Who. Kim Rosenblum is CMO of Betterment, an independent digital investing advisor platform. The 16-year-old company began as a direct-to-consumer platform, giving people easy access to investing in ETFs and long-term wealth management. It was the first “robo-advisor,” which provides automated investment portfolios based on your preferences and is now a standard feature of every investment firm doing business online.
Over the past few years, the company has expanded its scope to include B2B services like 401k programs, a solution for registered independent advisors and more.
The problem. Despite Betterment’s long-term success and technical accomplishments, it has a real problem with brand awareness. One reason is they operate in the shadow of sector giant Fidelity Investments.
“You start as a digital brand going into a legacy category where Fidelity has online presence and brick-and-mortar offices and they’re running ads in a huge media spend,” Rosenblum told MarTech.
“While we have a really sticky customer base, we don’t have a lot of awareness or familiarity,” she said. “When you think awareness, most people think consumer, but when we go to talk about our 401K, the chief people officer has to go to the company and say, ‘Hey, we’re going with this Betterment.’ And people are like, ‘What’s that? Who’s running my retirement plan?’”
However, the brand’s focus on long-term investing and planning does help it stand out in the fintech sector.
Dig deeper: B2B content marketing: Driving success through strategic content creation
The solution. Last month, Rosenblum and her team launched the year-long brand awareness campaign “Pursue Better.” It features four professional athletes facing the same challenges as the millennial audience segment the company is going after. They are WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale, recently retired women’s soccer legend Carli Lloyd, quarterback Drake Maye — last year’s first-round draft pick by the New England Patriots, and golfer Michael Thorbjornsen who recently joined the PGA Tour after a highly successful career as an amateur.
“Our core business is really aimed at the millennial professional space,” said Rosenblum. “People who are starting to invest for the long term or are at the beginning of an investing journey.”
This audience segment consists of people who have big life events happening, she said. They’re buying homes, having their first child and the other things that have people thinking long term.
“They’re optimizers,” Rosenblum said. “They like to do things that are efficient, because they’re super busy people. For our campaign, we wanted people who have very busy, packed lives and don’t have time to think about their finances day-to-day. All of them are in a life stage that is at a turning point. They’re at a place where they need to focus all in on what they’re doing.”
Case in point: Carli Lloyd. Even though she just retired — something few, if any, millennials are currently doing — she’s also beginning a career as a Fox Sports analyst and is about to have a baby.
“She very much wants to focus everything and all her talent and into this next chapter of her life,” said Rosenblum. “She’s got a lot going on. So who’s taking care of her money long term?”
It’s also an audience segment that grew up using their phone for everything: “It’s not an unusual concept to them to think about a digital or tech platform as their first stop for financial planning, which might have been a little bit mind-blowing 10 years ago.”
Dig deeper: Where AI falls short in high-stakes B2B industries
Content and channels. The campaign, launched days before we spoke with Rosenblum, is using YouTube and paid social media.
For content, the Betterment team spent a full day shooting video with each athlete. From that, they created about 30 pieces of content for each person. The content will be posted on social media ads and the athletes will post them using their own handles.
“We weren’t expecting any lessons learned four days after launch,” said Rosenblum, “but everyone posted on the first day. And on that day the cumulative views and engagement was well beyond our expectations, like 10 times what our own organic social could have gotten in that time.”
Measuring success. Brand awareness campaigns are trickier to measure than those aimed at increasing sales.
“We have a brand health tracker that we keep an eye on, measuring ourselves against a competitive set,” she said. “We look at awareness, familiarity, momentum, quality and we also ask people to tell us brand attributes.”
The company wants to be known as the trusted brand that handles your money so you can live your life.
“Trust is really important,” Rosenblum said. “We’re managing people’s retirement.”
The post Behind the scenes of Betterment’s B2B brand awareness campaign appeared first on MarTech.
# An Inside Look at Betterment’s B2B Brand Awareness Campaign Strategy
In the ever-evolving financial services industry, Betterment has emerged as a leading player in the robo-advisory space. While the company is widely known for its direct-to-consumer (D2C) offerings, Betterment has also made significant strides in the business-to-business (B2B) sector. This article takes a closer look at Betterment’s B2B brand awareness campaign strategy, exploring how the company has successfully positioned itself as a trusted partner for businesses seeking digital wealth management solutions.
## Understanding Betterment’s B2B Offering
Betterment’s B2B services are primarily focused on two key areas:
1. **Betterment for Business**: This offering is designed for companies looking to provide their employees with 401(k) retirement plans. Betterment’s platform simplifies retirement planning by offering automated investment advice, low fees, and personalized portfolios.
2. **Betterment for Advisors**: This service is targeted at financial advisors who want to leverage Betterment’s technology to manage their clients’ investments more efficiently. The platform provides tools for portfolio management, tax optimization, and reporting, allowing advisors to focus on client relationships rather than administrative tasks.
Given the competitive nature of the financial services industry, Betterment has had to develop a robust B2B brand awareness strategy to differentiate itself from traditional financial institutions and other fintech competitors. Let’s explore the key components of this strategy.
## 1. **Targeted Content Marketing**
Betterment’s B2B brand awareness campaign heavily relies on content marketing to educate potential clients about the benefits of its services. The company produces a wide range of content, including blog posts, whitepapers, webinars, and case studies, tailored to the specific needs of its B2B audience.
For example, Betterment for Business frequently publishes content that addresses common pain points for HR professionals and business owners, such as how to choose the right 401(k) provider or how to improve employee engagement with retirement plans. By offering valuable insights and practical advice, Betterment positions itself as a thought leader in the retirement planning space.
Similarly, Betterment for Advisors creates content that speaks directly to financial advisors, focusing on topics like tax-efficient investing, portfolio diversification, and the benefits of using technology to streamline operations. This content not only helps build trust with advisors but also demonstrates Betterment’s deep understanding of the challenges they face.
### Key Takeaway:
Betterment’s content marketing strategy is highly targeted, with a focus on addressing the unique needs and pain points of its B2B audience. By providing valuable, actionable insights, the company builds credibility and fosters trust among potential clients.
## 2. **Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations**
One of the cornerstones of Betterment’s B2B brand awareness strategy is its focus on forming strategic partnerships with other businesses and organizations. These partnerships allow Betterment to tap into new audiences and expand its reach within the B2B space.
For instance, Betterment for Business has partnered with payroll providers and HR software companies to integrate its retirement plan services into existing platforms. This not only makes it easier for businesses to adopt Betterment’s 401(k) solutions but also increases the company’s visibility among HR professionals and business owners who may not have been aware of Betterment’s offerings.
Betterment for Advisors has also formed partnerships with financial planning software providers and custodians, allowing advisors to seamlessly integrate Betterment’s platform into their existing workflows. These collaborations help Betterment reach a broader audience of financial advisors while also enhancing the value of its platform.
### Key Takeaway:
Strategic partnerships are a key component of Betterment’s B2B brand awareness strategy. By collaborating with complementary businesses and integrating its services into existing platforms, Betterment is able to expand its reach and increase its visibility within the B2B market.
## 3. **Leveraging Social Proof and Case Studies**
In the B2B space, trust and credibility are paramount. To build trust with potential clients, Betterment leverages social proof in the form of case studies, testimonials, and success stories from existing clients.
For example, Betterment for Business features case studies from companies that have successfully implemented its 401(k) solutions. These case studies highlight the positive impact Betterment has had on employee engagement, retirement savings, and overall financial wellness. By showcasing real-world examples of businesses that have benefited from its services, Betterment is able to build credibility and demonstrate the tangible value of its offerings.
Betterment for Advisors also uses case studies to highlight how financial advisors have used its platform to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide better service to their clients. These success stories serve as powerful testimonials that can help convince other advisors to adopt Betterment’s technology.
### Key Takeaway:
Social proof is a powerful tool in Betterment’s B2B brand awareness strategy. By showcasing success stories and testimonials from existing clients, Betterment is able to build trust and
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