Insurance Marketing In The Digital Age
You are on the internet right now. And you are far from alone. In fact, at this very moment, there are potential customers hunting for an insurance broker that can offer them great products at a competitive price and service with a smile. That’s right. They are looking for you. The important question is–can they find you?
In the competitive insurance landscape, you want to make sure that insurance seekers spot you first. And the best way to ensure that you stand out is by embarking on a clever digital marketing campaign.
Not sure where to begin? Here are a few tips to get you started.
Create a Home on the Web
The first thing you need to do is ensure that you have a website. This will serve as your home base for all of your online activities. Everything you do on the internet will strive to lead potential customers here.
The modern consumer expects a business professional to have a website.
Through establishing a polished presence on the internet, you are not only living up to what your clientele expects of a successful insurance agent, but you will be in a better position to battle your online-marketed competition, showcase your expertise, improve your Google search engine results, and sell your products twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
And, if possible, forgo the brochure-like website design for one that is interactive, particularly one that enables your visitors to receive an instant quote. “Top 5 Reasons Why An Agency Should Have a Website,” asks the key question–“When a prospect gets to choose between an insurance website that lets them instantly compare personalized rates and a site that begs them to download document after document, who do you think they’ll turn to?” Make sure you’re the one they turn to by creating a user-friendly site that saves them time and frustration.
Get Social
In the old days, entrepreneurs who wanted to reach a mass audience would head for the parking lots and place a brochure on potential customers’ windshields. This practice made some businesses unpopular among temporarily blinded drivers and paper-pollution riddled mall owners. A much more effective way to win business–and meet the people where they are–is to communicate via social media.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+ are all viable options. Whether you choose to create a business Facebook page and invite everyone you know to “like” it; develop a comprehensive LinkedIn profile to foster networking, receive recommendations, and join industry groups; use Twitter to tweet fun and engaging information bites; or utilize Google+ to amass shares and pluses, host hangouts, or join insurance-related communities, social media can be a great source of new leads.
Plus–and this is a huge plus–social media is a prime forum for sharing both written and visual content. As “18 Reasons the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is Your New Standard in Digital Marketing” explains, good ideas–like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge–spread quickly via Social Media. For instance, practically every Facebook user has an ice bucket challenge video in their feed, which means that these people have all heard of it or know someone who has participated in it. That’s clever marketing.
Start Writing
Last, but definitely not least, comes the art of generating share worthy–and, if the stars align perfectly, viral–content. Whether you opt to integrate a blog into your website, compose guest blogs for other industry sites, develop informative and eye-catching infographics, generate webinars or other tutorial videos, or engage in a blend of them all, original content is worth its weight in gold. Or good old American dollars.
After all, a steady stream of quality content will help you maintain or grow your Google rankings, ensure repeat visits to your site, allow you to showcase your winning personality and your wealth of knowledge, and keep you ahead of your competition. You can also use content to offer practical advice to clients. According to “Unlock Twitter’s Potential for Insurance Conversations,” Twitter is the perfect place for an insurance company to provide consumers with information that is helpful and relevant to their immediate needs, based on impending weather conditions” or following a disaster. By showing customers that you care, you can deepen your relationship and create greater loyalty.
Yes, having a strong internet presence will improve your visibility better than any amount of blinking neon lights or full-page spreads. Join the online masses and watch your business grow.
Has your business recently embarked on a successful digital marketing campaign? Tell us about it.
