Has anyone here tried advanced targeting in fintech ads?

[Vikram]

I’ve been running fintech ads for a while now, and I keep wondering — are we really making the most of all those “advanced targeting” options everyone talks about? I mean, fintech is such a specific space — not everyone wants to see an ad about trading apps, insurance tech, or digital lending. But the targeting game keeps getting trickier.

When I first started, I thought setting basic demographics and a few interests on Google or Meta was enough. You know, the usual—targeting people interested in “finance,” “investing,” and “banking.” But it didn’t take long to realize that fintech audiences aren’t just “finance people.” They’re tech-savvy, privacy-conscious, and often skeptical of ads. That combo makes traditional targeting feel like throwing darts in the dark.

The frustration phase

Here’s the thing — fintech users behave differently. I remember wasting a good chunk of my budget trying to reach “finance enthusiasts,” only to find out most of them were already deep into crypto or didn’t trust fintech apps at all. The CTRs were low, conversions were almost nonexistent, and the bounce rate? Brutal.

I also learned that fintech audiences don’t always fit neatly into one platform. Some hang around on professional networks like LinkedIn, others on Reddit finance threads, and some discover apps through influencer content on YouTube or TikTok. My early targeting didn’t account for that diversity. I was treating fintech users like one big blob instead of a mix of curious learners, cautious investors, and deal-hunting app users.

Trying to figure it out

So, I started experimenting. I segmented my audiences not just by interests, but by intent and behavior. Instead of “finance,” I looked at what people were actually doing—searching for personal loan comparisons, downloading budgeting apps, or reading about payment security.

On Google Ads, that meant using custom intent audiences based on search behavior. On Meta, I tried lookalike audiences built from actual app sign-ups instead of general engagement. I even tested retargeting based on micro-actions—like people who clicked a pricing link but didn’t complete the signup.

The results didn’t skyrocket overnight, but I noticed patterns. For instance, targeting people who had recently interacted with “fintech education” content performed much better than generic finance categories. It’s like the more I narrowed down the user journey, the more precise my targeting became.

A few things that actually worked

One big learning was that data layering makes a difference. Combining demographics with intent data and behavioral signals helped refine the reach. For example, pairing “mobile banking app users” with “recent credit score checkers” gave way better conversions than targeting either group alone.

I also started using dayparting (timing ads for specific hours) because fintech engagement often spikes during certain times — usually evenings or weekends when people have time to think about money or download a new app.

And then there’s location targeting. I used to ignore it, assuming fintech was “borderless.” But localized campaigns—like promoting payment apps in urban areas with higher smartphone usage—outperformed broad national campaigns every single time.

The other thing I underestimated was content relevance. No matter how precise your targeting, if your ad message doesn’t match user intent, it falls flat. When I aligned ad creatives with specific user stages—like “learn,” “compare,” or “act”—the ROI improved noticeably.

Learning from others

I also started reading case studies and community discussions to get fresh perspectives. There’s a lot of gold in hearing what other fintech marketers have tried, especially around data-driven targeting and creative testing. One article that really helped me rethink my approach was this one about Advanced Targeting Strategies in Fintech Advertising. It breaks down some practical frameworks for segmentation and audience modeling in simple terms, which I wish I’d found earlier.

What I’d tell anyone starting out

If you’re just getting into fintech advertising, don’t fall into the “set and forget” trap. Your first few campaigns will probably flop a bit, and that’s okay. The trick is to treat targeting as a living system—it’s not about one magic setting, it’s about continuous refinement.

Keep testing:

Split your audiences by intent, not just interest.

Use lookalikes based on actual conversions, not followers or likes.

Adjust for device and time of day — fintech users love mobile and often act later in the day.

Don’t ignore creative context. Sometimes changing one line of copy for clarity can change everything.

Most importantly, keep learning from the data. Sometimes what you think will work doesn’t, and that’s part of the process.

I’m still figuring things out, but at least now I understand that fintech advertising isn’t just about reaching finance lovers — it’s about finding the small pockets of intent hidden across platforms. And when you start connecting those dots with smarter targeting, that’s when campaigns finally begin to click.

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