Tearing down the generational divide in your credit union’s social media marketing strategy
When marketing to your credit union’s members or prospective members on social media, it’s easy to dive deep into the consumer trends of each generation including Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha. It is not unusual to hear statements such as these:
“We have to be on TikTok to appeal to Gen Z.”
“We can’t use too trendy of words; we will turn off Gen X.”
“Let’s keep our traditional advertising methods for Baby Boomers.”
However, fixating on the segmentation of generations within your social media audiences can lead to undesirable results. In fact, a successful social media strategy appeals to all ages. Instead of focusing on the differences among generations, choose to focus on the similarities. Here are a few commonalities to consider when creating marketing for your credit union’s social media platforms:
- Desire to be Heard
Across all generations, there is a common desire to feel heard and represented. Every group wants to feel like their opinions are valued and that they are welcomed. Some ways to help your audience feel included are by responding to comments and addressing reviews on social media. Personalizing communications and emphasizing your desire to hear from your members in your credit union’s general marketing material can also help your members feel valued. At the end of the day, no voice is too big or too small to matter, so come as you are!
- Emphasis on Honesty
We have all seen the cancel culture that has erupted in today’s society. Perhaps a brand uses false advertising. It’s canceled. Or if the company’s actions go against its mission, it’s canceled.
People want to know they are entrusting their money to an entity that is true to their values. Words are meaningless without action, so make sure the message you are putting out there is genuinely reflective of your credit union’s core values. Consider reinforcing your credit union’s brand values with periodic posts on social media to reinforce your mission. Remember to focus on transparency and the “People Helping People” philosophy we all know and love.
- Demand for Information Accessibility
In the current digital age, it has become more and more necessary to have readily available information with the tap of a finger. Whether it is on your credit union’s social media, an app, or a website, consumers want to be able to find the information that they are looking for without digging. On social media be sure that your company description, contact information, websites are always kept up to date. Monitor your social direct inboxes and reply to messages in a timely manner. If your credit union isn’t able to monitor these messages on a regular basis or at all, be sure the settings are disabled, or autoresponder messages are activated.
Other ways your credit union can provide easy access to information is to be make sure websites are clean, thorough, and easy to navigate. Ensure contact information is readily available for those who have specific questions that can’t be answered from the digital realm.
There is a time and a place to leverage generational tendencies in your credit union’s marketing. However, it is important to look at the bigger picture and utilize their commonalities. Generations will come and go but remaining true to your brand and values will only elevate your messaging effectiveness and build trust with your credit union members.
