Financial services companies, from home-loan providers to digital banks, have to stand out in a crowded marketplace. That includes legacy and digital-first providers, all of whom are vying for reach and engagement across search and social media channels. The competition is intense: This year, digital ad spending in financial services is expected to reach close to $37 billion, an 11% increase year-over-year.
Sentiment around digital banking has also shifted in a short amount of time: As of 2022, 78% of U.S. adults preferred to bank using a website or mobile app. Still, while much has changed, marketers and advertisers in financial services still have to focus on building and keeping user trust, meeting regulations, and educating audiences on complex topics.
At Taboola, we’re constantly gathering data points and identifying trends in digital finance advertising. Our Creative Shop in-house agency builds and advises on ads informed by new and emerging trends across industries, so you can apply these learnings to your own performance marketing work. This guide to financial services advertising trends offers the latest tips on creating ads to engage and convert high-intent users.
Download the 2025 Financial Services Advertising Creative Playbook
8 Ways to Make Your Financial Services Ads Shine
1. Break Down Complexity
Many financial services products are complex or may be new to users. Educating audiences and engaging with finance experts for ads can lend credibility to a brand. Consider numbered lists for explaining abstract financial concepts.
2. Emphasize Stability
Financial services companies have to earn and keep user trust to succeed. Photos of administrative locations, like banks, often appear on publisher sites and are viewed as trustworthy.
3. Get the Imagery Right
In addition to location photos, use first-person angles of hands holding financial objects, like credit cards, to drive interest and bring concepts to life.
4. Show Off Insider Knowledge
In your copy, offer useful tips and tricks to maximize personal income and otherwise benefit users. This type of advice can drive higher engagement and also has the bonus effect of building brand trust by showing authority.
5. Build Confidence
Discussing money mistakes in finance ads can show users a cautionary tale, and inform them about the potential downside of their own habits. See if you can include any data points or common issues that arise in contrast to good habits.
6. Consider Every Identity or Persona
Financial services audiences span a huge range of identities across demographics. With personalization important to prospects and users, addressing specific audiences in headlines helps attract the most relevant clicks.
7. Try Movement
There are lots of opportunities to try interactive ads in financial services, such as subtle motion or rich media designs. Invite users to engage with a click, hover, or swipe.
8. Use Ad Descriptions
Data analysis found a 5% increase in the conversion rate (CVR) when using ad descriptions in financial services content, with 69% of ads in this vertical using ad descriptions. Paying attention to these types of details can boost conversions.
Find more data-backed, creative-minded suggestions in the playbook.
Download the 2025 Financial Services Advertising Creative Playbook
Key Takeaways
Financial services advertising is a busy market that spans multiple specialized industries. They all share the need to engender user trust and engage high-intent users with advertising that includes useful copy and compelling images, showing financial knowledge and expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the latest trends in financial services advertising?
Financial services businesses these days focus on data-driven personalization, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, mobile-first strategies, and sticking closely to regulations. Advances in tech and consumer interest in fast, easy processes and transactions mean that finance companies are exploring new ways to serve users.
What are some best practices in financial advertising?
Financial advertising shares best practices with marketing best practices broadly, such as understanding your audience, and showing them how your products and services can solve their problems. More specific financial advertising best practices include building trust with social proof and industry certifications, using data-driven personalization, breaking down complex topics and concepts, and keeping up to date on regulations as they evolve.
What are the 4 Ps of marketing in financial services?
The 4 Ps of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion. Within financial services, product refers to the services and products a business offers to its audiences, which may include wide ranges of users. Pricing in finance marketing has to be both competitive and make a profit for the business. Place covers the multiple channels and locations where users can access your brand. Promotion is any of the many ways — social media, search, native ads, display, video, and more — that a financial services marketing team brings their products and services to prospects and customers.
