Fintel Connect and Cornerstone Advisors Release New Report Revealing the Marketing ROI Gap in Banking
New research highlights how financial institutions spend, measure, and struggle to prove marketing's value, underscoring the need for specialized performance marketing expertise in financial services
VANCOUVER, BC, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fintel Connect, financial services' only dedicated affiliate marketing platform, network, and agency, today announced the release of a new report commissioned with Cornerstone Advisors, The Marketing ROI Gap in Banking: How Financial Institutions Spend, Measure, and (Struggle to) Prove Marketing's Value.
Based on a survey of 126 senior executives at U.S.-based banks and credit unions, the report provides financial services-specific data on marketing budgets, channel performance, attribution challenges, and ROI measurement. This first-of-its-kind report reveals a clear disconnect between where financial institutions allocate marketing dollars and how confidently their leaders can connect that spend to business outcomes.
According to the report, nearly 6 in 10 senior marketing executives said their core or CRM system limits their ability to measure marketing ROI. In addition, 31% believe they credit the wrong marketing channel, while another 26% are not sure. Not one institution surveyed said it could reliably attribute marketing results to all the outcome measures evaluated in the report.
"Financial institutions are being asked to make smarter marketing decisions in an environment that is more complex, more competitive, and harder to measure than ever," said Nicky Senyard, CEO and Founder of Fintel Connect. "This report gives bank and credit union marketers, for the first time, a scorecard on marketing ROI: clear, industry-specific insight into how their peers are spending, which channels are performing, and where measurement is breaking down."
Based on the report, affiliate/partner marketing was identified as the most under-leveraged channel in terms of quality and scale. For financial institutions, affiliate marketing requires more than a generic platform. They have a clear need for partners like Fintel Connect that understand the realities of regulated financial marketing, including compliance oversight, product complexity, publisher quality, attribution, and the importance of funded accounts and qualified customers over traffic volume alone.
"Affiliate marketing in financial services requires a different level of specialization," added Senyard. "Banks and credit unions are not simply looking for more clicks or broader reach. They need qualified applicants, funded accounts, compliant content, transparent measurement, and partners who understand the realities of financial marketing. That is why Fintel Connect was purpose-built for this industry."
Fintel Connect's platform, network, and managed services help banks, credit unions, fintechs, and insurers launch, manage, and scale affiliate programs. The company combines dedicated financial-services technology with hands-on support from in-house, specialized experts who understand regulated acquisition marketing, publisher strategy, content compliance workflows, campaign optimization, and performance measurement.
The full report, The Marketing ROI Gap in Banking, is now available from Fintel Connect.
About Fintel Connect
Fintel Connect is the financial services' only dedicated affiliate marketing platform, network, and agency. The company drives scalable net new growth for the modern bank, credit union, fintech, and insurer through its specialized tools, expert support, and deep experience in regulated environments. Fintel Connect proudly partners with thousands of targeted high-quality traffic sources and powers the affiliate programs of 100+ leading financial institutions, including Live Oak Bank, Grasshopper, Scotiabank, and BMO. For more information, visit www.fintelconnect.com.
About Cornerstone Advisors
For more than 20 years, Cornerstone Advisors has delivered data-driven insights, strategic guidance, and practical solutions to help banks, credit unions, and fintechs improve performance and build stronger financial institutions.
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SOURCE Fintel Connect
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