Overview
Our latest report explores the dynamic role that online news and digital media play in the financial services industry, with a specific focus on fiduciary services.
The role and significance of online news and digital media in financial services is changing. As our analysis will show, online news is allowing firms to market their expertise and services to ever growing global audiences. It is also serving as a key tool to help firms to optimise their content and rank effectively against their peers online.
Meanwhile, platforms such as LinkedIn are enabling firms to share their insights, drive stakeholder engagement, and support business development in real-time. Independent analysis shows how different social media platforms have grown in popularity among sub sectors of the financial services industry.
In this study we seek to better understand the growing role played by both the print and online media as well as social media in supporting the marketing and business development objectives of the leading operators within Guernsey’s fiduciary services industry. We construct a series of rankings of those with the greatest presence in the local, trade, and national media as well as those with the greatest following on LinkedIn and other social media platforms commonly used by the industry.
Media Coverage
We begin by first looking at media coverage. Using the Guernsey Financial Services Commission’s regulated entities list, we construct a ranking of Guernsey’s top 20 providers of fiduciary services based upon the number of media mentions over the past five years.
We explore what activities drove this media attention and the outlets that generated the most coverage. This includes coverage that makes reference to that firm’s wider Guernsey operations, not necessarily each firm’s fiduciary function alone.
Social Media
We then explore the online presence of the top 20 fiduciary service providers further by analysing their social media following.
We examine how these 20 firms use social media, which platforms they use, what they use those platforms for, and how effective they are at growing their audiences.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Lastly, we explore the domain rating of each firm from our media coverage. Rated from 1 to 100, domain rating is an objective measure of the strength and authority of a website in the eyes of internet search engines, such as Google.
It is significant because it influences that firm’s ability to rank higher in search engine results for key terms, such as ‘Fiduciary Services Channel Islands’ used by your prospective clients. Domain rating is becoming an increasingly important component of digital marketing strategies across industries.
Key Findings
Surge in Media Coverage: Since 1998, media mentions of fiduciary services, offshore trusts, and wealth management have increased by 294 per cent, with the Global Financial Crisis marking the sharpest spike. There’s been an average annual growth of nearly seven per cent in mentions since 2015.
Regional Media Trends: While Jersey dominated media coverage from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, Cayman Islands saw its share rise to over a third by 2020. Guernsey consistently had the smallest share of media mentions throughout the period.
SEO: The US, UK, and India lead in fiduciary services-related keyword searches. Interestingly, 35 per cent of fiduciary and over half of private wealth management searches originate from the US.
Social Media Impact: The report reveals a combined social media following of 491,733 across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter, with 85 per cent of followers on LinkedIn. The Bachmann Group leads on X/Twitter with 752 followers, while HSBC Channel Islands & Isle of Man boasts the largest Facebook following at 4,900.
Media Rankings (2019–2024): Ogier leads media coverage rankings with 135 articles, with over 60 per cent of coverage appearing in local media. Only two per cent of articles were featured in national or international outlets.
Domain Authority: HSBC Channel Islands & Isle of Man topped the domain rating with a score of 83, reflecting strong online authority and SEO performance. There’s a notable correlation between domain ratings and social media following, emphasizing the integrated role of digital strategies.
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