Short-Form Content Marketing for Financial Advisors

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In today’s digital world, attention is the most coveted form of currency. With over 720,000 hours of video uploaded to YouTube daily, the competition for this precious attention has never been so fierce.

One way you can cut through the noise is by creating short-form video content. These bite-sized snippets are increasingly popular, with the average person consuming 17 hours of short-form content per week. Some of these avid consumers may be your prospective clients.

Below, we’ll break down what short-form content is, explore its benefits, and show you how to harness its potential to grow your financial advisory practice. And don’t worry—you don’t need a production team to get started—just a simple script and your smartphone!

What is Short-Form Content for Financial Advisors?

Short-form content refers to videos that share a focused message in a short amount of time. They typically last between 30 and 90 seconds, though some social media platforms allow short-form videos to be up to three minutes long.

The purpose of short-form content is to capture viewers’ attention, spark their curiosity, and encourage engagement—whether that’s a like, comment, share, or direct message.

4 Benefits of Creating Short-Form Content

Many people assume that short-form content is only for younger generations, given its popularity on social media platforms like TikTok. However, it’s not just a fleeting trend—it reflects a more significant shift in how people increasingly prefer to consume information.

Since the rise of social media, people have been bombarded with more information than ever. Busy consumers, including high-net-worth individuals, often lack time for long-winded explanations. Short-form content gives these consumers the fast insights they’re craving without the extra fluff.

With that in mind, let’s examine four benefits of producing short-form content:

It gets to the point – Over the past few decades, our attention spans have decreased. As of 2025, the average person’s attention span is just 8 seconds—the same length as a goldfish! Rather than resisting this trend, short-form content embraces it, delivering valuable insights in seconds and keeping viewers’ attention long enough to make an impact.
It can spread like wildfire – Social media platforms have noticed short-form videos’ ability to engage audiences. Thus, all major platforms—from Instagram to YouTube to TikTok—now promote short-form videos in users’ feeds. By producing these bite-sized bits, you can gain a valuable boost from the algorithms and get in front of more potential clients during their daily scrolling routines.
It helps you build trust – As a financial advisor, your value lies in your clients’ trust. Short-form videos allow prospective clients to see you, hear you, and develop familiarity with your expertise and communication style. Over time, this familiarity can strengthen their trust and make them more likely to convert into clients once they schedule their first call.
It’s easy to produce – Unlike an eBook or podcast episode, short-form videos are relatively easy to create on a tight timeline. You only need your smartphone, some decent lighting, and a minute-long script. Once you record your snippet, you can edit it in a few clicks using convenient mobile editing applications.
It gives you control of the narrative – With short-form content, you get to control your message from start to finish. You can craft your content to be precisely what you want it to be, making sure it aligns with your brand and speaks directly to your target audience’s needs and interests.

Short-Form Content Ideas for Financial Advisors

Now that you know the benefits of short-form content, you may wonder what topics to explore in your videos. Here are a few ideas to kickstart your creativity:

Educational content – Did you know that over half of American adults lack financial literacy? This knowledge gap gives you a powerful opportunity to educate and empower your audience. For example, you can create an ongoing series of short-form videos exploring key financial subjects, from helpful investment tips to popular retirement planning strategies.
Timely market insights – Market updates are another type of video that performs well. Using your expertise, you can break down current financial trends or events in a way that the average consumer can understand. Not only can these videos help viewers make more informed choices, but they can also position you as an industry expert.
FAQs – Chances are, your clients ask similar questions when they first start working with you: “How much should I save for retirement?” “What are the best strategies to minimize my taxes?” “What exactly does a financial advisor do?” These common questions can serve as inspiration for your short-form content. To foster more engagement, encourage your viewers to share their most pressing financial questions and respond to them directly in your videos. These personalized shoutouts can garner rapport and spark valuable discussions in the comments section.
Day-in-the-life insights – Many people are curious about the ins and outs of other professionals. You can satisfy this curiosity while humanizing your online presence by offering a glimpse into your work days as a financial advisor. Some fun ideas include showcasing your office space, introducing your team, or discussing your daily routines.
Long-form content teases – Not every short-form post needs to be made from scratch. You can save time by repurposing your longer-form content, such as YouTube videos, webinars, or podcast episodes. Simply cut out attention-grabbing clips and encourage your viewers to check out the longer-form content for more information.
Success stories – People love hearing about real-life success stories, especially financial achievements. Thus, you can highlight ways you’ve helped your clients reach their financial goals—buying their first home, securing a comfortable retirement, or successfully managing debt. Just keep these stories anonymous to protect your clients’ privacy.

9 Steps to Create Compelling Short-Form Videos as a Financial Advisor

With a few topic ideas under your belt, let’s dive into nine essential steps for creating engaging short-form videos.

Step #1: Consider Your Audience

Before you set up the camera, think about who you’re talking to on the other end. Each video you post should speak to your ideal clients’ needs, concerns, and priorities, whether pre-retirees or young professionals.

Step #2: Create Your Content Calendar

With your target audience in mind, brainstorm a list of potential topics for your short-form content. To maximize engagement and win over the algorithms, you should aim to post at least three to five times per week.

If daily content creation stresses you out, simply set aside time once a month to plan your content for the upcoming weeks. This focused planning session can provide a clear roadmap for the month ahead, ensuring you never get stuck on what topic to explore next.

Step #3: Perfect Your Filming Set Up

Today’s online users expect polished videos. Fortunately, you don’t need fancy equipment to film high-quality snippets. Most modern smartphone cameras are more than sufficient.

If you want to take your production quality to the next level, consider investing in:

A ring light to ensure consistent, flattering lighting at any time of day.
A lapel microphone so you can capture crisp audio without distracting background noises.
A clean backdrop, whether your office, home, or a well-composed green screen.

Step #4: Write a Script

With short-form content, every second counts. A solid script can help you deliver your message clearly and concisely. Make sure it starts with a captivating hook and covers all your key points before time runs out.

Keep your language simple and avoid jargon. You should talk as if you’re explaining concepts to a client in a meeting. This will make your content more relatable and accessible to the average viewer.

If you’re short on time or ideas, AI tools like ChatGPT can help you quickly draft scripts and outlines, streamlining your content creation process.

Step #5: Batch Film Your Content

As a financial advisor, your schedule is likely filled with client meetings, financial planning, and administrative tasks. Thus, creating multiple videos each week may sound overwhelming.

To save time and streamline your workflow, try batch filming your content. Dedicate a specific day each week to record several videos in one session. You can also batch-edit your videos and schedule them throughout the month. Some helpful social media scheduling tools include Hootsuite, Buffer, and Later.

Step #6: Repurpose Content

As we discussed earlier, you can repurpose other types of content for your short-form videos. Simply cut longer videos into smaller segments. For example, you could transform a 30-minute Medicare planning webinar into five quick YouTube Shorts on the various Plans (A, B, C, and D).

Step #7: Add Captions

Many people scroll through social media with the sound off, especially when browsing in public or during work hours. Adding captions ensures your content remains accessible and engaging for these viewers. These captions also help emphasize key points, making your video more impactful. Luckily, adding captions is a breeze with today’s automated tools, like CapCut and Descript.

Step #8: Share on Your Chosen Platforms

After finalizing a video, you can post it across several social media platforms to maximize your reach. The most popular platforms for short-form content in 2025 include:

YouTube – YouTube Shorts have become wildly popular since their launch in September 2020. These videos are often featured in Google search results, expanding your videos’ reach beyond the platform itself. Better yet, YouTube’s advanced analytics can help you track video performance and adjust your content strategy.
LinkedIn – LinkedIn remains the leading platform for B2B professionals and affluent individuals. As a result, it’s an excellent platform to share timely financial tips, break down market trends, or answer common client questions.
TikTok – TikTok isn’t just for teens anymore—financial literacy content is booming on the platform, and younger professionals often use it to find advisors who understand their goals. If you’re targeting Millennials or Gen Z, TikTok is a powerful tool to connect with this audience.
Instagram – Instagram is an ideal platform for posting behind-the-scenes looks at your practice and showcasing your personality. Thanks to the platform’s high engagement rates and seamless Stories integration, it’s a powerful platform to display your expertise.

Step #9: Always End with a Call-to-Action (CTA)

While short-form content only engages viewers briefly, it can facilitate longer-lasting connections if you include a CTA at the end of each video. Some ideas include:

“Follow me for more retirement planning tips.”
“Download my free guide on estate planning.”
“Message me to schedule a consultation.”

Step #10: Be Authentic

At the end of the day, authenticity is what will set your short-form content apart. Your audience wants to connect with you—not a rehearsed persona.

Don’t be afraid to showcase your personality and to speak in a relatable way. When you come across as genuine, you’ll build more trust and credibility, making viewers more likely to engage with your content and reach out for your services.

Key Challenges in Creating Short-Form Content For Financial Advisors

While generating short-form content is straightforward, it presents some concerns for those in the financial services industry. Some key challenges include:

Compliance – Compliance is a critical consideration for financial advisors on social media. Your short-form content must adhere to FINRA, SEC, and firm-specific policies. Fortunately, several tools help you stay compliant, such as Hearsay, a video posting platform with built-in compliance workflows, and Smarsh, a video archiving tool designed for easy auditing and regulatory oversight. For more tailored compliance tips, consider partnering with a trusted Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), like Alden Investment Group.
Filming anxiety – Not everyone is a natural on camera, and that’s okay. You can start creating short-form content by sharing voiceover videos and build your confidence from there. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become speaking directly to the camera.
Time constraints – If you’re like many advisors, you already feel strapped for time with your current workload. Along with batch filming and scheduling short-form posts, you can save time by outsourcing your video editing to a freelancer. Additionally, you can carve out more time in your schedule by leveraging a time-saving Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP), like Alden COVE.

Master Short-Form Content With Alden Investment Group’s Support

Short-form content has the potential to skyrocket your success online, helping you build trust with prospective clients across multiple platforms. As a result, it’s one of the most effective marketing strategies at your disposal in 2025.

If you need help crafting a winning short-form content strategy, Alden Investment Group can assist. As an RIA and broker-dealer, we specialize in helping independent advisors grow their businesses. By partnering with us, you can gain access to a wealth of marketing resources, along with our exclusive tech solutions, compliance tools, and advisor networks.

Ready to take your financial advisor marketing to the next level? Reach out to our team today.

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