As an insurance agent, it is a constant goal to attract and keep your customers. Having reliable products is one factor in being able to provide great services. However, one crucial component to reaching success may not be as obvious as you think. With social media on the rise, it is important to create quality content that not only engages customers, but encourages them to share.

According to Top Rank, a recent study by Exact Target found that 55% of Facebook users have “liked” a company and then later, decided they no longer wanted to see that company’s post. You don’t want this to happen on your social media outlets. Therefore, you must do everything you can to keep customers reading with relevant posts and provide content that can be easily shared. The following are tips on how to do so:

Tip #1 – Know Who You’re Talking To & Provide Relevant Information

A review of your social media accounts can help determine who your current followers are, what they tend to share information about, and the format in which they use to share socially. Once you see what your audience is sharing and “liking”, you can attract their attention by producing relevant content. In addition, by promoting your agency through contests, giving helpful information, and providing tips on safety, this will help increase your visibility.

Tip #2 – Think Outside The Marketing Box

In order to increase social shares, you need to place focus on your insurance social networking strategy. This can be done by updating your Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin around 1-3 times a day, but remembering to keep your content fresh and interesting. In addition, you can search for followers that you believe will be interested in your services. By building up your community, you can watch your agency grow in social success.

Tip #3 – Love Lists

Twitter lists are a great way to segment different types of followers, or recognize them as an expert in a particular field. By making the additional effort to organize your audience, share relevant content, and making information easy for others to share, you can see the benefits of your strategy in the numbers.

Once you develop an engaged audience, this will allow you to become a community leader on your social outlets. Consider social sharing a way to gain additional prospective clients, contributors, or employees that could inspire the growth of your business!

Now that your business has developed an identity on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, you and your employees have probably created personal accounts in addition to your agency’s fan page. It’s good practice for you and your agents to have pages so you can connect with clients if necessary and it also shows that insurance agents, despite public perception, are down to earth and regular people just like the rest of us. However, having employees on social media platforms like Facebook can come with a risk. Like your agency’s fan page, employee pages should always adhere to a certain level of integrity and respect. Also, you should be able to balance on the threshold between professional and personal. What do we mean by this? Well, would you want one of your agents to have picture of him or her partying or making an irresponsible gesture? The list goes on and on about what is and what is not acceptable for professional accounts. Let’s take a look at what you should preach to your employees about social media etiquette:

1. Appearance: We recommend that your default photo be a picture of you. Having the company logo or something other than yourself will make the page initially appear robotic. Nothing is wrong with having the logo in the photos section, but the default photo should be one that has you in it. Also, any other additional photos of yourself should always be appropriate and not include anything like partying or obscene gestures or poses.

2. Be careful with words: Anytime one of your agent’s post either a link or comments on a post, it should always be kept on the lighter side and should avoid contentious issues as well as libel. Additionally, keep your language clean! Never, under any circumstances, use any curse or swear words. Remember: you’re a professional!

3. Don’t Spam! Similar to your brand page, one thing to always consider is not post too often. If you post too much in a given day it’s considered “spamming” and existing and potential customers are not going to want to see you come up in their feed too much. When posting, keep it at a minimum and try to stay positive and informative so your friends are getting useful information.

Apart from your brand page, it’s important that you and your employees’ personal pages reflect not only who you are as people, but who you are as a company. Remember to keep it simple, tight, and appropriate, and you should be able to bring traffic to your insurance agency website.

If your company is active on social media as a part of your insurance agency marketing, you know probably know that many of your employees are also active online. They probably have Facebook and Twitter pages, and maybe even LinkedIn profiles. As a business owner, you have to consider what might happen if someone says or does something inappropriate on the Internet.

Consider this: An employee has a problem with a client, and complains about that client on Facebook. The client sees that your employee is talking badly about them publicly, and drops you as their insurance agency! Nightmare, right?

The sad part is that situations like this happen every day. Social media should serve as an extension of customer service, and that’s why it is so important for you, as an employer, to create a social media policy for your employees. Your team should be made aware that policies on harassment, ethics, and company loyalty extend to all forms of communication, both inside and outside the workplace. But how do you go about creating this policy? Here are some tips:

A great social media policy can prevent online mishaps while at the same time encouraging employees to utilize social media in a productive way. By creating and asking employees to sign your policy, you’ll be sure everyone understands the role of social media in your company!

Businesses of all sizes have embraced social media as a way to build communities, market their services, and form relationships with customers. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and even Google+ are popular. However, one platform that is often misunderstood is LinkedIn.

Officially, LinkedIn is a professional networking site. The site allows users to input their work history in a resume-like format and form connections with others, much like the Facebook friend system. However, that’s usually as far as most people take it. But if you’re a business owner, you should know that LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for generating business.

If your LinkedIn profile is sub-par, you may be damaging your credibility. By maintaining your profile and remaining active on the site, you will show potential customers that you are a credible expert in your industry. This way, they’ll remember you next time they need someone in your field. Here are some tips:

If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry! LinkedIn is actually extremely user-friendly and will guide you along the way. The most important thing is to keep up with it. Sign in a few times each week, participate in discussions, and you’ll be on your way to building your business in no time!

We all know how to promote our insurance social networking sites online. We place links in our email signatures and on our websites, but many of us are missing out on an entire outlet to share our links: the offline world!

Here are a few tips for promoting your social presence offline:

• Signs. Hang window clings on your doors asking customers to check in on Foursquare, like you on Facebook, or follow you on Twitter. Do the same at desks and counters by setting up table tents.
• Promotional materials. Display your social links on every piece of promotional material you distribute. This includes business cards, brochures, pamphlets, and print advertisements. Your website is already on all of these items, right? Your social links should be too!
• Voicemail greetings. This may seem like a stretch, but it makes perfect sense. Think about it: someone is trying to reach you, but he can’t via phone. Social media is the next best thing, so instead of just taking a message, your voicemail can direct him to another outlet to contact you! This one particularly pleases customers, as you’re giving them multiple options to get in touch with your company.
• Your vehicle. If you have a company car that already displays your company’s name and website, why not add your Facebook or Twitter link? These sites are easy for potential customers to access on-the-go via smart phones. They can like your page or follow you on Twitter as a way to “bookmark” you for later, something they’re not likely to do with a typical website.
• Move offline events online. If your company is sponsoring an event or contest, take advantage of the opportunity to drive traffic to your social sites. For example, if you’re hosting a pumpkin carving contest, have each contestant upload a photo to your Facebook page. The photo with the most ‘likes’ wins!

There are an unlimited number of ways to promote your online presence in the offline world. Get creative! Think of all the touch points you have with your customers – phone conversations, events you host, promotional merchandise you hand out. When it comes to sharing your social media links, there is no such thing as an idea that is too crazy!

Do you have suggestions for other ways to promote your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, LinkedIn, or other sites? Share with us!

It’s no secret that it’s becoming increasingly important for small businesses to take advantage of the benefits of social media. Because social media platforms are constantly updating and innovating their software, it’s necessary for small businesses to keep up to date with the changes and happenings in the world of social media. Thankfully, you have this excellent blog as a resource when it comes to receiving advice! To kick off the week, here are some additional ways for small businesses to get ahead with social media.

A Plan and Strategy Are Key

Many small businesses often create social media accounts without any clear plan intact. They simply see that the major corporations are doing it and haphazardly sign up but don’t utilize it to their advantage. While you may not have as many resources as larger companies, social media is still an inexpensive way to spread your band. Whether the goal is to increase web traffic, sales or online presence, having a specific goal and strategy in mind is essential. Otherwise, your Twitter and Facebook will look like chickens running around without heads!

Interact!

It’s easy to simply post photos, links and quotes from your social media accounts. The key, however, is to reach an interaction level with your audience that will cause them to spread the word of your social presence. Promotional components such as contests, trivia, and virtual gifts will help engage your friends and followers to a much higher degree and keep them wanting to get your status updates and tweets. Remember, if you’re not supplying quality online content users will not hesitate to either unlike your Facebook page or stop following you on Twitter.

Make Yourself Available

One of the underrated aspects of having social media accounts is actually checking them on a consistent basis. There are too many brand pages out there that look more barren than Antarctica that can and will lower the reputation of a business. Large companies have the luxury of employing community and social media managers whose main job is to run the social accounts. However, since you’re a small, independent insurance agency your only option is to have someone add these tasks to their additional workload. Whether it’s you or another employee, it’s imperative that posting is relevant and done on a daily basis, and we recommend at least one Facebook post a day and at least three tweets per day. You never know, your availability online may be what prompts a potential customer into contacting you for business!

Aside from these three tips listed above, there are countless ways to better manage your social media presence. Use these to your advantage, and always come back to our blog for more social media information that will improve your insurance agency website!

We’ve all seen it: Twitter accounts we follow, run by people and companies we trust, tweeting links to weight loss and free iPad websites. Surely you’ve received a direct message from a friend announcing that they “can’t believe what you’re doing in this photo,” accompanied by a phishing link, which will ask you for your username and password to view the content that actually doesn’t exist.

That’s where hacks can be dangerous. If you use the same password for everything, hackers could gain access to your email, Facebook, or even bank accounts.

Consider what happened to the NBC News Twitter account in September, just before the tenth anniversary of the September 11 Ground Zero Attacks. Hacking collective The Script Kiddies hacked the account, tweeting that Ground Zero had been attacked, complete with specific flight numbers and a #groundzeroattacked hashtag.

So what can you do to prevent your personal and company accounts from being hacked? Here are five tips to help:

Follow these simple guidelines – and incorporate them into your employees’ social networking training – and your Twitter account should be airtight!

Think about your favorite band- why is it that they are so successful? Is it their cool hair or their killer vocals? It is probably a mix of both- but there is a lot more to it! Now think about YOUR business. Of course you have been working on your insurance marketing strategies and incorporating social media into your marketing plan. However, are you truly using social media to its fullest potential? Believe it or not- but a good social media strategy is a lot like your favorite band’s strategy.

#1: Patience. Do you think that U2 just became famous over night? No way! Having patience is key in the social media world. You may not have many fans and followers in the first few weeks but if you keep posting, interacting and searching- you will grow!

#2: Originality. Like 311 says, you have to “Come Original” if you want to be heard. In your case, this will mean having an original site, slogan and even original blog posts! If your business is different from the rest, people will remember you and be intrigued.

#3: Time. If you do not have time to update your social sites, it may be time to hire someone who does, or even hire an intern. You need time to build relationships, connect and communicate. Logging on for 10 minutes every morning is not going to cut it. Busy bands do not have the time to promote, so they hire someone!

#4: Open. Show your followers what is going on in your company. Post pictures of company events or blog about future plans. It’s important to keep them involved! Take a lesson from blink-182; every hour or so they update their Twitter AND Facebook with pictures from the tour, their bus and current status. Fans love it!

#5: Visual. What is one of the best parts of a rock show? The light show! You need to WOW your clients with your social site presentation. Use colors that represent your company on Twitter. For Facebook, be sure to add your favorite pages and show the world that you are much more than a business page…you are a real person and a friend!

#6: Consistent. If a band does not put out music every few years, they may fall off the radar. Same with your company! If you tweet once a month, you are going to fall off your follower’s radar. It’s important to update daily and keep content fresh.

These few tips are sure to lead to success. The main goal for a band is to build an audience- and that is exactly what you have to do on your social media accounts. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+…whatever you use- they are sure to boost your business. But without an audience, there would be no show. So keep your audiences coming back for more!  Once you have done that, then you are a true social media rock star!

There are many facets to a company, and everyone plays an important role in helping build the client base.  However, having each team come together for a common cause, especially through social networking, you can greatly help your internet marketing strategy!

To attract more business and secure greater exposure, you can empower your staff with the inside scoop on what’s happening with the company’s social media, why it’s important, and how it benefits customers.  According to the blog SpinSucks, this can ultimately be a powerful way to engage your employees and elevate them into brand ambassadors for your company.  Some tips to do so include:

It is important to remember that employees who feel valued and appreciated will want to talk about the wonderful place where they work.  By creating a positive culture, workers will become more engaged in the company and its goals.  So improve your internet marketing strategy by paying it forward to your foundation, your employees, and watch the results show in your customer base!

Of course you are part of the social media world- you know how important it is! So you comment, post and interact with others and their positive comments, posts, re-tweets, and “likes” always make your day at work worth it! Now think for a second- what would you do if suddenly your audience was gone? Suddenly, there is no one following you and no one is interested in what you have to say. There is no doubt that would be devastating!

If you do not take the time to interact with your clients, this will happen! It’s time to embrace your followers. These are the people who are hearing you out. They are there for encouragement and support and they deserve to be recognized. Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, there are so many ways to show your appreciation. Here a few ideas from to get you started—think of it as a quick social network training tutorial!

On Facebook:

-Send an inbox to a client you haven’t heard from in a while

-Comment on a client’s victory or “like” it

-Give your opinion when a client asks for one via status

-Share a funny Youtube video and watch everyone’s reactions

-Share a link to someone you know will appreciate it. Put it on their wall!

-Start a poke war with a good friend! (Hey- it’s there. Let’s use it folks)

On Twitter:

-Send a personal “thank you” in a direct message

-RT a follower’s post that you found funny or interesting

-Start a random conversation with a @follower you haven’t heard from in a while

-Ask a question to generate conversation- serious or silly. Example: “Who watched last night’s episode of Family Guy??”

-Ask your followers for advice. Example: “What book should I read next?”

On LinkedIn:

-Send an inbox over to a new connection saying hello

-Work with one of your connections? Give them a great recommendation for their page

-Refer a friend to one of your connections

-Like/Comment on an update in your feed that speaks to you

It’s clear that there are many ways to show your appreciation to your social sphere. Now, do it! They do not call it SOCIAL MEDIA for nothing! Your audience will appreciate your gestures and will be sure to reciprocate. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how you grow in the world of marketing. You may not see results over night, but the more involved you are with your audience, the more people will respect you and your business. Ready, set, grow!