5 best practices for building your brand online
“Are you using social media?” Often when a credit union’s management is asked this question the answer is almost always a resounding yes! However, for some, this ‘yes’ just confirms that the credit union has established a Twitter account, or that a Facebook page exists. It doesn’t mean that the credit union is engaged or actively participating in the social media space – meaning posting relevant, value-added content consistently; responding to comments from your members timely and/or garnering qualified leads from your social media presence. More importantly, having a Facebook/Instagram/Twitter page doesn’t mean that you are a part of the online conversation; if your social content is static, your credit union’s products and services are probably not being mentioned in any of the threads. Also, your brand does not show up in relevant searches by prospective or existing members or in any online reviews that inform potential members.
Why is social media important? It is important that your CU has a strong online presence because that is the first place your prospective members go when they are in the information gathering and decision-making stages. Additionally, positive views or sentiments expressed about your CU online, help to build your brand image and reputation. Having said that, here are a few best practices that you may want to consider as you work towards building your CU’s social presence.
1. Focus on what your members want rather than what you want to say
When creating content, focus on your members’ needs. Create buyer personas (profiles of what your targeted customers look like), then produce content that answer questions they would ask themselves; such as, what products or services fulfill my needs/lifestyle? While covering general topics is good, it is better to create content that help individuals to find solutions to their specific pain points. Think about the personas’ intent, then create/provide the relevant content to alleviate that.
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