South African investment companies are increasingly asking the same question: How do we raise awareness about market trends when traditional media coverage is shrinking and investors are more sceptical than ever?
This challenge echoes across search data, communications strategy sessions, and conversations with investment marketing teams.
At Decusatio, we track Google and website trends to understand what investment professionals are really searching for. The data tells a clear story — the communications landscape has changed.
A decade ago, dedicated investment publications provided consistent platforms for fund managers to share views. Now, newsrooms are smaller, stretched across economics, politics, personal finance, and markets, often with fewer journalists. This has created an attention bottleneck.
To gain visibility, firms must present original insights that journalists can’t ignore or invest in sponsored content to amplify their message. Those without scale or marketing budgets often struggle to be heard.
The Challenge of a Raised Profile: Awareness and Risk
With visibility comes reputational risk. The moment an investment brand gains traction, scammers start leveraging that credibility to promote fake investment schemes.
Fraudsters clone websites, impersonate asset managers on LinkedIn and Facebook, and operate WhatsApp investment scams using real professionals’ names. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and reputable firms such as Coronation and Allan Gray have repeatedly warned the public about fraudulent campaigns.
For smaller investment managers, this risk can be daunting. They want visibility but fear their brand being exploited by scammers.
As noted in Decusatio’s PR Trends for Investment Managers in South Africa, firms that achieve more media exposure must also strengthen brand governance and digital monitoring. Awareness and risk grow together — and this tension is partly why some firms stay silent, even when they have valuable insights to offer.
Defining Your Audience: Who Are You Writing For?
The foundation of investment communication is clarity about who you’re addressing. Commentary aimed at retail investors should sound very different from messaging designed for financial advisors or institutional clients such as pension fund trustees.
Many asset managers make the mistake of trying to speak to everyone at once, which blurs the message. The firms that build credibility and trust usually choose specific themes — such as income funds, South African bonds, or renewable infrastructure — and stick with them.
This kind of specialisation positions the firm not just as having an opinion, but as having an opinion that matters.
Owned Media: Taking Control of the Narrative
Because traditional media exposure is harder to secure, leading investment firms are focusing on owned media assets— including websites, research reports, podcasts, vodcasts, and LinkedIn content.
A great example is Prescient, which published its State of Exchange Traded Funds report ahead of its ETF Conference. By shaping the conversation instead of waiting for journalist interest, Prescient established itself as an authority on ETF trends in South Africa.
This approach illustrates the value of owned media:
- You control the accuracy of your insights.
- You set the agenda.
- You create an archive of credible content for investors, journalists, and financial planners.
The Power of the Humble Newsletter
One of the most underrated tools for investment awareness is a well-written newsletter.
When executed effectively, newsletters create a loyal reader base that values your perspective.
Examples include:
- Piet Viljoen’s “Regarding” newsletter, which combines market behaviour and rational analysis.
- Overberg Asset Management’s weekly market reports, often shared by financial advisors with clients.
These newsletters succeed because they prioritise interpretation over marketing, offering clarity and education rather than jargon or product promotion.
Design, Infographics, and Visual Storytelling
Another underused strategy in South African investment communication is visual storytelling.
Charts, infographics, and data visuals make complex financial concepts more digestible and shareable. International firms like Ritholtz Wealth Management have mastered this, using clean design to explain market data in accessible ways.
Analysts like Michael Batnick have shown how visuals improve transparency and trust by showing the numbers behind the commentary.
Locally, many investment companies still rely heavily on static PDFs and text-heavy commentary, overlooking the design element that can make insights more engaging.
Transforming Your Website into a Living Media Platform
An investment company’s website should no longer act as a static brochure listing funds and team bios.
Instead, it should function as a living newsroom:
- Hosting updated market commentary, quarterly outlooks, archived newsletters, and recorded webinars.
- Providing investor context — explaining why this matters for my portfolio right now.
When a firm publishes an outlook on inflation, interest rates, or the rand, it should connect that directly to portfolio implications for investors.
The goal isn’t to sell products — it’s to translate market noise into investor insight.
From Product Promoters to Trusted Guides
The investment firms gaining real traction in South Africa aren’t the ones shouting the loudest or spending the most on advertising.
They’re the firms that have become interpreters of market behaviour — explaining what economic changes mean for real people: for retirement annuities, living annuity drawdowns, or client portfolios.
When investment managers move from product promotion to trusted interpretation, awareness follows naturally and sustainably.
Partner with Decusatio Investor Comms
If your company is preparing to raise its profile on the JSE or enhance investor relations, now is the time to invest in a robust financial communications strategy.
Our team works with listed companies, fund managers, and advisors to develop tailored communication plans that build market confidence and attract new investment.
Whether launching an IPO, expanding into markets, or engaging shareholders, we can help tell your story with clarity and impact.
Contact us today to discuss how our Financial PR expertise can position your business for success.