What should financial marketers blog about this month? Our monthly roundup has you covered with timely topics for blog posts, social media campaigns, and other marketing ideas.
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Topic #1: Financial Literacy Month
#FinancialLiteracyMonth #FLM18
The Angle
- April is Financial Literacy Month – a great opportunity to engage with consumers about upping their finance game (especially if your product/service can help them do that!).
- If it seems like American financial literacy is declining, that’s because it is: a 2016 FINRA study found that participants got worse at answering a 5-question financial capability quiz over the prior three years.
- The blog angles here are endless. If you’re a lender, you may want to focus on smart borrowing and debt reduction tactics. Financial advisors and planners can address basic investment topics and our country’s dismal savings statistics.
Blog Inspiration
Why Financial Wellness Matters (Forbes)
Infographic: The Financial Literacy Problem (Wealth 101)
Financial Literacy: Make the Most of Your Money (Nerdwallet)
Topic #2: Tax Day
#taxseason #taxtime #taxreturn
The Angle
- Tax Day is Tuesday, April 17, 2018. While 85 million Americans have already filed their taxes this year, a lot of people leave it to the last minute – giving financial marketers and advisors an opportunity to provide down-to-the-wire tips and insights.
- An ever-popular tax-time topic is what to do with a tax refund, from investing to saving to paying down debt. The IRS expects nearly 70 percent of taxpayers to receive refunds this year, and the average refund so far is $2,925.
- A burning question on everyone’s mind is how the recent tax cut bill, signed into law in December, may impact returns. While the majority of effects won’t happen until next year’s tax returns, there are a few provisions that affect 2017 and even 2016 taxes retroactively.
Blog Inspiration
5 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund (Forbes)
Tax Reform Changes That Impact 2017 Taxes (TurboTax)
Tax Tips for the Individual Investor (Investopedia)
Topic #3: Earth Day Investing
#EarthDay2018 #ESG
The Angle
- Earth Day is Sunday, April 22nd, and throughout the month there will be a plethora of events and online discussions around the topic of saving the environment (this year’s theme is “End Plastic Pollution”).
- Earth Month is a great opportunity to provide insights on ESG, SRI, impact investing, or whatever your organization chooses to call it. Investors (particularly young ones) are increasingly interested in reducing the environmental footprint of their portfolios – without sacrificing performance.
- Asset managers and index providers with an ESG product should have a lot to blog about, while financial advisors can cover the considerations of impact investing, including how to select an instrument that reflects your specific goals and values.
Blog Inspiration
Earth Day: The Rise of Smart Sustainability (FTSE Russell)
How Earth Day Reflects the Future of Investing (CNBC)
An Earth Day Guide to Action Through Impact Investing (The Case Foundation)
Topic #4: Equal Pay Day
#EqualPayDay
The Angle
- Equal Pay Day is Tuesday, April 10th. Started by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996, the “holiday” is held every year in April to symbolize how far into the year women would need to work in order to make what a man did the year before.
- Even as the wage gap has narrowed, working women continue to lag men in one important area: retirement savings. A recent Prudential study found that 401(k) balances of female employees are one-third lower than their male counterparts on average.
- Financial marketers and advisors have a clear opportunity to blog about a plethora of “women and investing” topics (see below for ideas).
Blog Inspiration
The Best Defense Against the Gender Pay Gap (Cashville Skyline)
The Stock Market Doesn’t Know You’re a Woman (MarketWatch)
Majority of Millennial Women Have Money to Invest, But Fear Holds Them Back (Benzinga)
Topic #5: Favorite Financial Books
#WorldBookDay
The Angle
- World Book Day is Monday, April 23rd. Switch gears from financial literacy to straight-up literacy with this United Nations-sponsored holiday.
- I’ll admit this one is a step or two removed from financial topics, but it’s actually a great opportunity to do a round-up blog on your favorite financial books (or, your thought leaders’ favorite financial books – and you know those people like to read. A lot.).
- Remember to tag the authors you’ve highlighted when promoting the blog on Twitter – you may get a retweet!
Blog Inspiration
17 Personal Finance Books That Will Change Your Life (Making Sense of Cents)
12 Non-Financial Books That Will Help You Cultivate a Mindset of Financial Independence (The Simple Dollar)
New Investor Books – Top 10 Picks (Value Walk)
Look Ahead: May Topics
- FOMC Meeting (May 1-2)
- Mother’s Day (May 13)
- National 529 Savings Day (May 29)
What are you blogging about this month? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section!
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