Introduction

 

Hope Capital is a short-term bridging lender, which targets and works with brokers throughout the UK. The firm was established in 2011 and has moved from strength to strength, creating and launching a diverse range of specialist finance products, which has enabled the company to develop and maintain a significant number of relationships with brokers in their target industry. The firm prides itself on creating innovative, unique products which can provide an array of bespoke options to brokers and their clients, including developers, investors etc.

 

The industry has grown significantly in recent years, as more brokers and borrowers view bridging finance as an alternative to traditional finance, e.g. mortgages, where funding is not immediately available for customers. Therefore, with the specialist finance market becoming more popular and lucrative, there are now more lenders than ever before, creating more competition for Hope Capital to stand out from the crowd. 

 

Hope Capital’s current online presence is primarily via their website and social media channels (Twitter and LinkedIn). The firm has depended heavily on these platforms in the last year, as Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown measures have changed the way the industry usually operates, e.g. face to face contact with brokers. Hope Capital has had to adapt their marketing techniques and use their online channels to communicate with brokers and raise awareness of their products.

 

As a result, the purpose of this report is to create a brand-new website for the firm and any new social media channels which are necessary to support the strategy outlined below.

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Aims / Objectives / KPI’s

 

The aim of this project is to develop a digital marketing strategy for Hope Capital, which will outline how their website and social media presence can be used to educate and increase greater awareness of the firm’s products / services to brokers. Consequently, this should increase the number of enquiries Hope Capital receives, business they create and broker relationships they develop and maintain.

 

The objectives below are SMART, in order to give clarification and structure to the project (Chaffey, 2021) and have been selected following the data, which has been provided by Hope Capital’s Google Analytics and social media analytics pages and discussions with the firm, on where they most want to improve (figure 1). All of the objectives set, are essential if Hope Capital wants to utilise online platforms to educate and increase greater awareness of its brand, to its target market and have been selected as there is synergy between them all. For example, in order to increase website traffic and subsequently, dwell time and conversions, marketing efforts including social media, SEO and email marketing also needed to be improved.

 

Objective 1 - Run the website and increase website traffic by 25% from May 2021 to May 2022 via various marketing efforts, including social media, SEO and email marketing.

 

Objective 2 - Increase dwell time on website by 15% from May 2021 to May 2022

 

Objective 3 - Increase engagement on social media by 30% from May 2021 to May 2022

 

Objective 4 - Drive website traffic through social media, with a 20% increase

 

Objective 5 - Increase conversion rate on website by 15% from May 2021 to May 2022

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The following KPI’s are defined by Smart Insights (2021) as quantifiable goals, which help a business to track and measure success. In order to measure if the objectives outlined above have been achieved, Hope Capital’s social media analytics and Google Analytics pages will be reviewed in line with the timeframe displayed previously.

 

Smart Insights (2021) suggests some of the key KPI’s which should be reviewed are the performance of social media channels including, followers, engagement rate, site visits and conversions. Therefore, measuring these indicators will highlight if objective 3 is being achieved and if not, will demonstrate what adjustments need to be made (Wishart, 2021).

 

With regard to tracking the performance of the website, in terms of objective 5, conversion is when a user takes a desired action on the site (Yesbeck, n.d.). In Hope Capital’s case and for the purpose of this project, this will be monitored by looking at how many users have completed the quick enquiry form, called the phone number from the ‘contact us’ page and used the LiveChat service. 

 

Another KPI, Yesbeck (n.d.) suggests should be tracked is looking into social traffic figures, explained as the amount of traffic sent to a website from social media channels. By setting this KPI, it will be clear to monitor if objective 4 is being achieved. 

 

Finally, objective 1 will be monitored by reviewing site visits via marketing efforts including SEO, social media, email marketing etc (Smart Insights, 2021) and objective 2 will be measured by looking at the average session duration tab on Google Analytics (Milligan, 2020).

 

Target Audience

 

Hanlon (2021) explains there are many ways for a brand to segment their audience, however for the purpose of this report, the most relevant aspects are to look at demographics, psychographics, behaviour and geography. Therefore, the following information has been collated to reflect this and  to understand who Hope Capital’s target market is. Quantitative data has been collected from Hope Capital’s Google Analytics and social media pages, together with findings from online sources. In addition, an interview took place with the Head of Marketing at Hope Capital, which provides an indication as to how the firm currently target their audience (figure 1).

 

Below outlines a typical broker Hope Capital targets:

 

Age: 30 (figure 14)

Gender: Male (figure 14)

Location: London, UK (figure 6)

Education: University degree and/or industry-specific qualification (Bunkham, n.d.)

Job title: Finance broker

Job function: Works as an intermediary between client and lender (Bunkham, n.d.)

Duties: To build and expand his client base, monitor the market, wors closely with lenders to achieve target sales numbers (Bunkham, n.d.)

Sector: Property Finance 

Yearly income: £37k (Glassdoor, n.d.)

Interests: Real estate / property news (figure 15)

Personality traits: He is a people’s person, with a clear vision of how to achieve success. He is heaviy focused on beneficial outcomes for his clients and is able to adapt to changing processes in the industry (Duncombe, 2018)

What does he look for in a bridging lender: He wants someone who has an in-depth knowledge of the industry, can streamline the application procedure, is transparent and understands his needs and circumstances (Redfern, 2021)

Social media: He mainly accesses Hope Capital’s social media channels on his mobile (figure 7)

He is an active user on Facebook (Barnhart, 2021)

He uses social media as a news source (Target Internet, n.d.) 

He also uses Facebook on average for about 38 minutes per day (Barnhart, 2021)

Website: He accesses the website organically (figure 12) via his desktop on his laptop and mobile phone (figure 13) and spends approximately 2 minutes on the website (figure 13)

Distribution channels: He reads magazines such as Bridging & Commercial, Bridging Loan Directory to remain updated on the latest industry news (figure 1). He also likes to watch streamed content (Ofcom, 2020) and watches between 2.5 and 3 hours of TV a day (Crezent, n.d.)

 

Brand Consideration

 

Brand consideration, explained by Foster (2018), is the process of examining whether customers would consider purchasing a brand they are aware of. To analyse how brokers use Hope Capital’s products and what they think and feel about the brand itself, data has been collected from Google Trends, which provides an insight into the volume of searches for the brand. As highlighted in figure 3, the most searched topic of their competitors, is Together, with Hope Capital being second in popularity.

 

In addition, data has also been gathered from the firm’s Google Analytics page. According to Francis (2016) consideration can be measured by monitoring website activity and how customers are engaging with brand content. As evidenced in figure 12, within a three-month period, Hope Capital’s website received 4,004 users, with a 0.97% conversion rate on its goal of users completing the ‘quick enquiry’ section.

 

A way of evidencing that Hope Capital has built and maintained a significant amount of broker relationships, which depicts the likelihood of them choosing Hope Capital over a competitor, are the membership numbers behind The Hope Capital Club. In order for brokers to be invited by Hope Capital for membership of this club, brokers must have worked with Hope Capital on a certain number of cases and brought in a significant amount of business. Therefore, as evidenced in figure 4, with screenshots from brokers who have acknowledged being part of the club, this suggests Hope Capital are considered as a primary option by their target market.

 

Notwithstanding the above, there is always room for improvement. In that regard, BBF (2018) suggest brand consideration is improved by building awareness, which is why it is essential the new website is designed to be educational and informative, thus increasing the awareness of Hope Capital’s products and services to its untapped target market base.

 

Market Research

 

The bridging lender’s main competitors are Roma Finance, Mint Bridging and Together. In terms of Hope Capital’s competitors’ current social media presence, Roma has 3,136 Twitter followers, 2,584 LinkedIn followers, 291 Facebook followers and 863 Instagram followers. Mint Bridging has 1,250 Twitter followers, 507 Instagram followers and 1,000 LinkedIn followers and Together has 4,700 Twitter followers, 12,899 LinkedIn followers and 847 Facebook followers. Currently the competitor who has the largest social media presence is Together, with a combined total of 18,446 followers across their social media platforms.

 

While each social media channel serves a different purpose, for example Facebook allows businesses to engage with users, LinkedIn can be used to build an audience of professionals from a specific  industry etc (Bump, n.d.), it is likely Together have the largest social media presence, because of the content they share and how regularly they post.

 

As evidenced in figure 8, Together post various forms of unique, engaging content, e.g. videos, market data, industry news, news about their employees, links to articles and blog posts etc, which are all informative and attention grabbing (Coles, 2019). In addition, on Twitter, Together are also verified, which helps to build trust and shows they are authentic (Awu-Abuon, 2021).

 

It is crucial to monitor Hope Capital’s competitors’ social media channels, as Wright (2021) explains social media is extremely important for marketers to reach and convert customers. Bearing in mind there are 50.89m social media users in the UK (Tankovska, 2021), analysing how Hope Capital’s competitors are perceived on social media and who has the highest reach / share of voice, is extremely valuable in order to ensure this report has tailored recommendations to benefit Hope Capital. According to Prestige (2021), two of the main reasons people use social media, is to stay up to date with the latest news and research products to buy. This data further justifies the importance of Hope Capital having a social media presence. 

 

With regard to Hope Capital’s competitor’s websites, a full review has been undertaken to assess their strengths and weaknesses, which will subsequently highlight what can be learnt from them to achieve the aim set in this proposal. 

 

In that respect, one of the main advantages of Mint Bridging’s website is the content they use. Mariane (2021) states “imagery should be expressive and capture the spirit of the company and act as the embodiment of their brand personality”. On the home page, the first visible element is a high-quality video describing what Mint Bridging do and what services they provide. The information is clear and provides a good first impression of the firm. In addition, Mint Bridging’s website follows many other conventions, including the use of bold typography which is constant and works as a visual interpretation of the brands voice (Mariane, 2021). However, a disadvantage of Mint Bridging’s website is it includes 404 pages, e.g. when a user clicks on the Facebook icon at the bottom of the page, it says the page is unavailable (Neil Patel, n.d.) This could be frustrating for a user who wants to use Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news of the firm (Bustos, 2008).

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Turning to Roma, this firm also follows numerous website conventions, including using comfortable colours (99 Designs, 2020) which are consistent throughout the website, reinforcing their brand identity on every page (Lacey, n.d.). On the other hand, Babich (2018) argues the number of choices available to a user on a website should be limited, as having too many options can affect their decisions and therefore the action they take. When reviewing Roma’s homepage, while there is a good mixture of content, there is lots of information and links, which is hard to digest, especially on a mobile device. 

 

Looking again at Together’s website, one of the main advantages is it is easy to navigate around the site, both on a desktop and mobile device (Mariane, 2021). For example, there are clear tabs which can take the user to the page of their choice. This makes it easy for users to interact and find the information they are looking for. In addition, another convention Together has adapted well, is they have provided users with established, clear information points, suggesting where a user can find the details they need. This is explained by Mariane (2021) as a visual hierarchy and in Together’s case, is achieved by using bold and large text sizes, colour and imagery. That said, one thing which could be improved on Together’s website is the use of whitespace. Neil Patel (n.d.) explains “when there isn’t enough whitespace, content is overwhelming for visitors to read.” Specifically, on Together’s home page, there is lots of information squeezed into one space, where perhaps some of the information included, e.g. their blog, might fit better on a separate page. 

 

In terms of the information Hope Capital’s competitors utilise on their websites, each firm provides a clear description of who they are / what they offer, as well as various CTA’s throughout the pages (Entrepreneur, 2010). The firm’s also go above and beyond to encourage users to do business with them. In particular, Together’s OVP is one of the first things a user sees when clicking on their website (figure 11). By displaying their OVP at the top of the website, with an accreditation which justifies this, Together clearly distinguish their brand from their competitors (Bosomworth, 2017). Furthermore, Mint Bridging makes it extremely easy for users to contact the firm, by including their telephone number at the top of the page, which is highly recommended by Entrepreneur (2010), with a further option being a ’quick enquiry’ form at the bottom of the page. With regard to Roma, the firm has included a clear and succinct FAQ section on their home page, which not only expands the company’s brand influence, but also provides helpful information for the user (Kenwright, 2014).

 

With regard to integrated marketing, defined by Allen (2020) where marketing techniques are integrated to achieve consistent messaging, each competitor utilises this effectively. For example, Roma has ensured all forms of communications and messages are carefully linked together, across various platforms (Allen, 2020). As evidenced in figure 10, Roma use consistent colours, typography and messages relevant to their target market, in all their marketing channels.

 

Ultimately, there are lots of conventions Hope Capital can adapt from their main competitor’s websites, as well as utilising conventions which their competitors are not currently implementing. This will enable Hope Capital to stand out from their competitors and provide a better online experience for brokers. 

 

In summary, the above suggest some of the elements Hope Capital need to consider for their website and social media channels include:

 

• Various forms of high-quality informative and educational content

• Relevant typography and colour usage which is relevant to the Hope Capital brand and consistent across their multiple marketing platforms

• Easy navigation

• Well organised layout 

• Clear CTA’s

• Clear indication of the differential advantage of the products / services offered

• Easy to access on multiple devices, e.g. desktop / mobile phone / tablet 

 

 

Market Analysis 

 

An essential part of this proposal is to understand the current state of the industry and what Hope Capital’s target market look for in a bridging lender (Parsons, 2021). According to Barker (2018), in 2018 there were 5,210 mortgage intermediary firms in the UK, which continues to increase.

 

While the initial Covid-19 lockdown period impacted the industry significantly, there has been a strong appetite in the bridging market in recent months, with bridging applications hitting a record of £7.6bn in Q3 of 2020 (Dulgheru, 2020). In particular, there has been an increase in clients seeking bridging loans for heavy refurbishment projects to convert commercial property (Seaholme, 2021) and investors and developers, purchasing property at auction (The Guardian, 2020). While data is not yet available to identify the trends which are shaping the market this year, in 2020 the average loan term was 12 months, the average LTV was 51.7% and the average time to completion was 50 days (Bridging Trends, 2020).

 

From viewing the current state of the market, it is clear there is a strong demand for certain bridging finance products and services, which Hope Capital should reflect in their communications and promotional material they use on their digital platforms. 

 

SWOT Analysis 

 

In addition to the above, a SWOT analysis has also been created to provide a strategic view of the main opportunities and challenges for Hope Capital against their competitors (Chaffey, 2021). As Hope Capital already utilise social media channels and have a website set up, the SWOT analysis has been created based on their established online platforms.

 

Strengths

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• An existing marketing team is already in place

• Content in the form of news articles, case studies, blog posts etc is created and posted regularly 

• They regularly send out e-newsletters with information about products, testimonials from clients, service offers etc

• They have established Twitter and LinkedIn pages, where Hope Capital regularly post a range of content, to promote the brand and network with existing and potential new clients 

• Website already works on all devices (i.e. desktop, mobile, tablet)

• Website already looks credible (e.g. contact information is easy to find, Hope Capital evidence they are accredited, the site uses HTTPS etc)

• Website has a user-friendly design

• There is already an online quick enquiry form in place, which is quick and easy to complete

• Strong use of high-quality content 

• Terminology used makes it clear the website targets brokers

• Website includes effective CTA’s

• Has an intuitive navigation and search feature

• Hope Capital currently has a higher engagement rate compared to their competitors on LinkedIn (figure 9)

 

Weaknesses

 

• Only utilise two social media channels

• Lack of creative content, e.g. video, infographics etc on website and social media 

• They do not pay for social media advertising, which therefore limits the firm’s reach

• Error 404 – they have not updated contact details – e.g. previous employees still appear on the site 

• Certain pages, e.g. the home page includes too much text

• Different text sizes could be used to emphasise important sections of the website 

 

Opportunities

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• Introduce new ways to generate leads, e.g. LiveChat etc

• Set up new social media pages on different platforms, e.g. Facebook 

• Create new, engaging content which can be used to communicate messages and educate brokers 

• New design trends could be adapted to better convey messages and make the website look more appealing 

• Website could be more interactive (e.g. follow method which their competitors are using (figure 5)

• Social media posts could be shared at certain times, when their target market is most likely to be online and will see the posts

 

Threats

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• Some competitors have larger social media followings and therefore a bigger reach 

• A number of the firm’s competitors have relaunched their sites in recent months (Nangle, 2021), creating professional looking platforms, which are informative, educational and utilise creative content

• The number of bridging lenders in the UK is increasing rapidly

• Most competitors utilise methods Hope Capital use, e.g. ‘quick enquiry forms’ as a way to generate leads

 

 

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Strategy 

 

Use website to increase awareness of the Hope Capital brand and their products, as well as educate brokers by:

 

• Introducing a FAQ sections to the home page of the website, which will provide information about Hope Capital, bridging loans, how bridging loans differ from traditional finance options etc. This is an effective way to educate, inform and guide users throughout the website (Wilson, 2020). 

 

• Utilising various and new forms of content, to communicate and engage with the target market. This includes creating a short video for the home page, which provides an insight into what Hope Capital does and how it can help brokers. According to Walters (2020), users are more likely to engage with videos between 30 - 60 seconds, which is why the video will be less than a minute. Video content will help to create awareness for the brand and drive results from SEO (Smart Insights, n.d.). Studies suggest 68% of customers prefer watching videos to learn about new products or services, as compared to articles, infographics, eBooks, and presentations, which is why video is an essential tactic to include on the website (McCormick, 2021).

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• Install a LiveChat software throughout the website, which will not only help generate and capture leads, but also ensure the response time to enquiries will be quick and efficient (Smart Insights, 2017). According to Smart Insights (2017) visitors invited to chat are 6.3 times more likely to convert into customers than those who do not. LiveChat will be integrated with CRM software, which will enable information about those who use the LiveChat to be gathered and stored, therefore providing a tailored and bespoke service for each user (Rogacka, 2016). Installing a LiveChat software will also help to increase Hope Capital’s conversion rate.

 

• A newsletter sign up will feature on the footer of each page to encourage engagement. This will help Hope Capital to provide value, connect and communicate with their target market (Idealust, n.d.) and also boost website traffic figures. Emails sent will be targeted, personalised and designed to maximise deliverability and renderability (Smart Insights, n.d.).

 

• A quick enquiry form button will sit at the top of each webpage and also appear in the contact information section of the site, to make it easy for brokers to get in touch with questions, while also assisting Hope Capital in building their email marketing list and their ultimate aim to convert more leads (Broadley, 2021).

 

• The website created will be consistent with Hope Capital’s current brand identity, by adapting their colour scheme. There will be a balance of informative text and content which educates and provides a useful overview of Hope Capital. In addition, the images used will be selected to reinforce the brand’s identity e.g. using images with the Hope Capital logo and reflect what Hope Capital can provide e.g. images of residential and commercial property etc (Lemzy, n.d.).

 

• The website design will include consistent, clear and easy-to-read fonts (Schäferhoff, 2018), so users will have a good first impression of the website and also include a colour palette, which symbolises the finance sector and helps to communicate messages with the user (Aragon, 2013).

 

• The website will be optimised for mobile phone use. With nearly 50% of Internet usage in the UK being on smartphones (Statcounter, 2016), it is essential the content and text selected can adapt to different screen sizes. The website will also feature responsive design and elements, e.g. full screen pop-ups will be avoided (Schäferhoff, 2017).

 

• The website will also include a range of standout buttons and text links, to enable users to interact with the website and also navigate around the webpages (WBP, n.d.), which will subsequently help to increase dwell time.

 

• To ensure users trust the validity of the website, there is easy access to contact information throughout e.g. email address, phone number, social media links, LiveChat etc and positive testimonials to support this, will be displayed on the home page (Clark, 2016). In addition, in line with integrated marketing, the website will provide familiarity to users by utilising social media platforms and linking them to the website, ensuring they work in synergy and therefore create credibility (Neil Patel, n.d.).

 

• The webpages selected, will help achieve the overall aim of this report, which is to educate and increase greater awareness of Hope Capital’s products / services to brokers. This will include an ‘about us’ page, which will provide more insight into what the firm does, subsequently supporting SEO efforts (Big Commerce, n.d.). A products page to be incorporated, as this is a useful way to provide details about the various types of bridging loans available (Digital, 2020). A news / blog section will be created to reel in readers and to also help increase dwell time on the site (Neil Patel, n.d.). News provided, will include a strong headline, image and introductory text, which will capture the attention of the user (Dunlop, 2018). 

 

• The firm do not currently utilise Facebook and as suggested in the Target Audience section of this report, this is a platform Hope Capital’s typical target market use regularly. Therefore, a Facebook business page, which is linked to the website, will be created to extend the brand's reach and drive website traffic (NI Business Info, n.d.).

 

• As evidenced in the Market Analysis section of this report, there is currently increased interest in areas such as the use of bridging finance to fund auction purchases. Therefore, terminology and images will be used to showcase that Hope Capital specialise in this area. Additionally, in line with research collated from the Target Audience section above, terminology, such as speed and transparency will be used. 

 

Use social media to engage with brokers and drive traffic to the website by:

 

• LinkedIn - this platform will be used to provide informative insights and business-related updates (Wyman, 2021), with a minimum of 3 posts per week (Williams, 2020). The best time to post is Tuesday through Thursday, typically between the hours of 8 a.m. to 2 p.m (Carmicheal, 2021).

 

• Twitter - this social media site will be used to post product promotions, data insights, news releases etc (Wyman, 2021) and will be used every day to maximise engagement (Myers, 2021), with the best times to post being on Wednesday between 9 a.m and 3 p.m and Tuesday through Thursday between 9 a.m to11 a.m (Arens, 2021).

 

• Facebook - this platform will be created and used to encourage conversation with followers, while also sharing product news, updates about the business etc. Posts will be shared a maximum of once per day (Wyman, 2021), with the best days and times being Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday’s from 9 a.m to 1 p.m (Arens, 2021).

 

• Including video content, as social video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined (McCormick, 2021). This will help to increase social media engagement.

 

• To help build credibility and trust, posts shared across all platforms will showcase employees, which will assist in helping to build a connection between the firm and the user (Coles, 2019).

 

• Each platform will be used to encourage user-generated content, which will help to showcase the products Hope Capital offer, build credibility and increase engagement (Coles, 2019).

 

• Each platform will be used to help answer enquiries about Hope Capital, products etc (Coyle, n.d.).

 

In the future, Hope Capital should also consider adapting their marketing methods to other platforms, e.g. commercial TV ads. As highlighted in the Target Audience section of this report, Hope Capital’s audience watch a significant amount of TV per day and therefore a TV advert could be a viable way to increase brand awareness. However, it is essential any marketing materials used in TV adverts are on brand and link to the integrate theory.

 

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Table Action Plan 

 

TASK

WK 1 - Speak to the client 

WK 2 - Market research

WK 3 - Plan strategy 

WK 4 - Create content, e.g. video / Draft copy for website

WK 5 - Create website pages / Create Facebook page

WK 6 - Create website pages / Create Facebook page

WK 7 - Launch new website / Launch Facebook page / update existing channels

WK 8 - 

WK 9 - 

WK 10 -

WK 11 - After 1 month, review website and social media and plan for the future

 

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Social Impacts and Considerations

 

The communication strategy implemented above, will create many advantages for Hope Capital. However, careful consideration needs be taken to understand the impact it will have on certain aspects. 

 

For example, while there are a number of benefits to utilising social media, e.g. boosting brand awareness, brand reputation, customer interaction etc (NI Business Info, n.d.), there is a duty for companies to use social media for the right reasons. One challenge social media can pose is the misrepresentation of products, services etc (Asha, n.d.). It is therefore essential anything shared on social media, is legitimate and does not misrepresent the products, services and customer experience of Hope Capital.

 

Furthermore, while social media platforms can be a effective way to improve brand reputation etc, if not executed properly, it can damage a company’s image significantly (Cohen, 2014). Many people use social media to share their negative experiences or thoughts towards a brand, which is why it is paramount any negative feedback is managed effectively and quickly (Baker, n.d.).

 

Another negative of social media, is it could breach confidentiality of Hope Capital's clients (Asha, n.d.) While McGinty (2020) argues sharing content, such as case studies, is an invaluable asset to show followers a real example of the work a company does, in the case of Hope Capital, it is imperative details about previous projects are kept confidential, e.g. name of client etc.

 

In addition, another potential impact which needs to be considered is big data. This can be analysed for insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves for a company (Sas, n.d.) Gathering and analysing big data has many benefits, e.g. it can draw an insight into a brand's target market, by collecting personal and behavioural data etc (Talend, n.d.). This can improve a brand’s customer experience and refine a company's marketing strategy (Freedman, 2020). That said, when a company collects data, they have a responsibility and must ensure any information and details they collect, complies with regulations, such as GDPR (Big Data, n.d.). Comprising individual data, can not only lead to legal risks (Gardner, 2018), but also can also damage a brand’s reputation significantly (Hospelhorn, 2020).

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