A guest editorial by Nicky Senyard, chief executive officer of Fintel Connect
Gen Z isn’t the future. They’re the now
For financial marketers, the pressure is mounting. Acquisition targets remain aggressive, but the levers to pull are getting fewer. Budgets are tighter. Compliance requirements more intense. And customer behavior? It’s evolving faster than most strategies can keep up with.
At the heart of this shift is Gen Z.
Often portrayed as a “next-generation” opportunity, Gen Z is already transforming the way financial services are discovered, researched, and adopted. According to Bank of America, Gen Z and Millennials together will account for more than 70% of global consumer spending by 2030. But it’s not just about their economic potential. It’s about how they engage with brands.
This audience doesn’t respond to traditional advertising. They crave authenticity, operate in online communities, and value peer validation over polished promotions. A few stats from Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer make this clear:
- 79% of Gen Z say trust is the deciding factor in choosing a brand
- Almost 70% have acted on a financial trend they discovered online
This tells us two things:
Trust is the currency of acquisition.
Digital content ecosystems, not corporate websites, are where financial decisions begin.
There’s a way to tap into Gen Z’s decision-making journey — authentically, efficiently, and at scale.
Affiliate marketing, when done right, offers financial brands a performance-driven channel built around trusted voices and measurable results. It’s not just an alternative to traditional advertising. It’s a more relevant, more effective way to grow.
In this article, we’ll unpack how affiliate marketing bridges the gap between Gen Z’s expectations and your growth objectives — and why now is the time to make it part of your strategy.
The fall of the funnel. Why the old way doesn’t work
Financial marketers have long relied on reach-based strategies: top-of-funnel awareness campaigns, paid media, and brand exposure tactics designed to “prime” the audience.
But with Gen Z, that model falls flat.
They aren’t impressed by frequency or format. They’re influenced by relevance, and more importantly, by who delivers the message. That could be:
- A YouTuber breaking down the differences between chequing and savings accounts
- A TikTok creator explaining credit scores with humor and clarity
- A Reddit thread dissecting hidden fees across banking apps
- A blog post that transparently outlines the pros and cons of a fintech’s loan product
It’s not about being seen. It’s about showing up in the right conversation, from a voice the audience already trusts.
Affiliate marketing. A channel built for the moment
Affiliate marketing allows financial institutions to reach Gen Z in ways that feel native, trusted, and behaviorally aligned. When done well, it offers three major benefits:
- Credibility. You partner with creators and publishers who have already built loyalty with their audiences. Their endorsement is earned, not bought.
- Performance-driven ROI. You pay only when meaningful actions happen. A click, a lead, or a funded account. This makes it one of the most accountable marketing channels available.
- Full-funnel support. From awareness and education to comparison and conversion, affiliate marketing spans the entire customer journey — not just one stage.
This isn’t just a more efficient spend. It’s a smarter way to build long-term brand equity with a generation that doesn’t trust traditional ads.
Credibility is the gateway to Gen Z
If there’s one thing Gen Z values more than convenience or flashy branding, it’s credibility.
They’ve grown up surrounded by fine print, sponsored posts, and algorithms — and they’ve learned to question what they see. Whether it’s a TikTok explaining how to build credit or a blog comparing savings accounts, Gen Z is quick to ask: Is this legit? Is this accurate? Can I trust it?
A missing detail or unclear message might not seem like a big deal in the moment, but it can create hesitation. For Gen Z, even small inconsistencies — like outdated information or vague claims — can make a brand feel less trustworthy. In financial services, where clarity really matters, getting the details right is a key part of building credibility. If something feels even slightly off, they’re likely to scroll past it or, in some cases, call it out publicly.
For financial institutions, the takeaway is clear:
Monitoring affiliate content isn’t just a compliance box. It’s foundational to building credibility.
That trust is what earns Gen Z’s attention — and their business.
To maintain credibility in these third-party spaces, financial brands must embed oversight into how they partner from the start:
- Vetting partners for more than just reach. It’s not only about audience alignment — it’s about shared values. Gen Z is quick to spot when a partnership feels transactional rather than genuine.
- Providing clear, current product info, including rates, disclosures, and explanations. It’s not just compliance — it’s transparency.
- Automating review and monitoring to ensure the content stays accurate over time, even after it’s published.
This isn’t just about legal boxes to tick. It’s about earning Gen Z’s trust in every click, scroll, and search. Because in their eyes, credibility isn’t a bonus. It’s the baseline.
The creators you choose reflect the brand you are
For Gen Z, your brand isn’t just what you say — it’s who speaks for you, where you show up, and how consistently your message comes across.
That’s why it’s not enough to simply pick the right affiliate partners. You have to empower them to represent your brand in a way that aligns with what Gen Z expects: clarity, transparency, and relevance.
When partners are properly equipped, their content becomes more than just promotional — it becomes educational, trustworthy, and shareable. And that’s exactly what Gen Z looks for when researching financial products online.
Here’s how you build that kind of credibility at scale:
- Give partners what they need to get it right — up-to-date messaging, creative assets, and clear brand guidance
- Educate them on what matters to your audience, not just your goals. The more they understand Gen Z’s mindset, the more authentic their content becomes
- Share performance insights that help them improve over time, so they’re always delivering value to both their audience and your brand
It’s not just about boosting conversions. It’s about showing up with consistency and integrity, wherever Gen Z is researching their next financial move.
The best partnerships are the ones that feel like an extension of your brand — not a sales channel, but a trusted voice in the room.
Five ways financial marketers can get ahead
If you’re looking to win the next generation of customers without relying on massive media spend, consider these strategic priorities:
- Prioritise outcomes over optics. Choose channels based on what they deliver, not how visible they are.
- Add affiliate to your acquisition mix. It’s not about replacing other channels. It’s about enhancing your strategy with trusted third-party voices.
- Operationalise compliance. Build workflows that include pre-approval, live monitoring, and post-campaign auditing.
- Focus on depth, not breadth, in partnerships. A smaller group of high-performing, values-aligned affiliates will outperform a bloated roster every time.
- Leverage performance data. Real-time data allows you to iterate, refine, and drive more effective campaigns over time.
Growth isn’t just about getting bigger. It’s about getting smarter
Gen Z isn’t just changing how financial products are marketed — they’re reshaping what credibility, connection, and conversion look like in this industry.
Winning their trust doesn’t require bigger budgets. It requires better alignment.
Affiliate marketing gives financial brands a direct path to show up where it counts — in the voices, communities, and content Gen Z already trusts. For marketers willing to shift from campaigns to conversations, the opportunity isn’t just to reach this audience. It’s to build long-term brand equity with the consumers shaping the future.
Image: Baptiste Buisson on Unsplash
Guest Editorial
This article was produced specially for Fintech Intel by an expert guest contributor.
