3.) In online advertising, context is king
Designing an ad is only half the battle, according to Erin Evans of Orbis Marketing. “All advertising campaigns have a target audience in mind,” writes Evans in her submission, Online Advertising: Reaching the Right Investors for Your New Fund. “Ideally your advertisement will not just reach the right audience but will reach them at the optimal moment when they are researching ETFs, ideally your category or particular fund.” It is also possible to optimize ads to hone in on the most effective messaging for particular slices of your target audience.
4.) ETF-Centric Advisors are a whole new breed of FA
How can new ETF issuers connect their products with ETF-centric Advisors? This is the question that Tom Lydon of ETF Trends asks in his submission, Connecting with ETF-Centric Advisors. “In addition to be disenthralled with active management, [ETF-Centric] advisors look to the cost benefits, transparency, and tax-efficiency of ETFs.” Perhaps most notably, Lydon notes that ETF-centric advisors prefer what he deems “virtual relationships” rather than in person seminars or phone calls from representatives. By far the most popular method of communication for ETF-centric advisors appears to be webcasts or virtual conferences.
5.) Millennial investors will spur further ESG innovation in ETFs
The millennial generation is unlike any generation that has come before when it comes to investing in ETFs, according to Gregg Sgambati of S-Network Indexes. “Unlike their parents,” Sgambati writes, “the motivations of these new investors is often a great deal beyond the conventional scope of profits—they don’t just want to make money on their investments, they want to put their money to work and ‘do good.’” As millennials stand to inherit trillions of dollars in the coming years, this can present both a challenge and an opportunity for new issuers as they begin to more seriously consider the details of potential funds they wish to launch.