By: Matt Banaszynski | CEO of IIAW

This article was featured in our May 2020 Wisconsin Independent Agent Magazine. Click here to read the full May 2020 issue. 

The IIAW welcomes Kaylyn Zielinski to the team. Kaylyn has some wonderful tips to share with our readers about digital marketing and using social media for your agency. She has also created a complete Digital Marketing Playbook, which all of our members have access to. Enjoy these quick tips from Kaylyn, the new IIAW Marketing Specialist.

When today’s consumers are looking for insurance, they turn to their phones, computers and tablets to find exactly what they’re looking for at exactly the time they’re looking for it. Consumers are no longer looking in a phone book to find providers in their areas. To capture the attention of these digital-age consumers, you’ll need to show up on their devices. Now, more than ever, you will need to debut on their screens and stick in their minds. There’s no time like the present to develop your digital footprint.

With a proper marketing plan, a website and a social media presence, you can create an online existence that will push your agency ahead of your competitors. The best part of this process is that most digital marketing is free. The biggest investment you’ll face is in the time and the attention you will spend developing your online presence. However, this time investment will pay off.

Your Marketing Plan

A quick Google search for “how to create an online presence” will leave your mind reeling as you decide where and how to start. First, start by creating a marketing plan. If you already have a marketing plan for traditional outlets, it’s time to apply it to today’s new medium by focusing on your website and social media sites. Next, run through your agency’s strengths and develop goals on how you plan to exploit those strengths online. Finally, determine your target audience. As an insurance agent, you may describe your target audience as individuals, families, business owners and commercial businesses in XYZ city or certain area.

Understanding your goals and your target audience will help you further develop content that will put your agency at the forefront of their online searches.

Your Website

Your website should be the cornerstone for all information coming from your agency. If you don’t have a website already, today’s the day to start. The Big I partners with ITC, Forge 3, Titan Web, Advisor Evolved and Marketing 360.

When creating or optimizing your website, keep these best-practices in mind: 

• Prioritize your top-visited webpages - 

On average users spend about 15 seconds on a website, according to Tony Haile of Chartbeat. Those visiting your website don’t want to have to spend a lot of time to search around. If they have to search, they may go elsewhere (potentially your competitors) to find the information. The most visited webpages should be the easiest to find. If they’re not, it’s time to rearrange your layout.

 • Check your analytics and create content that’s targeted to what your most visited pages are. (Your website host may offer built-in analytics, otherwise, Google Analytics is a helpful tool for reviewing your website stats.)

• Keep visitors engaged by making your website visually appealing.

• Ensure your website is mobile friendly. According to Statistica, over 52 percent of all web traffic worldwide is done on a mobile device.

• Have a complete website. Ideally, a complete website will answer these questions: who, what, when, where, why and how. A customer on your website should have no problem finding the answers to their questions and they should feel compelled to start the process by requesting a quote.

Your Social Media Presence

Social media is a great way to freely engage with your audience. You can get to know your clients, and your clients can get to know you too. While there are multiple social media sites you can join, keep these rules in mind across all platforms:

• Keep your pages consistent by having all accounts under the same profile name. Your customers will be able to find you easier by keeping the same name. Along the same lines, make your profile photo the same. We recommend using your agency logo as your profile photo for your business pages.

• Create a publishing schedule and stick with it. Keep your pages relevant by posting up-to-date content on a regular basis.

• Allow your agency’s personality to shine through your social accounts. You want your social media platforms to be the go-to spot for engagement, and the most engaging content is humanizing content. Social media allows you to show the human side of your business and allows you to build a community that others want to be a part of. If it aligns with your brand’s marketing plan, stay away from overly formal content on your pages. You can share formal ideas, but make them fun to understand and/or interact with.

Now you have the framework to get started on developing your online presence. Read our Digital Marketing Playbook here.