This excerpt is part 2 of 3 from the new ebook from Agency Revolution – The Digital Marketing Toolkit for Insurance Agents & Brokers. Get a copy of the full toolkit today, and discover even more great tips and tricks that will help you become a digital insurance marketing expert by downloading the ebook today.
Social media is for more than young people
On average we spend more than 30% of all online time using social media platforms, and it might not come as a surprise to anyone that the users spending the most time on social media are not millennials, but Generation X (ages 35-49), averaging 7 hours a week according to Nielson. But most important is what the heavy users – people who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media – are doing with their time online. Almost 1/3rd of heavy social media users say supporting their favorite brands and companies is “somewhat to very important”, and nearly 40% cite finding out about services and products as an important reason for using a social network according to the same 2017 Nielson report. The most important thing for you to learn? Understanding where the audience you want is, and how to connect with them.
What it is
The term ‘social media’ generally refers to websites and applications that let users create and share content or to participate in social networking. They often provide ways that users can further engage in content, with comments, likes, sharing, etc. There are hundreds or thousands of social media sites – many of them designed for niches and small interest communities – but the most common are those you’re probably familiar with, like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.
What it does best
Its most common business purposes are:
- To strengthen your brand, share your values and engage your followers
- To reveal a ‘human’ side to your business
- To demonstrate your engagement in and support of the community you share with your followers
Some helpful “Do’s and Don’ts”
✓ Do: Post frequently, ideally, at least once a day on most platforms.
✓ Do: Use each platform for their best use, e.g., LinkedIn for business networking, Facebook for social engagement, etc.
✓ Do: Mostly post content that your audience cares about: your community, your people, your customers and solutions to common problems.
✓ Do: Use a ‘posting formula’ that emphasizes posting personal stories and items of human interest over self-promotion.
✓ Do: Post images and video frequently.
✓ Do: Be ‘authentic.’
✓ Do: Attempt to engage your audience, occasionally asking questions or seeking opinions.
✓ Do: Commit to engaging on other people’s posts, e.g., liking, sharing, commenting.
✓ Do: Re-purpose and re-share previous popular content. Change it enough to keep it fresh.
✓ Do: Respond immediately and positively if you get a negative comment on a social site.
✓ Do: Make sure that whoever posts for you fully understands and represents your brand and values.
✓ Do: Save time by using a social media scheduling app.
✓ Do: Consider using a ‘social media budget’ that allows you to test various forms of paid advertising and ‘boosting’ of popular posts. (Note: most marketers report a progressive decline in the reach of non-paid, organic posts on Facebook.)
✓ Do: Experiment with existing and emerging features that you haven’t tried before, e.g., live video, etc.
✘ Do NOT: Use social media to ‘sell.’ That’s not why your followers are on social platforms.
✘ Do NOT: Try to trick your audience.
✘ Do NOT: Set unrealistic expectations about getting new business or selling more insurance from social media.
This is an excerpt from the new ebook from Agency Revolution – The Digital Marketing Toolkit for Insurance Agents & Brokers. Discover more great tips on how to become a digital insurance marketing master by downloading the ebook today.
