When it comes to marketing, social media is always a hot topic. It’s also a very deep one. Establishing credibility through social media enhances your brand recognition, establishes you as a thought leader, and positions your agency’s website for increased traffic. Additionally, a strong social media presence can boost your agency’s search rankings, driving even more prospects to your business.
Here are five things to keep in mind when executing a social media strategy at your insurance agency.
1. Pick a platform.
There is no shortage of social media platforms you could join. Focus your efforts on one or two, especially if you’re just starting out. The top five–Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube–offer enormous audiences and plenty of opportunities.
Facebook and LinkedIn are essential for brand awareness and social proof. Your clients expect to find you there, and if they don’t see your agency, they’ll certainly find your competitors. Instagram and X are second priority. They’re great if you have time, but not essential. If you have video content, YouTube is a must. People use it like a search engine to learn information, so making your videos available there can yield terrific results.
2. Authenticity matters.
Social media isn’t one-size-fits-all, so the best thing you can be is yourself. Brand authenticity is crucial, and audiences will know if you’re trying to be something you’re not. Offer value and your own personality in every post, keeping your style consistent. Whether you prefer emojis, a formal tone, or a casual approach, stay true to your brand’s voice.
3. Post when it works for you.
People often ask us about when and how often to post. There are many differing opinions on days and times depending on whether you focus on B2C or B2B, what platform you’re on, and other factors. First, the best frequency is what you can stick to week after week. If that’s every Wednesday, great! Every weekday? Awesome! Something in between? Perfect. You know your agency’s bandwidth to create, schedule, and monitor social, and that’s what matters.
Once you’ve got a good rhythm going, test out some tactics. Post on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday and see if your engagement changes. Try morning instead of afternoon. You can test and iterate on almost anything, so try something new and adjust as needed based on the results. Remember, it doesn’t matter what experts say if your experience shows otherwise.
4. Offer value more than promotion.
There are differing opinions on how much of your content should be promotional as opposed to educational. Some say 80% of your material should strictly provide value and only 20% should be an advertisement for your agency. Others set the ratio at 70%/30%. Others throw another number in there for curated content, meaning articles and information created by a third party that you’re sharing to your audience. (We think curated content can be lumped in with educational or value-add content.) Whatever ratio you choose, understand that offering value is an advertisement–for you, your brand, and your thought leadership. People will appreciate your expertise, and that’s the best advertising you could ask for.
5. Ask your team to participate.
Unless you’re a one-person shop, your social media efforts should be made via a business page, not a personal account. Not only will that give you better functionality on nearly every platform, including the opportunity for paid posts down the line, it makes it easier for your employees to get involved. Consider sharing what you post through internal communication channels such as Slack or email to let your team know what the agency posted so they can share that to their networks. This can be especially helpful for your producers on LinkedIn.
Social media for insurance agencies doesn’t have to be complicated. Start out slowly, then add to your strategy over time as you learn more about what works. Stay consistent and true to your agency, and most of all, be patient. Results won’t happen overnight, but they will eventually happen. And while ROI might not be directly attributable to a specific post or campaign, the intangible benefits of brand awareness and your reputation as a thought leader in your community can’t be beat.
We’re just scratching the surface here. If you want to learn more, check out two of our recent webinars, Social Media Best Practices for Insurance Agencies and LinkedIn Best Practices. You can also keep an eye out for future social media webinars on our Upcoming Events page.
Are you interested in learning more or finding out how Agency Revolution’s products might be a good fit for your agency? Contact us today.
