Asset managers have been thinking about webinars and podcasts all wrong.

For years, the conventional wisdom said webinars and podcasts were great for reaching advisors but not serious enough for institutional investors. Sophisticated pension funds and endowments wanted detailed pitch books and formal presentations, not streaming content you could listen to while walking the dog.

Two recent studies blow up that thinking completely. Both advisors and institutional investors are gravitating toward the same formats, for many of the same reasons.

The Numbers Tell a Clear Story

Escalent’s survey of 653 institutional investors as published in FundFire (subscription required) found that attending a webinar increases the likelihood they’d consider an asset manager by 38 percentage points. Podcasts aren’t far behind at 34 percentage points. These aren’t marginal improvements – they’re among the biggest drivers of brand consideration the research found.

Meanwhile, FUSE Research Network’s advisor study (also subscription required) showed live content dominates across the board. Live webinars scored 57 percent effective with advisors while pre-recorded versions managed just 41 percent. The gap is even wider for conference calls: 58 percent for live sessions versus 26% for recorded ones.

Both groups want direct access to investment expertise. Both prefer live formats over recorded content. And advisors rate expert commentary as more effective than any other marketing tactic, with 41 percent calling it effective compared to just 19 percent for the next-highest option.

What’s Driving the Shift

The change makes sense when you consider what institutional investors told Escalent. They want to hear “straight from the asset manager” rather than getting filtered information through consultants or static materials. Market volatility and fast policy changes mean people want timely takes that old-school materials just can’t give them.

Streaming formats also let investors pick up on vocal cues and gauge a manager’s conviction level in ways that written materials can’t convey. When markets are uncertain, hearing how confident a portfolio manager sounds matters as much as reading their analysis.

The convenience factor helps too. A 30-minute webinar during lunch beats blocking out time for an hour-long meeting, especially when travel isn’t required.

Where the Approaches Differ

Both groups like streaming content, but they use it in different ways. Institutional investors tend to attend smaller, more targeted sessions. Nuveen’s institutional-only webinars typically draw around 100 attendees when the topic is timely, compared to over 1,000 for events that include wealth management advisors.

Institutions also show more patience for in-depth content, while advisors prefer most materials to stay digestible – under 9 minutes for written pieces according to FUSE’s research.

But the core appeal remains consistent across both groups: authentic, timely perspectives from senior investment professionals who can answer questions in real time.

Getting the Execution Right

Success with streaming content isn’t automatic. Both studies suggest specific approaches that work better than others.

Keep sessions focused and time-bound. Nuveen found 30 minutes works well across both channels, with longer sessions seeing attendance drop off. Make senior people available rather than delegating to junior staff. The whole point is direct access to decision-makers.

Target content carefully. Generic market updates don’t move the needle much. Event-driven sessions addressing specific developments or hyper-targeted topics for particular investor segments generate much stronger engagement. Nuveen’s recent UK insurance webinar drew just 40 attendees, but they were all “lead” institutional prospects.

Don’t overdo it. Both audiences appreciate timely commentary, but constant communication creates noise rather than signal. Save the live formats for when you actually have something worth saying. This connects to broader marketing metrics tracking – you need to measure what’s working rather than just producing more content.

What This Means for Asset Managers

This means more than just throwing extra webinars on your marketing calendar. Asset managers need to rethink how they spend their time and money across different audiences.

If streaming content works for both advisors and institutions, it makes sense to think about shared formats rather than completely separate approaches. A sophisticated discussion about portfolio positioning might work for both high-net-worth advisors and smaller institutional investors.

The research also suggests that firms still approaching institutional marketing through traditional channels only are missing opportunities. While formal presentations and detailed materials still matter, they’re not sufficient anymore. Asset managers are also leveraging digital engagement to amplify their salesperson impact across both audiences.

Here’s what matters most: both studies show that expert-driven content generates the strongest response. Asset managers who can deliver authentic, timely perspectives through streaming formats will connect with both audiences in ways that traditional approaches can’t match.

The old assumptions about what institutional investors want don’t hold up anymore. They’re looking for the same things advisors value: direct access, real-time insights, and authentic communication from investment experts. Asset managers will stop treating these as separate challenges and start thinking about how streaming content can work across their entire distribution strategy.

Don’t Miss This Shift

Are you still treating institutional investors and advisors as completely separate marketing channels?

While you’re running parallel strategies, competitors are capturing both audiences with unified streaming content approaches that drive real consideration.

You can explore how streaming content could work across your entire distribution strategy in a complimentary 60-minute strategy session. We’ll assess your current approach and discuss how to better connect with both audience segments.

Schedule Your Strategy Session

Dan Sondhelm is the CEO of Sondhelm Partners. He works with boutique asset managers to help them raise AUM, stand out in crowded markets, and create more meaningful conversations with prospects.