Every financial services company wants to create content for millennials. Most of them are creating the wrong content.
We used our Digital Twin network to ask millennials aged 28-38 in the US and UK — people actively interested in personal finance — what financial content they actually consume, what they share, and what questions nobody is answering well.
The gap between what brands are producing and what people actually want is enormous.
YouTube and TikTok dominate. Blogs and newsletters are background noise.
We asked where people consume financial content. The answers were consistent:
“I mostly consume content on YouTube and TikTok, especially short-form videos that break down complex stuff.”
“I tend to check out financial content through articles or short videos. I like stuff that helps me understand things better without being too overwhelming.”
“I mainly watch YouTube videos about finance. I like creators who focus on practical, actionable advice.”
Video is the default. Not because millennials can’t read, but because video creators have figured out how to make complex topics feel accessible. Financial services companies still publishing 2,000-word blog posts as their primary content strategy are optimising for a format their audience has moved past.
The tone has to be casual. Full stop.
We asked what tone works best. The response was overwhelming:
“Definitely casual and relatable. I don’t need someone talking down to me like a professor.”
“It needs to feel like a knowledgeable friend giving advice, not a lecture.”
“If it’s too serious, it can feel intimidating. A good balance — like someone explaining things clearly and kindly — works best.”
Expert credibility matters, but expert tone kills engagement. The most trusted financial creators are the ones who sound like a smart friend, not a financial advisor. If your content sounds like a whitepaper, it’s not reaching this audience.
They want wealth-building, not budgeting.
This was the sharpest finding. When we asked which topics are most useful versus most boring:
“I find topics about earning more money and investing really useful. Budgeting is pretty boring.”
“Anything about actually growing wealth — investing, passive income, building a portfolio. Basic saving tips are dull.”
“There’s a lot about saving and budgeting, but not enough about how to actually grow your money if you don’t have a lot to start with.”
Millennials at this stage aren’t looking for help managing money they already have. They’re looking for help making more of it. Content about cutting expenses and tracking spending feels patronising to an audience that’s already doing that. They want the next chapter: how to invest, build passive income, and actually grow wealth.
The content they share has one thing in common.
We asked what makes them share a piece of financial content:
“If it’s a genuinely smart tip that could help someone else make money or avoid a common mistake.”
“If it presents a genuinely useful opportunity, especially if it’s about making money or a smart investment.”
“I’ll share something if it’s incredibly clear, honest, and provides a unique insight.”
Shareability comes from utility. Not entertainment, not shock value — genuine usefulness. Content that helps someone make or save real money gets shared. Content that restates common knowledge doesn’t.
The questions nobody is answering.
The final question was the most valuable. We asked what financial questions feel unanswered:
“How to actually get ahead and make significant money, not just save pennies.”
“Practical steps for achieving true financial freedom that aren’t super complex or require a huge upfront investment.”
“How to navigate the ‘next steps’ after you’ve got some savings — like how to scale up investments without insane risk.”
The content gap isn’t in basic financial literacy. It’s in the messy middle — the practical, specific advice for people who’ve already figured out the basics and want to know what’s next. That’s where the audience is. That’s where most financial content isn’t.
Create content your audience actually wants.
OriginalVoices lets you ask your audience what they want to hear before you create it. Not what they click on — what they value, share, and wish existed. Content strategy grounded in real audience insight doesn’t just perform better. It fills gaps that competitors haven’t noticed.