The State Of The Art Of Version 1.0 iPad Apps

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Users who download asset manager iPad apps also download apps like CNBC Realtime and Bloomberg, according to Apple’s App store. Gulp. That sets the bar fairly high for a Version 1.0 app from a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) company.

Three asset manager iPad apps have launched in the last few weeks. Since it’s been almost a year since I blogged about an iPad app (PIMCO’s), I thought I’d take a look at how the state of the art has evolved, as demonstrated by the apps from OppenheimerFunds, Franklin Templeton Investments and RidgeWorth Investments.
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How About Joining The Conversation In Progress?

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One of the recurring discussions I have with asset managers is about the top dog role that they envision for themselves in social interactions. Some want to send the tweets that get re-tweeted but give short-shrift to the importance of reading let alone re-tweeting others’ tweets. Some want to form the go-to LinkedIn group without joining any groups of their own. If there’s going to be a discussion online, some think they should start, lead, control or sponsor it.

No doubt, part of this thinking is shaped by uncertainty surrounding what FINRA or the SEC or their Compliance function will allow them to do. But part of it is also driven by the ego that drives all brands. Brands became accustomed to calling all the shots in Web 1.0. In the early days, only brands had the resources to establish domains and use them to communicate with sizable “audiences” online.

But, that was very much then.
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What's New On Mutual Fund, ETF Websites

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I wince every time I see how prominent “Social Media” is in the tag cloud on this blog. There’s more to digital marketing strategy than just social, obviously. Let me make up for it a little today by sticking closer to home and calling your attention to some progressive information design showing up on a few mutual fund and ETF Websites.
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5 Asset Manager-Relevant Social Resources 4 U On V Day

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For my valentine to you this year, I thought I’d call your attention to five asset management industry-relevant social resources. It would break my heart if you missed these just because your workplace blocks you from discovering social sites while on your work computer. These are worth checking out on your own time.
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"Astonishing" Advisor Research Suggests Necessary Changes To Mutual Fund/ETF Communications

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I was so eager to get at the recent Advisor Perspectives/Inside Information research that I read the complete 65-page report on my 4-inch phone while sitting out in a cold car waiting for a Realtor to show my house over the weekend.

The conditions notwithstanding, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. “Investment Trends in the Financial Advisory Profession: Key Implications for the Investment Management Industry” lives up to its promotional email.

Authors Bob Veres (Inside Information) and Robert Huebscher (CEO of Advisor Perspectives) wrote a page-turner filled with some provocative ideas for mutual fund and ETF marketers focusing on the elusive RIA channel.
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