overall, 88% now prioritize the customer experience in their contact centers, recognizing the call channel as a critical phase of the consumer journey.
Financial services professionals recognize urgency in meeting expectations, with 85% believing that responding to customer expectations faster is an urgent business need.
Experience Friction Consequences
Poor experiences lead to significant customer losses.
After a positive call experience, 57% of consumers say they would likely choose an institution for their loan, demonstrating the revenue impact of quality interactions.
Conversely, 64% of consumers would choose another financial institution after a poor call experience, while 38% will stop doing business with a company altogether following a bad call experience.
Long wait times present a particular challenge, with callers to financial services call centers waiting on hold 1.3x longer than the average across other industries, and 75% of consumers hanging up within 10 minutes of waiting.
Personalization and Communication Preferences
Consumers identify specific factors that create negative call experiences: 59% cite rude agents, 58% point to long hold times, 54% mention too many transfers, and 46% object to having to repeat information.
When companies personalize customer interactions effectively, 49% of customers feel the company cares about earning their business and 47% are more likely to do business with them.
Communication frequency matters significantly, with advisors who communicate with clients quarterly or more reporting a 68% confidence rate in achieving business goals, compared to 51% for those who communicate less frequently.
According to an Accenture survey, 39% of respondents want to hear more proactively from their advisors or wealth managers.
Strategic Marketing Effectiveness
The presence of a formal marketing strategy delivers measurable results.
Advisors who operate with a clear, defined marketing strategy onboard approximately 50% more clients each year compared to those without structured plans.
Even more dramatically, advisors with defined marketing strategies generate about 168% more leads on a monthly basis.
Despite these proven benefits, only 20% of advisors now operate with a formal marketing plan, marking the lowest point in five years.
Marketing Execution Challenges
Time constraints represent the most significant barrier to consistent marketing, with 85% of advisors reporting they struggle to find time for marketing activities.
Approximately 80% of advisors handle marketing on their own rather than outsourcing, increasing the risk of burnout and inefficiency.
While 90% of advisors recognize marketing’s importance, only 23% have defined strategies, creating a significant gap between awareness and execution.
Lead Generation and Prospecting
Nearly half (49%) of advisors report an increase in inbound prospect requests, suggesting potential clients are more actively seeking wealth management services.
Among marketing approaches, 32% of advisors use lead generation as their primary marketing method, making it the most common platform for client acquisition.
Social media has become the second-highest growth strategy at 19% adoption by 2023, with 46% of advisors using LinkedIn often or extremely often.
Technology and Digital Transformation
Technology capabilities have become a critical factor in advisor satisfaction and retention, with 92% of advisors indicating they would leave their firm due to poor technology.
CRM system adoption reflects this technology focus, with over half of wealth managers either already utilizing a CRM system or planning to leverage one within 24 months.
Digital Service Preferences
Client expectations for digital services are substantial, with 51% of High Net Worth Individuals wanting self-service tools and advanced technologies for investment advice and portfolio management.
Globally, 60% of wealth management clients expected their advisors to use AI according to the EY 2025 Global Wealth Report.
However, preferences still skew toward human-assisted service, with 80% of affluent households willing to pay a premium for human advice rather than an exclusively digital service.
In the UK specifically, 34% of clients seeking investment advice are open to human advisors using AI tools, but only 6% would rely on an AI platform alone.
Client Preference Shifts
Service delivery expectations are evolving significantly. By 2025, 75% of advisors are expected to adopt a holistic approach to client services.
The proportion of investors seeking holistic advice has jumped dramatically from 29% in 2018 to 52% in 2023, representing a major shift in client expectations.
Content Marketing and Thought Leadership
Content marketing continues to deliver strong engagement in financial services.
The average attendance length for financial services webinars increased by 6% in 2025, while meeting bookings within webinars rose 26%.
Since 2021, the number of certifications issued through digital platforms has increased by 58%, demonstrating growing demand for educational content.
Content Creation Priorities
Among B2B marketers, 60% state that using AI for promotional content is a key priority. The operational priorities driving this focus are clear, with “operational efficiency” and “revenue growth” ranking as the top two technology drivers for asset and wealth management professionals according to PwC’s Asset and Wealth Management Survey.
Human Expertise Value
Despite AI’s growing capabilities, human expertise remains essential for building trust and authority.
As BCG analysis notes, “Operational efficiency” and “revenue growth” are the top two technology drivers, but these must be balanced with authentic thought leadership from human experts.
The webinar format specifically allows experts to answer questions and build direct relationships, with first-party engagement data enabling identification of interested clients for outreach.
ROI Measurement and Attribution Challenges
A significant measurement gap exists in financial services marketing.
More than 50% of banks either do not measure ROI (return on investment) for their marketing at all or measure it in less than 25% of their campaigns.
This lack of proper attribution prevents marketers from understanding the true effectiveness of their spending despite aggressive investment in digital ads.
Analytics and Targeting Priorities
Despite measurement challenges, analytics-driven approaches are gaining traction.
The American Bankers Association lists “analytics-driven audience targeting” as a key trend, second only to “cross-sell and relationship deepening”.
Banks successfully using data analytics have been able to determine which existing customers likely have deposits at other institutions, enabling highly targeted campaigns that have gathered millions of dollars in new funds without repricing existing deposits.
Alternative Investments and Emerging Products
Digital asset adoption is accelerating rapidly in wealth management.
Currently, 64% of investors are already invested in digital assets or related products, and 69% plan to increase digital asset investments over the next 2-3 years. T
his represents a mainstream shift in portfolio diversification strategies.
Private Markets and Alternatives
Alternative investments have gained strong traction, with 89% of wealth managers expecting increased use of alternative investments, and 81% expecting greater adoption of direct indexing and managed accounts.
In the UK specifically, 4 in 5 wealth managers (80%) have invested a portion of clients’ money in private assets, showing strong alternative investment adoption.
Client Acquisition Economics
Client acquisition costs vary significantly by channel and approach.
Traditional adviser recruitment or mergers and acquisitions carry acquisition costs between 250 to 300 basis points.
Successful bank-owned wealth managers acquire clients from retail banking relationships for between 20 and 70 basis points, representing a substantial cost advantage.
With focused targeting, acquisition costs can be as low as 70 to 80 basis points with the right offer and marketing approach.
Future Outlook and 2026 Trends
The coming decades present an unprecedented opportunity for wealth managers.
An estimated $83.5 trillion in wealth will be passed to younger generations (Gen X, millennials, Gen Z) by 2048, representing a massive market opportunity.
This wealth transfer will require marketing strategies tailored to younger, more digitally-native clients with different expectations than previous generations.
Top Investment Priorities
Looking toward 2026, five key trends are emerging as strategic priorities for financial services marketing.
AI solutions tailored to financial services are becoming more prevalent, with major institutions like Morgan Stanley partnering with OpenAI to deliver relevant content and insights to financial advisors in seconds.
Trusted data is becoming increasingly accessible to AI-powered agents, with platforms providing ready access to both internal proprietary data and third-party data from partners such as FactSet, MSCI, and Nasdaq.
Hyper-personalization is becoming a key priority, moving beyond basic name-in-email tactics to delivering content and offers that adapt in real-time to client behavior and needs.
Human experts will continue to power authentic thought leadership, as clients at the higher end place a premium on personal advice and genuine connections.
Repurposed content is becoming key to expanding reach under revenue pressures, with AI-powered tools enabling automatic generation of transcripts, summaries, blog posts and e-books from single source materials.
Market Pressures and Efficiency Demands
Despite positive market indicators, financial services firms face continuing pressure.
McKinsey analysis shows that while global revenues and assets under management have seen double-digit growth, profitability has only seen marginal single-point growth.
BCG research noted that 70% of 2024 revenue growth for asset managers came from market performance rather than new inflows, highlighting the critical need for operational efficiency.
These pressures mean 2026 will require even greater efficiency levels from marketing teams to achieve their growth goals.
Investor Concerns and Market Sentiment
Current investor concerns are dominated by inflation, with 54% citing it as their top concern, followed by U.S. election impacts at 34%, market volatility at 22%, and recession fears at 20%.
These concerns shape the messaging and positioning that resonate most effectively with prospective clients.
The digital marketing landscape for financial services in 2025-2026 is characterized by substantial investment growth, rapid AI adoption, increasing personalization demands, and evolving client expectations.
Organizations that combine technological capabilities with human expertise, maintain strong measurement practices, and invest strategically in high-ROI channels will be best positioned to capture market share in this expanding industry.
Source Links
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40+ Financial Services Marketing Statistics You Need to Know in 2025
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Five Financial Services Marketing Trends To Watch in 2026 | ON24
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6 Financial Services Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025 – Taboola.com
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AI Personalization in Financial Services – Phoenix Strategy Group
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How AI-Driven Personalization in Financial Services … – Salesforce
