social-media
Navigating the Financial Services Creator Economy
Published: 12/02/25 - Updated: 18/02/25
Social media has transformed how financial information is shared. Moving away from traditional financial advice delivered in a more traditional way to creator-driven content.
Platforms like TikTok have become powerful tools for financial education, with users discussing everything from investments to debt-free journeys. Brands looking to engage with younger audiences need to understand how they can use this shift in trust for success in the financial creator economy.
The Rise of TikTok Financial Experts
TikTok’s casual and conversational style has undoubtedly made financial education more accessible. The platform allows the audience to feel seen and be given information in a way they understand, by people that look more like them. Financial institutions and education hasn’t previously felt inclusive or approachable, two things that TikTok is great at. Creators engage users in a way that feels like friendly advice.
Key creators such as @herfirst100k and @humphreytalks have gained significant followings by simplifying complex financial topics. Thousands of creators discuss investment basics, credit score improvement, and saving strategies. While this trend is well established in the US, there is a growing opportunity for financial influencers in the UK.
Brands collaborating with trusted TikTok finance creators can build credibility and connect with younger demographics. The potential reach is considerable. Below are some finance-based hashtag figures:
#investing: 2.9 million posts
#investingtips: 126,000 posts
#savings: 437,000 posts
Debt-Free Journeys and Community Building
The rise of financial creators has created an open and non-judgemental way for individuals to document their debt-free journeys. These creators share budgeting tips, milestone celebrations, and financial strategies, fostering a sense of community among followers experiencing similar challenges and creating a safe space to talk about money and removing the previous stigma around debt and seeking help.
Creators such as @debtfreegonnabe and @budgetgirl have positioned themselves as community leaders. Many of them use and collaborate with budgeting apps and financial platforms to support their audiences. Engagement metrics reflect the growing interest in debt management, with #debtfree having 280,000 uses and the search term “Best ways to pay off debt” totalling 338,000 global searches on TikTok a 353.7% increase in the past 30 days.
Zopa’s Success in the Financial Creator Economy
Zopa is a UK-based digital bank and peer-to-peer lending platform. It is leading the way when it comes to how financial brands can successfully use social media. Their approach is making financial concepts simple and engaging.
By collaborating with influencers and maintaining transparency in partnerships, Zopa has achieved impressive results. They employed ambassadors to expand brand awareness and launched a large-scale campaign for their “Smart Saver” account, using micro-influencers to share personal savings goals.
The impact of their campaign was significant. It achieved 36 million views across social media, a 38% increase in Brand Growth Score and 23% growth in social following
Zopa’s success is its ability to blend authenticity with a structured marketing approach, ensuring compliance while maximising engagement.
Ethical and Legal Considerations
Despite the opportunities, the financial creator economy presents ethical and legal challenges. This is a highly regulated industry for good reason. The issue creators face is that many lack formal financial qualifications. This means that the content they produce can oversimplify concepts or, if they are being paid for content they may prioritise engagement over accuracy. Sensationalist content can mislead audiences, particularly if financial outcomes are exaggerated and would ultimately break FCA regulations, which may prove difficult for traditional institutions if they partner with these creators.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidelines in the UK are there to protect consumers and their guidelines state that communication around financial products must be fair, clear, and not misleading. Any messaging templates are pre-approved for compliance and content does not overpromise or guarantee financial outcomes.
By balancing creativity with regulatory compliance, brands can build trust while avoiding damage to their reputation and legal risks, and Zopa is showing others how this can be done.
The growing presence of financial creators does present a unique opportunity for brands to engage new audiences and enhance financial literacy with people who may have previously felt excluded. However, success requires a strategic approach that champions authenticity, transparency, and customer-first messaging.
Brands that effectively balance innovation with accountability will not only gain consumer trust but position themselves as leaders in the evolving financial services landscape.
How to create a strong FCA Compliant Social strategy for your brand
Using social media under the gaze of the FCA can feel daunting but it doesn’t need to be. As long as the information is correct and not misleading you can still be fun.
Having a bit of fun will make your brand stand out and make you more approachable to a younger audience. You need to work the algorithm in your favour by creating engaging content that your audiences will find interesting while learning.
There is so much bad advice out there. So be the place people go and trust. Debunk the myths. With so much unqualified financial advice on social media, audiences will soon turn to you to get actual facts about financial literacy, investing and overcoming debt.
Build a community and interact with your audience. The reason why financial creators do so well online is because there is a level of human interaction that financial institutions and traditional advisors lack. Become personable and interact with audiences with real life scenarios in order to have a more personal element to your content. Go live, do Q&As, be open.
To be fully compliant to FCA guidelines no promises can be made especially when it comes to financial or investing advice, this is especially true on social media where misinformation can spread easily. Providing disclaimers in captions, verbally and in text on screen is vital to make sure that you are complying with FCA guidelines.
These disclaimers include stating that the content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice and encourage the user to do their own research and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions. There is further advice from the FCA here.
Is your brand ready to get involved in this growing marketing and be a true leader? Get in touch to explore how you can leverage the power of financial creators effectively.
Amanda Easter
With over 6 years of experiences in Social Media Management both at agencies and in house, Amanda brings her knowledge from brands in the UK, US and Europe. Since joining the team in 2021, Amanda has scaled up our influencer offering and co-founded our Social Media department, diving into building unique strategies for our clients and leading the team in implementing these across all social channels.