The rise of social media has opened doors to many new and inexpensive marketing opportunities for insurance agents. Nearly 78 percent of Americans are active on at least one social media network, and as of 2015, social media has surpassed search engines like Google and Bing in driving referral traffic to other websites. If you’re not using social media as a way to market yourself as an insurance agent, you’re missing out on huge potential to establish and maintain client connections.
Know that there is a right way and a wrong way to use social media for business purposes. Here are some tips for using social networks efficiently and getting the most out of your social media presence:
Choose your channels.
It seems like a new social media platform becomes the “it” thing every day, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be active on all of them. Different channels serve different audiences and purposes, so consider who you want to be talking to. Instagram generally attracts younger people while LinkedIn is used for professional networking. Our advice is to begin with Facebook because it is the largest and most widely used, followed by Twitter and then others as you see fit. The most important thing is not trying to be on every network at once if you can’t keep up. In the case of social media, less is often more.
Create a separate business profile.
It’s a good idea to set up separate business profiles aside from your own personal profiles. While we’re sure your friends love seeing pictures of your children and family vacations, it can appear unprofessional to those you don’t know personally. Use your business profile for just that, business. And make sure your profile picture/avatar is a high-quality, professional photo of yourself.
Post quality content, and post it consistently.
Put some thought into the things you post to your social media accounts. Make sure the content is relevant to the insurance industry or an adjacent industry (like cars, homes, weather, etc.), written without grammar or spelling mistakes, and includes a bit of your personality. Be sure to post a mix of original content and shared content like blog posts or news stories. What’s equally important is to make sure you’re posting on a consistent basis. Don’t overwhelm your following with too much information, but at the same time, don’t neglect your accounts for long periods of time. Utilize the scheduling features offered by Facebook and Twitter to create posts ahead of time and schedule them to publish on certain days.
Engage with others.
It’s not enough to simply have a social media account and post to it. Make sure you’re liking, sharing, and commenting on others’ posts as well. This shows your social media community that you’re paying attention and can be approached. After all, the whole point of social media is to be social. The first step in generating any kind of business is to be personable and engage in the conversation.
Promote your social media accounts.
There’s no point in using social media if you don’t have friends or followers to interact with! When you set up your profile, begin by following organizations and people you know. Use the “suggested friends” and “who to follow” features to connect with others who may have similar interests in your area. Include links and some sort of call to action to your social media pages on your website, email signature, and other marketing materials. Just as you would in person, take steps to grow your online network.
Social media has become one of the most prominent ways to communicate with others, so capitalize on the opportunity to make new connections and gain new clients. Remember to be professional while still showcasing your personality in the things you post. Make connecting to your followers and providing them with valuable content your number one priority, and the leads and referrals will fall into place!