Watch Your Conversions Skyrocket: The 3 Game-Changing Creative Strategies Every Financial Brand Needs

As an experienced marketer, we’re sure you’re no stranger to the challenge of capturing attention in a crowded digital landscape. Competition is fierce, especially on powerful platforms like Google and Facebook.

Let’s be clear – creativity in this context isn’t about producing the most visually stunning ads or the wittiest headlines. It’s about crafting a message that resonates with your audience, connecting on a human level that transcends the numbers and the jargon. It’s about delivering your message in a way that’s not only eye-catching but also emotionally engaging.

In this article, we will delve into the key factors that drive ad performance, examine the game-changing impact of creativity on conversion rates, and explore three innovative ways to enhance your ad creativity.

Our aim is not to advocate for creativity for creativity’s sake. Rather, we want to show you how a strategic, creativity-driven approach can be a powerful tool to make your brand stand out, grow, and become dominant in your market.

As an agency with a track record of helping brands scale new heights, we’ve witnessed first-hand how a fresh dose of creativity can make the difference between an ad that gets scrolled past and one that gets clicked.

Creativity is your secret weapon

Creativity is the fuel that can supercharge your marketing. It’s not just about coming up with unique ideas, but about creating content that truly connects with your audience – often affluent, middle-aged consumers who are looking for financial services they can trust.

When you’re creative, you can grab their attention, stir powerful emotions, and leave a lasting memory.

Consider this study from Nielsen, which found that creativity is a critical factor in a campaign’s success. The consulting firm identified three main things that contribute to successful advertising:

• The size and market share of your brand
• How creative your ads are
• Where you’re spending your ad budget.

Building a large brand takes time and patience, so that leaves creativity and budgeting as the two things you can adjust to see immediate results.

How creative marketing builds long-term success

Creative marketing campaigns don’t just give you short-term wins. They also help to shape how customers see your brand, build trust, and create a strong foundation for your long-term success.

And the great thing about creativity? Its effects build up over time. When you consistently communicate your brand’s values, create emotional connections, and provide memorable experiences, you can build a strong and loyal customer base.

But, it’s important to remember that advertising needs to be consistent. According to a study by Kantar Millward Brown, when a brand stops advertising, it can lead to an immediate drop in sales.

At our agency, we’ve seen these principles at work. Brands that consistently use creativity in their campaigns not only survive tough economic times but become stronger. They ready themselves to lead the market.

The performance impact of great creative

In performance marketing, the quality of creative execution has a significant impact on campaign performance.

When comparing click-through rates and conversion rates of campaigns with exceptional creative against those with subpar creative, the difference becomes evident.

Well-crafted creative content that resonates with the target audience drives higher engagement, boosts click-through rates, and improves conversion rates.

What difference does great creative make in the real world? Let’s take a look at an example from one of Receptional’s clients – we won’t name them, as the data are commercially sensitive – to see the tangible impact that creative excellence can have on performance-driven campaigns.

We tested two different digital ads. The only difference between the two was the creative – the audience and objectives were the same. One of the creatives performed much better than the other. The high-performing creative had a click-through rate of 19.1%, while the other – let’s call it sub-par – attracted just 3.2% of potential clicks.

That’s a phenomenal difference. The high-performing creative is attracting six times as much business as the inferior creative. Same audience, same message, same objective. Creativity accounts for the difference in performance.

What makes creative great?

Understanding what makes creative great is the key to crafting impactful campaigns that truly resonate with your audience and deliver the desired results. In this section, we’ll explore the essential elements that contribute to the effectiveness of digital advertising campaigns. At Receptional, we focus on three crucial areas that make all the difference:

– Emotional response

Picture this: the sheer joy of moving into your very first home, the excitement of taking your family on a memorable holiday, or the comforting feeling of being protected against life’s uncertainties. It’s the emotions that an advertisement evokes that have a profound influence on a consumer’s intent, even more so than the ad’s content itself. While people might not remember your sales pitch, they’ll certainly remember how it made them feel.

Good creative taps into emotions and establishes a deep connection with our audience. To support our audience research, we conducted a survey of 500 high-net-worth individuals, asking them about their online buying behaviours. You can download a copy of the survey results here.

By understanding the aspirations, desires, and pain points of our target market, we can create messaging and visuals that evoke strong emotional responses. We have the power to create unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impact and drive meaningful engagement.

– Brand recall

Memorability is a crucial aspect of great creative. Effective campaigns leave an indelible mark in the minds of the audience, making it easy for them to recall the brand and its message.

Clever storytelling and impactful visuals, alongside your brand, contribute to a distinctive and unforgettable campaign. By ensuring that the creative execution aligns seamlessly with the brand identity, finance marketers can foster strong brand recognition and recall among their target audience.

– A clear and seamless call to action

While building brand awareness is important, let’s not forget that we’re also in the business of selling products and services. That’s why great creative must incorporate a clear call to action.

Whether it’s a simple click, form submission or a purchase, the creative should guide the audience effortlessly through the conversion process. Conversion is often overlooked in brand campaigns, but it’s an essential element.

A portion of your audience will be in buying mode, so it’s important to make it easy for potential customers to get in touch. By optimising the user experience and making the response mechanism intuitive and accessible, you can maximise the effectiveness of your digital campaigns.

Creativity is intelligence having fun

We hope this article has reinvigorated your creative spirit. But remember, it’s not just about being innovative – it’s about connecting with your audience on a deeper level. Striking an emotional chord, making a lasting impression, and providing a clear path for action are the factors that truly elevate your digital advertising efforts.

If you want to delve deeper into how to blend brand and performance marketing in the financial services sector, we have just the resource for you. Our eBook, “The Art of Thriving: How to Blend Brand and Performance Marketing in Financial Services” is a comprehensive guide to mastering this crucial balance.

The eBook provides in-depth insight into how successful financial brands are leveraging creativity in their marketing strategies. It’s packed with practical tips, real-life examples, and proven strategies to help you harness the power of creativity.

Click the link below to download a copy:

[Download The Art of Thriving: How to Blend Brand and Performance Marketing in Financial Services]