Downloading a game? A few taps and you're in. A financial app? That's a whole different ballgame. People aren't just handing over storage space; they're entrusting you with their financial well-being. Trust is paramount. Nobody downloads a fintech app for the features alone. They download it for what those features do for them—a more secure future, greater control, peace of mind. Want your app in more hands? Stop selling the app, start selling the dream, and build the trust that makes that dream believable.

Humanizing Your Fintech App Through Story

How much money a person has will never be as interesting as how they got it and what they do with it. Why?  Because “how much” is just a number, while the others are stories. 

Storytelling is what makes an emotional connection with a potential customer, allowing them to relate to someone else’s journey and go with them on it. But it’s their story! Your app needs to be one of the supporting players that helps them to reach their goals. That's when you’ve given people a reason to download.

This isn’t news to financial brands. Newfangled Studios’ longtime client, Bank of America, ends every piece of video content with “What Would You Like The Power to Do?” because they understand each person’s goals may be different, but the desire to reach them is universal. 

That’s why we inject narrative into our FinTech clients’ marketing, even when the goal is app downloads. Because the app itself will never be as compelling as what a user might do with it, whether it means investing so retirement is possible, or running their small business more efficiently from the palm of their hand. 

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Lights, Camera, Download: The Essential Role of Video in Fintech Marketing

You’re reading this blog, which means you’re serious about promoting your app. But it also means you’re in the minority of people who are compelled by copy alone. FinTech apps need to be seen in action to generate any kind of response. And while a still frame might help someone imagine how they’ll use your app, a video elevates the perception of the product and requires a lot less heavy lifting for your target. 

But before you look at your budget, facepalm and assume video is unattainable, understand that in today’s media landscape, not everything has to be a Hollywood blockbuster. Different types of video do different jobs, especially depending on the platform where you share them. Here are three common approaches.

• Animation: A visual and brand-forward way to explain abstract concepts or simplify complex features. Easy to version and update as well.
• Live Action: The inclusion of humanity builds trust, especially when showcasing people using the app to enjoy their hard work or perseverance.
• User-Generated Content: When real customers advocate for your app and show off how it works, they create an impossible-to-manufacture sense of community and authenticity.

At Newfangled Studios, we’re (very humble) experts in each of the above and have pioneered efficiencies for delivering all of them. But we also make sure to include the app in use, regardless of production approach.

I know. You’re scrolling back up to the part where we said the app isn’t the star of the show, and that’s true. But there are reams of data confirming people want to see the app working before they download, and video is the best way to deliver that. So don’t get cheeky and hide your UI. Give the app its moment in your video campaign so people know what to expect once it’s on their phones. 

The Social Currency of Fintech: How to Earn Attention and Drive App Downloads

Engagement is the true currency of social media marketing, so don’t expect to slap your broadcast ads or digital banners onto a social platform and watch your direct downloads rack up. Try a wide range of ideas that all generate engagement, whether that’s likes, shares, or simply a reason to stop the scroll. 

• Interactive games, quizzes and polls: Inviting people to participate or better yet, play, is a low lift way to start the conversation.
• Customer success stories and testimonials: As mentioned above, people are usually on social media to check out other people’s lives. Give them what they’re looking for.
• Eye-catching visuals and infographics: What’s something they can’t scroll past? If it’s beautiful, clever, striking or thought provoking, you’ve earned their attention, and possibly their engagement.
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses into the app's development: Inviting a potential user inside the process makes them feel like an early adopter. It’s a great way to build buzz and interest… the social kind, not the financial kind, unless that’s also what your app happens to do.

Obviously, engagement doesn’t guarantee a direct response. No matter how smart your quiz is or how infatuated a person is with your infographic, their next step may not be to add your app and give you access to their finances and personal information. But if it builds a bit of trust and familiarity, you’re one step closer to earning the right to deliver that CTA.

BOTTOM LINE: Whether your FinTech app helps people save or spend, invest or trade, track progress or earn rewards, it’s your job to help them imagine what they will do with that power in their hands. So while promotions and pricepoints may get them over the final finish line, start by telling a great story, bring it to life with video, and don’t be afraid to engage on social. That’s how you’ll captivate, elevate and motivate your way into their financial circle of trust.