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How Rika's adaptive multi-channel campaign strategy drove high-intent marketing leads for Finova in an ultra-competitive fintech market.

Rika partnered with Finova to build a comprehensive sales pipeline across three distinct fintech products serving different financial services audiences. Through systematic test-and-learn campaigns leveraging strategic optimisation and real-time data-driven pivots, we exceeded ambitious lead targets by 34%, demonstrating that adaptive campaign management consistently delivers greater results over ‘set and forget’ or automated approaches.

The Business challenge

Generate high-quality Marketing Qualified Leads across broker, lending and savings products while demonstrating which channels drive the highest-value opportunities for each audience segment and building sustainable acquisition playbooks to guide future campaigns.

Objectives

Finova is a leading mortgage and savings technology provider serving the UK financial services market through innovative digital solutions including core banking systems, savings platforms, and broker CRM tools. The business faced a sophisticated go-to-market challenge requiring qualified lead generation across three distinct products, each serving different audiences within financial services:

  • Multi-product complexity.
     The Broker CRM needed broad reach to mortgage brokers focused on operational efficiency and automation benefits. Meanwhile, their enterprise-class products required surgical targeting of senior decision-makers at banks and building societies who engage in complex, risk-conscious procurement processes.
  • Diverse audience requirements.
     High-volume, transaction-focused brokers requiring efficiency messaging versus high-value, C-Suite executives with extended consideration cycles demanded fundamentally different value propositions and conversion pathways.
  • Competitive market penetration.
     Senior financial services professionals are inundated with technology pitches, so obtaining their attention requiring tactics that would cut-through, could prove relevance and drive engagement in a crowded fintech landscape.
  • Nuanced targeting approach.
     Each product required unique messaging, targeting strategies, and conversion pathways while maintaining consistent brand positioning across Finova's expanding technology portfolio.

Insights

Rika identified three strategic insights that shaped the campaign approach:

  • Value-led content, such as industry reports, could capture leads directly on LinkedIn.
  • A multi-channel approach would reach audiences across the funnel, with LinkedIn driving awareness and Google Ads capturing high-intent conversions.
  • Audience-specific messaging was essential, as brokers responded to efficiency and workflow benefits, while enterprise audiences engaged with speed-to-market and risk mitigation themes.

Approach

Rika implemented a comprehensive three-phased test-and-learn strategy specifically designed for complex fintech B2B lead generation:

Initial testing and benchmarking.
 Established performance benchmarks across LinkedIn and Google Ads using distinct targeting strategies including broad job title targeting for brokers and account-based marketing for pre-identified lenders. Creative testing included single image ads, carousels, and document ads on LinkedIn, with branded, competitor, and general awareness campaigns on Google Ads.

Data-driven optimisation.
 Strategically reallocated budget based on real performance signals, shifting investment between channels as insights emerged. Pivots toward content-led formats delivered strong engagement and lead capture performance.

Scaling and refinement.
Built on high-performing tactics while continuing to optimise creative, messaging, and bidding strategies. Creative refreshes reinvigorated engagement rates, while competitor keyword targeting proved effective for enterprise audiences. Trade publication partnerships created a credibility halo across campaign channels.

Deliverables

  • Multi-channel campaign management across LinkedIn and Google Ads with audience-specific targeting, messaging frameworks, and optimised bidding strategies aligned to each product’s value proposition and buyer journey.

  • Integration of high-value industry reports to serve as primary lead magnets via LinkedIn’s native lead-gen forms.

  • Creative development across multiple formats, including single image ads, carousel creatives, and document ads, with visual and messaging approaches tailored to each audience.

  • Strategic partnerships with leading financial services publications to reinforce credibility through advertorial content, display advertising, and newsletter placements.

The Outcome

The campaign succeeded by treating optimisation as a core competency rather than reactive measure, systematically testing and adapting based on real performance data rather than guesswork or assumptions:

Target over-achievement.

Lead generation surpassed ambitious targets through strategic optimisation rather than increased spend.

Exceptional audience penetration.

High reach across broker and lender audiences on LinkedIn helped strengthen recognition and engagement across the funnel.

Strong content performance.

Industry-led content consistently outperformed other formats and became the primary driver of qualified lead capture.

High-intent conversions.

Google Ads delivered strong demo volumes from high-intent search activity, demonstrating the effectiveness of bottom-funnel acquisition tactics

Strong trade press engagement.

Newsletter and display placements supported credibility and reinforced campaign messaging.

Cost-efficient delivery.

CPCs remained below industry benchmarks across channels, while engagement outperformed expected performance levels.
By establishing sustainable playbooks for each product and validating content-led strategies that inform future campaigns, Rika demonstrated that adaptive, data-led optimisation consistently delivers better results in competitive fintech markets.
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