In an industry where trust and credibility are everything, financial institutions are turning to a new breed of influencer: nano- and micro-creators. Joseph Black and Oliver Jacobs, co-founders of SHOUT – TikTok’s first UK agency partner and operator of the world’s largest network of these creators – explain they can help institutions scale authentic campaigns that educate and engage, all while navigating the strict demands of compliance.
What inspired you to start SHOUT, and how did you identify the opportunity for a nano- and micro-influencer agency?
JB: SHOUT was born out of a clear gap between how brands wanted influencer marketing to perform and how it was actually being delivered.
Traditional influencer campaigns were expensive, difficult to measure and often prioritised reach over real impact. We saw that smaller creators, primarily nano and micro influencers, consistently drove higher trust, stronger engagement and more authentic conversations, particularly in high-consideration categories like finance.
The challenge was scale. Activating hundreds or thousands of smaller creators manually wasn’t operationally viable for most brands. That insight led us to build SHOUT as a creator performance business, combining a full-service agency with proprietary technology, enabling brands to activate creators at scale while maintaining control, compliance and measurable outcomes.
How are financial institutions using nano- and micro-influencers differently compared to consumer brands?
OJ: Financial institutions are far more intentional in how they use creators. Unlike consumer brands, where the focus may be entertainment or trend-led reach, finance brands prioritise credibility, clarity and trust.
Nano and micro creators are particularly effective here because they tend to have closer relationships with their audiences. Their content feels more like peer-to-peer education than advertising.
Financial brands are using these creators to explain products, demystify financial concepts and build confidence, rather than push hard calls to action. We’re also seeing finance brands lean more heavily into performance-led frameworks, where creator content is tested organically before being amplified through paid media once compliance and performance are proven.
How can banks and other financial services ensure that influencer content is both engaging and compliant with regulations?
JB: The key is building compliance into the process, not treating it as a final checkpoint. At SHOUT, we approach this through structured creative frameworks: pre-approved messaging, clearly defined do’s and don’ts, mandatory disclosures and controlled scripting where required. Creators still bring their own voice, but within well-defined guardrails.
Technology plays a big role here too. Centralised briefing, content review workflows, version control and licensing ensure brands know exactly what content is live, where it’s being used and how it’s performing, which is essential in regulated environments.
How can institutions spot influencers who are a good fit for their values and brand tone?
OJ: Follower count is far less important than behaviour, language and audience alignment. Institutions should look at how creators communicate complex topics, how they engage with their audience in comments and whether their past content demonstrates responsibility and consistency.
Tone of voice, transparency and audience demographics often matter more than raw reach. Working with partners who have deep creator data and screening processes also helps reduce risk. It allows brands to assess creators not just on performance metrics, but on long-term brand suitability.
What advice would you give financial institutions that are just starting to explore influencer marketing?
JB: Start small, test rigorously and think long-term. Rather than launching a large, one-off campaign, financial institutions should run controlled tests with a small group of well-vetted creators.
Measure engagement quality, sentiment and downstream performance, not just impressions. Most importantly, view influencer marketing as a trust-building channel, not a short-term acquisition hack. When done properly, it can become one of the most effective ways to educate audiences, humanise financial brands and drive sustainable growth.
This story appeared in Issue 15 of the Financial Promoter magazine. To be one of the first to read it, subscribe here: Subscribe – Financial Promoter