T
he social media learning curve is never ending, and there are no definitive rules, no absolute rights and wrongs. Instead, there is trial and error. There are lessons learned. And there are tried-and true basics that provide a backbone to solid marketing communications – no matter if it occurs offline or online. As we enter 2018 and social media becomes further entrenched into our daily lives (personally and professionally alike), we sought out insight and advice from industry trailblazers – independent agents who are succeeding on the social web and those who are committed to helping agents do so. Read on for their responses to our top questions, and then visit IABforME. com/social2018 for more. WHAT TRENDS DO YOU FORESEE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA IN 2018? Steve Anderson: Every insurance agency should begin experimenting (if they already haven’t started) with utilizing the paid advertising platforms on multiple social platforms. For personal lines Facebook would be my first option. For commercial lines, LinkedIn is the best option. Using the free posting strategies that have worked in the past simply doesn’t work as well today. Paying the platforms to have your messages displayed to a target audience is the key to maximizing the value of social platforms. Ron Berg: Video will continue to grow as a big player – it is predicted to comprise 80 percent of all internet traffic by 2020. This is a huge opportunity for independent agents! Video also can be used to create testimonials, as influencers create a 10times increase in conversions. Also, mobile content will continue to absolutely dominate as the primary delivery platform. It is expected that there will be over 236 million smartphone users by 2019, so all social media interactions need to be mobile-enabled. Cindy Donaldson: Off the cuff, video such as Facebook live or Instagram Live. These types of posts get high engagement, are fun and give the viewer a true authentic and transparent glimpse as to what the agency and team are all about. Ashley Fitzsimmons: Just this year alone I’ve noticed a big increase on the amount of agents that are using Instagram for professional purposes. I think it’s been a big success because people are more likely to respond to a visual post that makes more of an impact than read a long post on Facebook or LinkedIn. Moving forward, however, I think videos are going to take precedence. A short video – 10 minutes or less – is perfect
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because it’s just enough time to get your point across, engage and keep the attention of the person watching. A lot of my friends are already doing this on both the agent and client side of the industry. Wood Brown of The Rhoads Group does a weekly ‘Ask Woody Wednesday’ where he answers questions that clients send in. It’s really taken off! Bob Klinger: We foresee a continued increase in the importance of video and animation in social media. Dynamic 3D animations and emojis allow for personalization that is both engaging and eye-catching. The use of these graphics also displays an agency’s readiness and ability to be cutting-edge and on-trend. Katie Riley: One of the biggest trends I am watching closely is the increased localization of social media. Facebook just rebranded its Events feature as Facebook Local in an effort to make Facebook the go-to platform for users to discover nearby restaurants and events. This move toward more local social is an opportunity for independent agents. Nextdoor – a free, private social network for neighbors to share information and referrals – is a growing platform for users near your agency who are in market for a particular service to get trusted referrals from your satisfied customers. Encouraging your staff to join their neighborhood online community is a great way to be in a position to refer neighbors in the market for insurance, or provide guidance around insurance-related issues, demonstrating your agency’s expertise.
Posting for the sake of posting is a quick way to lose followers. Post with purpose. – Ashley Fitzsimmons
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