28 Aug 2020
7 Social Media Tips for Busy Insurance Agents
Estimated read time: 4 minutes
When it comes to making new connections, social media can be a powerful force. After all, 51% of the world’s population—people from every age and walk of life–use social media. And unlike conventional advertising, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are free. Yet, some insurance agents remain reluctant to use social media for professional purposes. If you’re one of them, this is for you.
What’s keeping you from taking advantage of this unique opportunity to connect with potential clients? Perhaps you don’t know what to post. Perhaps you’re not sure how to keep the momentum going. Or, perhaps you don’t want to spend much time “creating content” when you could be actively selling instead.
While these are valid objections, they are also easy to overcome. Maintaining a social media presence isn’t particularly difficult or time consuming when you have a plan and some basic guidelines. And frankly, if you don’t at least give it a try, you may miss out on attracting a whole new segment of clients.
With that in mind, consider these seven tips for building a vibrant social media presence, without investing too much time or headspace.
- First, Make the Most of Your Profiles
A hardworking profile says more than your name, agency and title. Use your various social media profiles to tell people how you can assist them—i.e., “I help individuals, families and businesses secure the right life and health insurance for their situation.”
When space permits, use your profiles to demonstrate why you’re qualified. Devote some space to highlighting specific products and services. View your profile as a work in progress, to be reviewed and updated regularly. - Include a Professional Business Photo
People want to know who they’re doing business with. Make sure your social media pages include a current, professionally-taken portrait (if you don’t have one, get one!). According to LinkedIn research, members who include a profile photo get 21 times more views and up to 36 times more messages than those who don’t.
- Create a Social Media Plan
Only posting when the spirit moves you is not an effective use of social media; the best way to build visibility is to be a consistent presence. Make yourself a social media calendar, and commit to posting once or twice a week across all platforms. Leverage the same, consistent message, tweaking it to meet the format of each platform. - Post Helpful, Informational Content
The most effective social media posts are interesting and useful to readers—not overly-salesy. Try sharing local news, providing seasonal safety tips, and reposting interesting industry articles. When reposting, always introduce the post with a line or two to make it your own.
Here is a great shortcut: get in the habit of reposting Pan-American Life’s social messaging. We maintain an active presence on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. This is an easy way to let people know who you represent and what you have to offer.
In addition, draw on your own experience by posting about:
- Answers to frequently-asked questions
- Product features your clients like
- Clarifications on underwriting processes, etc.
- Testimonials from clients – with their permission, of course
- Keep an Idea File
Chances are, you’ll come across interesting subjects in the course of your day. Take notes as they occur to you, so you can revisit them later.
In addition, follow your fellow agents online. See what they’re posting, and how it’s received. You might discover some good ideas that way, but be careful not to plagiarize.
Stockpiling topics makes it easier to stick to your social media calendar. For efficiency, aim to create—or at least outline—a month’s worth of posts at a time. - Track Your Response Rates
Take note of how—and how many—people respond to each post. Look for patterns. You may find that certain topics are of greater interest to your audience, which can help you create more compelling content going forward.
Of course, be sure to respond to comments and questions; it’s a way to get a dialogue going. - Forge Local Social Media Connections
Finally, an easy way to increase the size of your social media footprint is to make ample connections with those in your community. For example, if your town has a group Facebook page, follow it. Connect with your clients and business contacts on LinkedIn, and respond to their posts with positive comments.
In other words, make an effort to get in front of your contacts’ contacts. It’s good for them and it’s also good for you.
In summary, you do not need to be a social media whiz to take advantage of today’s social media platforms. By having a plan and a few go-to strategies, you can increase your visibility—with clients, with prospects, and throughout your community—with minimal time and effort. It’s a unique 21st Century marketing opportunity, and you owe it to yourself to explore it.