CO-OP Financial Services has amassed more than 122,000 followers on Twitter and 17,000 followers on Facebook, in just over one year since launching consumer-facing social media sites on behalf of the credit union industry.
“The growth of our social media channels is due to the long-term commitment CO-OP made last year to bring the great credit union story to consumers,” said Stan Hollen, President/CEO of CO-OP. “We have also stayed true to our approach of building an online environment that is relevant to the lifestyle of the modern consumer, and provide information in a fun and inspiring voice that reinforces the messages and the values of the credit union movement.”
Facebook and Twitter rank one and two among the world’s most popular social media networks, with 900 million and 310 million unique monthly visitors, respectively, according to eBizMBA.com. CO-OP’s Twitter account (https://twitter.com/innovatebanking) is by far the most widely followed in the credit union industry, according to a ranking appearing on The Financial Brand. In addition, CO-OP’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/innovatebanking) now ranks in the top 20 among industry organizations with a presence on that network, according to the same source.
Pew Research Center reports that 74 percent of online adults use social networking sites, with 89 percent of Millennials using social networks every day. CO-OP launched its consumer sites in May 2014 as part of its “Empowering People. Amplifying Dreams” outreach initiative targeted specifically to Millennials. The CO-OP effort (http://co-opcreditunions.org) is an integrated content marketing and social media campaign developed to help consumers better understand how credit unions empower individuals to achieve their financial goals.
The content from Empowering People. Amplifying Dreams focuses on the “how-to’s” of establishing a long-term, secure financial future. The social media posts aim to educate Millennials about the various services of credit unions while reflecting their lifestyle and circumstances. Popular content topics include how to control spending when you’re out with friends, tips on how to stretch the life of common household items and how to deal with student loan debt.
“We continue to evolve and optimize our content to address the needs and interests of our social media followers,” said Hollen. “In this way, we can make a compelling case on behalf of the industry that credit unions are the best kind of financial institution for Millennials.”
For more information on “Empowering People. Amplifying Dreams,” visit http://co-opcreditunions.org.