Content Ideas for Financial Planners Who Can't Give Specific Product Advice Publicly

31 August 2026·3 min read

Quick answer: Financial planners often go quiet on content because they're worried about crossing from general information into personal advice, which carries real regulatory risk. The way through isn't avoiding content — it's shifting from "what should you do" to "what should you think about," "what questions to ask," and "what most people get wrong." Process and education content builds just as much authority as product commentary, with none of the compliance risk. 📱

It's an understandable instinct: if commenting on specific products or strategies risks straying into personal advice you're not licensed to give in that context, the safest option feels like saying nothing at all. But a quiet social presence isn't actually the safe choice for your business — it just means prospective clients find your competitors instead, some of whom are less careful with their compliance boundaries than you are. 💖

What most financial planners get wrong

They either go silent, or they swing the other way and post content that edges close to specific recommendations ("why I like ETFs over managed funds right now") without realising how easily general commentary can be read as personal advice by someone acting on it. Neither extreme is necessary — there's a wide, genuinely useful middle ground.

The usable asset: five compliance-safe content angles

Process content: "What actually happens in your first meeting with a financial adviser" — demystifies without recommending anything specific.
Question prompts: "5 questions to ask before choosing a financial adviser" — positions you as the trustworthy choice without naming products.
Mistake-avoidance: "The most common mistake we see people make with their super before they get advice" — general, educational, genuinely useful.
Life-stage framing: "What to think about financially in your 40s" — broad categories of consideration, not specific recommendations.
Behind-the-scenes: team content, client (non-identifying) journey descriptions, community involvement — builds trust and familiarity with zero advice content at all.

Solo adviser, pre-retiree clients: An adviser built a simple monthly series called "Questions I'm Asked This Month," answering genuinely common client questions in general terms without naming products or making recommendations — it consistently outperformed his other content for engagement, because it read as genuinely helpful rather than promotional.

Practice targeting young professionals: One firm focused entirely on process and mindset content — "what does 'financial advice' actually mean," "why a financial plan isn't just about investing" — aimed at an audience who didn't yet know what a financial planner even did, which built awareness ahead of readiness to book.

How to check your own content before posting

A simple internal test: could this post apply equally to any two people with different financial situations, or does it only make sense as advice for one specific circumstance? If it's the latter, it's edging toward personal advice territory and needs to stay general or move into a proper advice conversation instead.

💡 Add a simple, consistent disclaimer to advice-adjacent content. A short, standard line — "general information only, not personal financial advice" — on relevant posts protects you and sets clear expectations for readers.

Mistakes to avoid

Going silent entirely out of caution, which cedes visibility to less careful competitors.
Naming specific products, funds or strategies in public content without a proper advice relationship in place.
Skipping the disclaimer on content that's genuinely close to the general/personal advice line.
Assuming process and education content is "less impressive" than product commentary — it's often what builds the most trust.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the line between general and personal advice?

Please note: general information, not legal or compliance advice — check current ASIC guidance and your own AFSL requirements before relying on it. Broadly, general advice doesn't consider an individual's personal circumstances, while personal advice does — but the specifics of how content is interpreted can be nuanced, so when in doubt, keep content genuinely general or consult your compliance team.

Can I share client success stories?

Yes, with care — de-identified, general descriptions of a type of situation and outcome are generally safer than specific case studies that could be read as implied guarantees or specific advice.

Is video content riskier than written content for compliance?

Not inherently, but video can feel more off-the-cuff, which makes it easier to drift into specifics without noticing. Scripting or at least outlining video content in advance helps keep it within the same general boundaries as written posts.

How often should financial planners post to build authority?

Consistency matters more than frequency — a realistic weekly or fortnightly cadence sustained over months builds more trust than an intense burst of daily posts that tapers off after a few weeks.