Client Background:
California Retirement Advisors (CRA), also known as CRA Advisors, is a leading financial advisory firm based in California, committed to providing personalized retirement planning services to its clients.
Client's Challenge:
When CRA engaged with Beetle Moment Marketing approximately two years ago, they faced several challenges in their marketing efforts:
needing a Marketing leader and a plan:
Without a clear marketing strategy or priorities, CRA struggled to stand out in the competitive financial advisory space. Webinars and campaigns were happening in a one-off nature and they wanted to plan ahead on a quarterly basis targeting both evergreen and seasonal topics, e.g. year-end tax tips in Q1 or tax preparation in Q1.
Inefficient Resource Allocation:
CRA was overspending on redundant tools, software-as-a-service (SaaS) products, and underutilized resources, impacting their marketing budget and ROI. The list of tools and subscriptions needed to be trimmed in order to be efficient and cost-effective. Various vendors were running SEM and SEO campaigns but not reporting on results; there was too much unmonitored activity across contractors without a dedicated resource to hold all accountable and track progress.
Lacking social media Presence and optimized blog content:
CRA had a blog but it was not optimized for search and keywords. Its publishing schedule lacked a strategic approach and schedule. In fact, the blog had too much wide-ranging content without writing for their target avatar (ideal client). This bulk posting approach hurt their SERP rankings for subject matter expertise from a Google search perspective. They wanted to rank for terms related to California taxes and estate planning for successful people nearing or in retirement.
Their minimal social media presence was missing the opportunity to grow their audience and brand awareness, and to showcase the friendly, intelligent advisors on their team. The blog, email, and social content read as somewhat canned and not personalized or reflective of the high-touch thoughtful nature of their team and the financial planning experience that delights their clients.
Our Approach:
Beetle Moment Marketing initiated a comprehensive marketing engagement and we created a strategy to address CRA's challenges and elevate their marketing efforts. The process began with our signature Brand Strategy and Messaging - Discovery Phase, which included stakeholder interviews to gain insights into CRA's business goals, existing marketing strategies, and areas for improvement.
We charted out all marketing expenditures and results in a single dashboard (a source of truth) and found areas to save CRA money without impacting results. Through this phase, we identified cost-saving opportunities, resulting in a 20% reduction in CRA's marketing spend by eliminating redundant tools and optimizing resources. Within three months engagement had increased 64% and spend was down.
Most importantly, we applied the branding and messaging creative to an operationalized approach to streamline and organize sharing content on social media, email, blog, and YouTube.
Our team operationalized content marketing with a strategic milestone-based timeline resulting in efficient batch delivery of content to the compliance team.
Key Actions:
1. Strategic Resource Allocation:
Beetle Moment Marketing sourced and managed two freelance marketing hires—one specializing in social media content creation and the other in SEO and website updates. This strategic allocation of resources ensured that CRA's marketing needs were efficiently met while optimizing their budget. The new social media resource was more expensive but created more engaging and effective content, driving over a 300% increase in engagement the first year.
We planned, produced, and recorded YouTube and social media videos about topics the target audience of pre-retirees would search for, e.g. HSA (Health Savings Account) and healthcare costs
2. Content Strategy Enhancement:
We devised seasonal financial content themes for CRA's social media platforms, focusing on engaging and informative content. This included guiding the content writer on optimizing YouTube and social media short-form videos to maximize audience engagement.
Off-site SEO strategy for CRA included Google Maps / Google My Business listing hygiene
3. Personalized Video Content Production:
We produced Riverside video recordings featuring CRA team members, highlighting their financial advice expertise. These recordings were edited into engaging social media videos, enriching CRA's brand presence and fostering audience connection.
4. Introducing Content Themes:
Beetle Moment Marketing introduced distinct content themes, such as "Core Definitions," to simplify complex financial concepts like Stretch IRA and See-Through Trust, making them more accessible to CRA's audience. We also grouped their YouTube videos into SEO-friendly YouTube Playlists.
5. Thematic and Topical Posts:
Beetle Moment Marketing created thematic and topical posts addressing important financial topics such as HSAs and healthcare costs in retirement, further establishing CRA as a trusted source of information.
Instagram grid for California Retirement Advisors mixes IG Reels and engaging graphics. We showcase their advisors and tax tips.
Results:
Significant Increase in Engagement:
In October 2023, CRA experienced a remarkable 204% increase in social media engagements compared to October 2022, showcasing the effectiveness of Beetle Moment Marketing's strategies.
optimized Video Format:
A/B testing of various video formats, including long-form widescreen for YouTube, square videos for social media, and one-minute vertical Reels and YouTube shorts, helped optimize content delivery and enhance audience interaction.
Boosted Overall Social Media Engagement Rate:
In November 2023, CRA achieved a 6.3% overall social media engagement rate, marking a significant 146% increase over the previous year.
Consistent Growth:
Throughout 2023, CRA witnessed consistent growth in engagements on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X, reaping the benefits of the organic work and efforts invested in both 2022 and 2023 content.
Their email marketing open rate and click rates each increased by over 14% YoY thanks to our updated email template design and content guidance.
See our work (multimedia showcase):
Samples of the content we created for California Retirement Advisors:
See Maili's YouTube Playlist on Financial Education
Conclusion:
Beetle Moment Marketing's collaboration with California Retirement Advisors exemplifies the transformative power of a strategic social media and video content approach. By implementing tailored strategies, optimizing resources, and fostering engaging content creation, CRA witnessed substantial growth in brand presence and audience engagement, positioning them as a prominent player in the competitive financial advisory landscape.
For more information on how Beetle Moment can elevate your marketing efforts, see our services or send us a message.