Trick or Treat:
How to Dress Up Your Social Media Channels
Figuring out how to dress up your social channels is a lot like trying to find a Halloween costume. You may see another brand look great, but when you try it on, it’s just not the same. While the idea seemed great in theory, in execution it may have missed the mark. This season, we’re here to help you avoid getting spooked by your social channels with tips and tricks for popular platforms.
Trick: Switch to a Business Account
Did you know that switching to an Instagram Business Account, you can track analytics on your posts? By making this easy switch, your brand can see exactly which posts are getting the most engagement, profile visits, follows, reach and more! While we recommend focusing on things like engagement, impressions and website clicks (if applicable), know that Instagram allows brands to unlock even deeper metrics about your online community.
Snapchat
Trick: Assign Page Roles
Avoid scheduling mishaps by assigning your team members specific access under “Page Roles” in your business settings. With many roles at a financial institution, it’s not likely that everyone needs posting access. For example, a compliance officer may just want to review another’s posts to make sure guidelines are being followed.
Trick: Utilize Video
It’s no secret that videos get better engagement. If possible, try to upload a native video rather than linking to a third-party site. When you link to YouTube, your video content is not as favored by Twitter’s algorithm because you are posting a link that directs away from their site.
Trick: Add to Public Stories
Whether it’s an event or holiday, many geographic locations now have the option to add to a public story. For example, many charity runs and food drives around the holidays have the option to post to Snapchat using your geographic location to show the beginning through the end of the event. Try this at the next local event you’re attending to show that your brand is involved in the community.
Treat: Use More Hashtags
To get started on finding the right one, do a quick search to find popular hashtags that may resonate with your brand. For specific campaigns and topics, create your own unique one so followers can click on it to see other posts under that category. For example, for a community post or campaign, you may want to try using #golocal #community or #banknamecares.
Treat: Ask Questions
Use polls, ask questions, retweet and more to show you are listening to your followers. Let their questions influence what you post. In our previous Marketing to Gen Z Webinar, we talked about the importance of creating a dialogue between your financial brand and customers; this is a great way to implement that mindset.
Tik Tok
Trick: Keep it Simple
Most videos on TikTok are 15 seconds or less — which means it’s important to get right to the point. Ditch the filler copy in product posts. Tell them the important facts and benefits, then link to your website so that they can find out more after you’ve piqued their interest.
Treat: Follow a Content Calendar
Once you have your roles figured out, try creating a content calendar to plan out fun posts in advance! This will help you streamline compliance and give plenty of time for approval. We recommend planning ahead content for at least 30 days – or 60 if it takes a while to trickle down the workflow. That way, you can fill in other posts with community events and timely information.
Treat: Create Your Own Geofilter
Did you know your brand can create it’s own geographic filter? This means that the next time your customers visit a branch, they can post a photo using your company’s branded filter. Your financial brand doesn’t have to have a company Snapchat in order to make a geo-location!
Treat: Diversify Your Content
While your brand may not use TikTok, you can learn from the trends it has created! Try uploading short, fun videos and content to the platforms your financial brand is already using. Play around with the length and style of your posts. For every three statuses, post a video update. Snap a photo of your tellers on Monday morning dancing to a wake-up song. The possibilities are endless.
Overall, social media is an ongoing learning process with apps and updates constantly emerging. Take an audit of what your brand is currently doing on social media and think of ways you could reimagine your current efforts. Social media doesn’t have to feel like a constant game of spooks if you build a solid foundation and presence on these sites now.
What’s your favorite site to use for your brand? Tweet us@SocialAssurance and let us know!