Why credit unions should do their own social media

Are you still trying to ignore social media? Or maybe you have good intentions, but it keeps slipping to the bottom of the list. Did you know that this July, Facebook reached over 2 billion users? More importantly, almost 70% of consumers with investment accounts have a profile on at least one social network.

Social media is not only important for business marketing, it’s needed for better client relations. As an advertising agency, we’ve managed social media for a variety of clients, and we’ve seen it’s best to work WITH clients, not FOR clients when it comes to social posts.

Every brand has different needs for social media, financial institutions included. We’ve worked with companies in a variety of ways: to simply refresh and align tone, deliver posts for set campaigns, or full social takeovers to assist in-house marketing teams.

Because brands all have different needs, there are no set rules for what will make a post take off. Along with trends and audience reaction, what a brand needs is constantly evolving as well. But through all these evolutions one thing has remained constant: genuine connections.

Looking at the major social outlets–Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat–they all started as a way for people to connect with friends. From those beginnings, all of these outlets have grown to include company conversation and advertising opportunities. While this is great for credit unions wanting to connect and engage their customers, we shouldn’t forget the initial reason customers are there. Remembering this gives an insight into what they’ll listen and respond to.

To really connect with customers, credit unions need to be relatable. Showing there are real people behind the social accounts creates authentic communication. One-third of millennials choose social media as their top choice for communicating with a business. Social media is a great opportunity for two-way conversation, but it cannot reach it’s full potential if either side is indifferent about speaking. Posts about products and specials are just as important as ones about community events or responses to customer feedback.

Social is a great tool for visitors and followers to get a snapshot of who you really are. Do you have a recent change in management you could share, a local fundraiser your credit union is supporting, or a company celebration that shows employee personality behind the business? These are all great opportunities to connect with your audience and keep your content fresh for followers.

This doesn’t mean to throw strategy out the window in favor of quick, constant posts. Quantity over quality is not the way to go here. Every social media post should have strategy considered before, and reviews after, to create the strongest messaging. Posts that incorporate new information and allow campaigns the largest reach is the best ROI for every credit union.

Finding the sweet spot of marketing insight and brand personality is where brands find the most success and the best connections.

Ben Prager

Ben Prager

Prior to forming Prager Creative, Ben worked with design studios, branding firms and advertising agencies to push great strategy and design for all his projects. His experience with all aspects ... Web: www.pragercreative.com/creditunions Details