Native advertising has become a powerful tool in the financial sector, blending seamlessly with editorial content while promoting financial products and services. By providing value to readers, finance native ads build trust, increase engagement, and help businesses connect with potential clients. In this article, we’ll explore 11 notable examples of financial native ads and how they effectively employ this strategy to drive results.
What Are Finance Native Ads?
Before diving into examples, it’s important to understand what finance native ads are. Native advertising refers to ads that match the look, feel, and function of the media format in which they appear. In the case of financial native ads, these advertisements are designed to mimic editorial content on news websites, blogs, or financial news platforms. This subtle approach increases engagement by providing value while still promoting financial products or services.
Financial native advertising aims to educate consumers about financial products, services, or tips, making it a natural fit for the finance industry. These ads are less intrusive than traditional banners or pop-up ads, enhancing user experience while promoting financial solutions.
Mint’s Interactive Budgeting Tool Ad
Mint, the popular budgeting and financial planning app, is known for its native ads that blend seamlessly with editorial content. One example is their interactive budgeting tool ad, which appears as a helpful blog post offering tips on personal finance. Readers are encouraged to use the tool to track their spending.
Why It Works:
- Engaging Format: The ad doesn’t just promote Mint; it provides immediate value by allowing users to interact with the tool.
- Educational Content: It offers practical advice that resonates with consumers seeking financial management solutions.
- Subtle Branding: While the ad promotes Mint, the user’s focus is on solving a problem, rather than feeling like they’re being sold something.
NerdWallet’s Expert Advice Series
NerdWallet has successfully leveraged native advertising to drive awareness about its financial services. The company produces a series of “expert advice” articles that provide readers with unbiased insights on topics like credit scores, loans, and investing. These articles subtly promote NerdWallet’s comparison tools.
Why It Works:
- Credibility and Authority: By offering expert insights, NerdWallet establishes itself as a trusted source of financial information.
- High Relevance: The articles directly address pain points of the target audience, making them more likely to engage.
- Non-Intrusive: The content looks and feels like regular editorial pieces, ensuring the ad is not disruptive.
Chase’s Rewards Program Feature Article
Chase often uses native advertising to promote its credit cards and rewards programs. One notable example features an article discussing “How to Maximize Your Travel Points,” with subtle references to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card throughout.
Why It Works:
- Value-Oriented Content: Instead of hard-selling, the ad provides useful information for readers interested in maximizing their credit card rewards.
- Incorporation of Branding: Chase’s credit card is positioned as a solution, seamlessly incorporated into the content rather than as a standalone ad.
Vanguard’s Retirement Planning Infographic
Vanguard, a leader in retirement planning, utilizes infographics as part of their native advertising strategy. These infographics provide valuable insights on retirement savings and offer tips on how to plan for a financially secure future.
Why It Works:
- Visually Engaging: Infographics are highly shareable and visually appealing, encouraging readers to spend more time with the content.
- Educational Focus: The ad emphasizes the importance of retirement planning, positioning Vanguard as an expert in the field.
- Call-to-Action: The infographic includes a soft call-to-action to visit Vanguard’s retirement planning page.
Betterment’s Investment Guide
Betterment, an online investment management platform, promotes its services through native content that educates readers about smart investment strategies. One example is a guide titled “5 Investment Strategies to Grow Your Wealth,” which integrates Betterment’s services as a solution.
Why It Works:
- Practical Advice: By providing actionable financial advice, the ad resonates with readers interested in investing.
- Seamless Branding: Betterment’s platform is presented as a natural extension of the advice being given, without feeling forced.
- Targeted Audience: The ad targets individuals who are likely interested in automated investing, positioning Betterment as a relevant solution.
Fidelity’s Financial Literacy Quiz
Fidelity’s approach to native ads includes interactive quizzes that test readers’ knowledge of financial literacy. The quiz provides tailored results and suggests appropriate financial products based on the user’s score.
Why It Works:
- Interactive Experience: Quizzes are a fun and engaging way to interact with potential customers while subtly promoting Fidelity’s products.
- Personalized Advice: The results of the quiz guide users toward Fidelity’s offerings, ensuring a more targeted and relevant experience.
- Educational Content: The quiz helps users learn more about personal finance, building trust in Fidelity’s brand.
SoFi’s Student Loan Refinancing Comparison Tool
SoFi promotes its student loan refinancing services through a native ad that features a comparison tool. The ad appears on websites that cater to young professionals or college graduates, helping them compare loan rates.
Why It Works:
- High Relevance: The ad is targeted at individuals who would benefit most from student loan refinancing.
- Practical Tool: The comparison tool provides tangible value, helping potential customers make informed financial decisions.
- Soft Sell: The ad doesn’t aggressively push SoFi’s services but rather presents them as a solution to a specific problem.
American Express’s Financial Advice Column
American Express has created a native advertising series featuring financial experts offering advice on topics like budgeting, credit card management, and saving for large expenses. These articles provide genuine insights while promoting American Express’s products and services.
Why It Works:
- Expert Authority: Featuring well-known financial experts increases the credibility of the content.
- Educational Value: The financial advice provided is actionable, which keeps readers engaged.
- Brand Alignment: The content aligns with American Express’s brand as a provider of premium financial products.
Capital One’s Money Management Tips
Capital One leverages native advertising by creating articles focused on money management, such as “How to Build an Emergency Fund” and “The Best Ways to Save for Retirement.” These posts are subtly branded with references to Capital One’s services.
Why It Works:
- Topical Relevance: The content focuses on key financial concerns, ensuring that the target audience finds it useful.
- Solution-Oriented: Capital One’s services are integrated into the content as solutions to the problems discussed.
- Subtle Promotion: Capital One’s brand doesn’t overwhelm the article, ensuring the focus remains on providing value to the reader.
Acorns’ Investment Education Series
Acorns, a micro-investing platform, frequently uses native ads to promote its service while educating users about the benefits of starting to invest early. Their content often takes the form of articles or videos that explore topics like “The Power of Compound Interest.”
Why It Works:
- Simple and Accessible Content: Acorns presents investment concepts in an easy-to-understand manner, making financial education accessible to all.
- Integrated Messaging: Acorns’ service is positioned as a simple way to begin investing, aligning perfectly with the educational content.
- Trust Building: Providing useful financial education helps build trust in Acorns as a financial services provider.
LendingClub’s Personal Loan Guide
LendingClub, a peer-to-peer lending platform, uses native ads to educate users about personal loans. The article, titled “When to Consider a Personal Loan,” offers valuable advice while subtly introducing LendingClub as a solution.
Why It Works:
- Timely Content: Personal loans are a timely topic, especially during economic uncertainty, making this ad relevant to readers.
- Soft Promotion: The ad doesn’t aggressively sell LendingClub’s services but rather highlights how they can assist in specific financial situations.
- Clear Call-to-Action: At the end of the article, readers are encouraged to explore LendingClub’s loan options.
Conclusion
Financial native advertising has proven to be a highly effective strategy for reaching consumers in a non-disruptive, engaging way. By blending educational content with subtle promotion, these 11 examples demonstrate how financial services ads can deliver value while encouraging conversions. As the industry continues to evolve, financial institutions that prioritize user engagement, offer relevant information, and maintain transparency will continue to lead the way in native advertising.
Author: Anna Frozen
7SearchPPC is a leading ad network specializing in financial advertising, helping businesses reach their target audience with precision. Our platform offers high-quality traffic, advanced targeting options, and cost-effective solutions to promote financial products and services. Boost your brand visibility, drive conversions, and achieve measurable results with 7SearchPPC’s trusted advertising network tailored for financial marketers.
