According to one recent study, more than one-third of Americans (around 34%) are likely to turn to social media when it’s time to choose an insurance agent or financial advisor. Of those, more than half are millennials.
When they hop on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, they’re doing more than searching for new contacts. They’re also reaching out to their online communities, seeking advice, referrals, and recommendations.
If you’re an independent insurance agent, this is why you need a robust internet presence.
Today, we’re sharing more than 10 of our top social media marketing ideas to help you grow your sphere of influence, reach more people, and develop your brand presence. We’ll also share how our team at TR King Insurance can help you get started!
Why Do Insurance Agents Need Social Media?
The world of insurance sales is vast, and there are many different customer acquisition channels. Why should you spend time creating a social media profile, much less keeping it up-to-date and relevant?
The reality is that your audience is already there. As of January 2023, there were 4.76 billion social media users all around the world. That’s more than half (59.4%) of the global population.
Whether you’re already well-established in your business or you’re still struggling to attract qualified leads, social media can help. With the right approach, you can create your own personal brand, helping current and prospective clients recognize you by your personal name — not the name of the carriers you represent.
Yet, it’s important to approach this process the right way. Ideally, you should use social media to achieve the following business goals:
- Improve your customer experience
- Create trust with prospects
- Establish thought leadership
- Put a face on your insurance brand
- Demonstrate your level of client focus
- Share important status updates
- Entice leads to check out your website, landing page, newsletter, blogs, and more
- Drive traffic back to your website
That said, there’s a right and a wrong way to approach social media insurance marketing. Let’s take a look at 12 strategies that can get you closer to the top.
1. Bridge Personal and Professional
No, we don’t need to see the avocado toast you made for breakfast. However, it is important to understand that social media is primarily lifestyle-related. That simply means that not every post needs to be about your business.
Instead, feel free to mix it up a little, but remember to keep it professional. If possible, try to make even your personal posts feel targeted and direct.
Heading to an industry conference or networking event? Attending an informative training session or continuing education class? Brushing up on your latest reading?
This is great content to share with your followers! Not only does it give a personal feel to your page, but it also demonstrates your commitment to your craft. From photos and videos to live stories and reels, don’t limit yourself to insurance-specific topics only.
Brainstorm how you can bridge the gap between your personal and professional life and give followers a glimpse into your everyday life. Studies show that 61% of online consumers prefer social media content that’s relatable, and giving a behind-the-scenes look at your profession is a smart way to find your place in that niche.
2. Highlight Community Events
Independent insurance agents continue to grow their businesses through word-of-mouth marketing. Even in today’s Digital Era, the more people who know your name, the better. While you can hope that someone will log online and find your Facebook page, you’re more likely to get eyes on your brand by developing an active presence in your local community.
Sponsor community events and little-league programs. Advertise on the menu at the local diner. Give a consultation session as a raffle item for a fundraiser.
Then, don’t keep your participation to yourself. Go ahead and advertise it on social media! When you do, use event-specific hashtags to draw traffic and attention to your posts.
Not only does this help get the word out, but it also shows your community that you’re more than an office down the street. You’re invested in helping the region (and its residents) grow.
3. Limit Your Activity
When you first decide to enter the social media realm, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There’s so much social media content to create and consume, and it could become a full-time job if you let it.
To maintain a steady pace and avoid burnout, start by joining only a select few platforms. For the insurance industry, Facebook and LinkedIn are two of the best ones to use. Think about where your audience is most likely to be, and go from there.
The key is to make sure you can respond to comments, questions, and concerns as you receive them. Otherwise, your social media presence could work against you, leaving clients frustrated and disappointed. Each time you open an account, make sure you’re using a business-specific platform, not a personal one.
For instance, create a Facebook Business page to keep your professional posts separate from your personal updates that you share with friends, family members, and old high-school classmates. Here’s a quick guide to help you set one up!
4. Build Local Partnerships
Independent insurance agents aren’t normally in competition with local businesses. Instead, you rely on the support and patronage of these organizations to drive awareness to your brand. Why not spotlight them on your social media platforms?
Consider starting a small online series where you can share about different companies in your community. One company per week is a manageable goal.
During each spotlight, you can do a quick interview with the business owner, give a tour of the facility, or share some of their best-selling products or services. When you do, they’ll usually give your agency a shoutout or mention on their page.
5. Repost and Share Relevant Content
Did you come across some great content marketing for insurance clients? The internet is replete with helpful tips, guides, and articles designed to help individuals, families, and businesses navigate this complicated and often confusing subject.
As long as the information isn’t from a direct competitor, you can go ahead and share it with your online followers! If they can benefit from the insights, they’ll appreciate your openness and generosity.
This is a social platform, after all. That means it works best when you engage with others, including those who are operating in the same space that you are. Part of your goal should be to find and then distribute content that you know your community will need and appreciate.
6. Share Client Testimonials
According to one report, 84% of people now trust online reviews from strangers as much as personal recommendations from friends and family members. If you’re looking for more insurance content for your social media pages, why not ask some of your newer and longer-term clients to share a little about their experience working with you?
You can sit down with them in a central location and conduct a one-on-one interview if time allows. Or, they can simply upload a video to their phones and send it to you directly.
The key to doing this effectively?
Make sure to only ask clients you’re still in regular contact with. Popping into someone’s DMs requesting a testimonial when they haven’t heard from you in over a year isn’t the best strategy. This gives you even more reason to stay consistent with your outreach and lead nurturing efforts!
7. Connect With Influencers
Remember how we said that you didn’t have to become an influencer? That might be true, but it doesn’t hurt to connect with others who have established a more robust presence in the social media space.
Influencers are social media users who have cultivated a strong following in a certain niche. There are influencers in almost every sector, from business and marketing to health and beauty and yes — even insurance.
If you can connect with someone in that realm who you think could benefit you and your audience, reach out! Start by sharing their posts and tagging them in the mention. Then, message them to request a guest post.
They might not reply, but it never hurts to check. Once you develop a working relationship with one or two influencers, you might be surprised at how much your own online community starts to develop. Of course, there are also ways to jumpstart this growth, including buying insurance leads through a qualified company like ours!
8. Share an Office Tour
No, your office might not be as sleek and swanky as some of the most prolific ones shared on Instagram or TikTok. However, that doesn’t mean you have to keep it hidden behind closed doors!
One of the easiest and most effective ways to put a personal/professional spin on your social media page is to give your followers a peek behind the curtain. Take them on a quick tour of your office! You can even answer questions via a live Q&A chat if time allows.
As you walk around, be sure to point out any updates that will interest your community. If you’re not sure where to start, ask yourself these questions:
- Have you introduced everyone on your team?
- Have you discussed your current and latest policies?
- Have you showcased all of your carriers
- Did you make any recent changes to your office layout or workspace?
Most platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, have live video features that allow you to walk your followers around in real time. When you turn on the chat function, you can answer questions as you go.
9. Write and Share Blog Posts
Finding and sharing outside content is one thing. You also need to create your own, original content to keep your social media audience engaged.
Your website is a great place to house your blog, where you’ll share regular updates on common insurance topics. If you’re experiencing writer’s block, here are a few ideas to help you get started:
- Answers to common insurance-related FAQs
- Information on state industry regulations
- Common insurance myths
- Updates on upcoming industry deadlines
- Seasonal content (e.g. end-of-year posts on reviewing/renewing policies)
- Client interviews
- Product and partnership announcements
You don’t have to post every day but aim to create a new post at least once every week or two. This way, your audience will stay engaged and keep checking for more. Once you write and publish a post, remember to share a link to your social media pages.
For ideas and inspiration, feel free to check out our blog! We regularly share relevant content, tips, and updates on insurance-related products and services.
10. Create Infographics
While blogs can be highly informative, the reality is that most of us are visual creatures. In fact, research reveals that content with visuals gets 94% more total views and it’s 40 times more likely to be shared on social media.
Consider taking some of the data that you’ve presented in a recent blog and turning it into an easily scannable infographic. Then, share that graphic on social media along with a link to the longer narrative.
Here are some of the different ways you can display your information:
- Charts
- Diagrams
- Illustrations
All of these help communicate your information visually, with only a minimal number of words. They’re engaging, informative, and designed to pique your readers’ interest.
11. Create Videos
If you’re looking for a way to expand your social media content, consider breaking up long pieces of information into a series of short-form videos. For instance, this strategy works well with lengthy FAQs, which can be difficult for on-the-go followers to consume in one setting.
Create a different video for each of your most commonly fielded questions, using nothing but your smartphone. If you have multiple team members in your office, ask them to answer one question each. If you go this route, use a template so everyone’s video follows a cohesive form and format.
12. Encourage Community Involvement
Social media isn’t one-sided. In addition to listening to what you have to say, your online followers will want to get in on the conversation, too! There are many ways you can engage them online, including:
- Administering surveys and quizzes
- Asking for opinions (open-ended/multiple-choice questions, polls)
- Holding photo caption contests
All of these strategies should not only encourage participation but also reward it. For instance, you can give the winner of a photo caption contest a free consultation to explore their insurance needs. If you’re unsure what type of content your audience would like to see, create a poll to ask!
Put These Social Media Marketing Ideas Into Practice
As an insurance agent, you’ve been working hard to capture leads and make sales. You might not have considered the untapped opportunities that lie right within your smartphone.
Social media can help business owners expand their brand, build their community, and grow their industry presence. As you dive into this new realm, these social media marketing ideas are a great way to get started.
Are you looking for tools and resources to help you grow your business? We offer training programs, blogs, software, and more — designed just for independent agents like you. Apply here to learn more and get started!