Asset managers should provide content to their clients that focuses on the bigger picture and doesn't simply repeat the news of the day.
Richard Lander of CityWire
That's the advice of Richard Lander of CityWire, a company that provides custom content to asset management companies.
Lander also highlights the popularity of self-contained email as a means of distributing content within the asset management sector.
And he stresses the need for compelling subject lines to encourage email opens.
Speaking in a webinar hosted by digital platform provider Kurtosys, Lander said everyone remains "in a battle for time and attention" when it comes to sharing information online.
The trick is not to compete with news around the initial event but to create "second order" content that takes a compelling perspective on the subject at hand and answers the questions: "What does this mean for the industry" and "What does this mean for me?"
Thought pieces exploring the future state of industries in response to current events tended to resonate well in the asset management community.
And providing this information in a single email or PDF with no need to link out appealed to many readers. Printed material is also a popular option.
The Importance of Headlines
In terms of headlines, asking questions and including an element of surprise were good practices to improve open rates. "Why should I be interested in the Dutch election results?" was an instance of a recent headline that gained strong opens on a topic that might otherwise be viewed as marginal in its relevance.
“The trick is not to compete with news around the initial event but to create “second order” content that take a compelling perspective on the subject at hand and answers the question: “What does this mean for me?””
Lander also stressed the need to keep content straightforward and to avoid jargon. Content that baffles or patronizes will not get read.
Topics of top interest to the asset manager sector concentrate around macro economics, politics and technology.
Perhaps unsurprisingly after the fake news controversy of the past 12 months, the investing community is increasingly turning back to established news organizations for their information and less inclined than in previous years to use social media as a source for news.
