8 Ways To Turn Social Media Into A Weapon For Success

As technology continues to advance, social media has become an integral part of an insurance agent’s marketing efforts, providing an opportunity to increase visibility and meet clients on a platform that encourages engagement. The more a prospect gets to know you, the more likely they are to trust you and invest with you. Plus, social media can help you find the audience that is most important for growing your business and provide a direct communication channel to reach them.

What is the secret behind using social media as a weapon for success to increase your agency’s reach? By using the following eight techniques to leverage social media, I have generated leads, built solid relationships and strengthened our brand.

1. Determine where to reach your target market

Find out which social networks are most frequented by your desired clients. This may vary depending upon the age groups, geographic locations and individual preferences of your ideal client base. Focus your targeted content on the appropriate social media platforms for optimal return on investment.

2. Create relevant and useful content

Whether it’s a blog post or an infographic, make sure the content you create is relevant to the customers you serve. Highlight your unique skill sets and the services you offer to keep your customers engaged, establish your areas of expertise and boost your credibility.

3. Share curated content

You are an insurance agency, not a content publisher. Although it is important to create native content when you can, it is just as beneficial to share posts from industry thought leaders as well. Developing relationships with respected publishers can increase your visibility and help you reach a wider audience within your target markets. Highlighting content from other experts and engaging with them on social media are effective ways to build your digital footprint.

4. Post regularly

Reaching your follower base regularly is essential to establishing your agency’s social media presence and developing relationships. A good rule of thumb is to post once a day on Facebook and Twitter and two to three times a week on LinkedIn. Irregular communications can be overlooked, while consistent posting can keep you top of mind.

5. Use pictures and videos

Using media with your content can increase follower interaction and post shareability. However, make sure the pictures and videos you use are cohesive with the content you are posting. To differentiate your content, I recommend that you avoid reusing the same pictures too frequently in order to capture your followers’ attention with each and every post.

6. Establish a two-way conversation

Social media is the perfect venue to create an open dialogue with your customer base. Make sure you create a platform for customers to speak and interact with your agency. You should respond to every comment, review or inquiry — good or bad — posted on your page, as soon as possible. Your agency can earn your followers’ trust and exude authenticity by responding to criticism and resolving any issue that may arise.

7. Stay authentic and on brand

Establish the image you want to portray, and create a voice that coincides with your company goals and mission statement. Make sure every post adheres to your brand to further increase your credibility. Even if you create numerous posts that are consistent with your purpose, just one off-brand post can undermine your efforts.

8. Analyze your post results and adjust

Whether you use Facebook Insights, Google Analytics or other methods of gathering metrics, it is important to evaluate the results of your social media posts. This will allow you to establish which topics are successful in creating follower interaction as well as the types of content and media that breed the most discussion. Analytics can also help you determine the best time to post on social media. Once you have a solid grasp of the content that interests your followers, adjust your future posts to fit the established template.

Showcasing your brand and expertise on social media is one of the best ways to keep current clients engaged and to attract new prospects. The next generation of clients likely frequents social media when researching important decisions in their life, such as financial planning. By leveraging social media, you will elevate your business to the next generation on digital platforms.

Sukanta Singha Roy, CFC, FSS, is a seven-year MDRT member who has helped thousands of people in need of financial planning in various aspects of their lives, such as children’s education, retirement planning, tax savings and legacy building. He spoke at both the MDRT Annual Meeting and the MDRT Global Conference in 2016 and 2019. He may be contacted at [email protected].