Businesses, especially brokers, cannot afford to forgo participating in social media. Because the insurance industry rarely contacts customers unless they make a claim or are up for renewal, it is important that brokers use social media as a way to increase visibility and trust. Remember that increased visibility means increased risk. Keep this risk in check with this guidance for taking full advantage of social media.
- Create a profile on the social media platforms your clients use (such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), and tailor your communication appropriately. However, don’t commit to more than you can manage. It’s better to be engaged on one or two platforms than inactive on several.
- Remember to be genuine and personal, not a generic robot or pushy salesperson. Show your face and cultivate a professional, open online presence.
- Focus on providing value rather than advertising. People will be more likely to follow and engage with your social media presence if you educate them with industry tips and useful information. Try to include content in a variety of formats, such as photos and videos.
- Generate conversation by engaging with your followers. Sending out a barrage of content without any interaction will discourage followers; instead, talk to them, ask questions and be friendly.
- Rely on tracking tools to measure your social media performance; analytics are often available within a social media platform, and other effective tracking tools are free or inexpensive. Tracking tools can give you feedback such as how effective your content strategy is, how many people you’re reaching, which types of content are most popular, etc.