Three posts of note this week.
Four compelling posts covering two weeks here. Interesting to see the diversity; one post (from Vanguard) speaking very directly to advanced portfolio construction concerns, while another post (from Natixis) speaking directly to the need for end-investor education on alternatives.
Hope it was an enjoyable Columbus Day for all. Two posts this week, including another asset manager new to the Best…
COPE – Create once, publish everywhere – comes from the developer world as a philosophy that emphasizes organizing and managing data/information, with a de-emphasis on Web publishing templates. During a meeting last week, I heard COPE used relative to content marketing and thought it works well when thinking about asset management thought leadership.
Placing thought leadership content on the firm’s Web site is the first and necessary step. If it’s the last step, we’re stuck with “Create once, publish once” and the content’s value is limited only to frequent site visitors. Some FAs may find the content there, many more will not. Consider digital distribution via:
There’s an industry trend towards more compact sites via mega menus (below example from American Funds) and contextual content (i.e., a right-hand rail that links up related materials). (The trend is away from breadcrumbs.) While there are pros and cons to any approach, there’s a primary advantage from compacting sites. Flatter sites facilitate firm information, products, and thought leadership becoming more interconnected than ever. Since the user isn’t driven down an ever-narrowing rabbit hole, she can view specific content as it relates products and people. That interconnection leads to a more natural experience for financial advisors and institutional investors/consultants.
