As the COVID crisis continues to unfold and the US grapples with waves of social unrest and a rapidly shifting social landscape, the question arises: how do brands best connect with their customers and communities? In this new normal, next normal and normal-for-now, the data shows that it’s increasingly through social media.
As the channel through which brands can respond to events and communicate with customers immediately—and receive instant feedback—social media’s impact is staggeringly on the rise, with Forbes reporting a 61% global increase in social media usage since April. As we spend more time scrolling and seeking connection, people are engaging with brands’ social media more, by an average of 44 times per day.
For financial brands, using social media to connect with audiences has become a vital way to nurture and even deepen relationships with their customers and communities by digging into and amplifying their brand’s values—often in unexpected ways.
Portland, Oregon-based Umpqua Bank uses their social channels to promote the optimism at the heart of their brand through their newly-launched Open Account podcast, featuring conversations with cultural figures about the role of money in our happiness and uniquely American way of life.
America First Credit Union in Utah expresses their brand’s innovative values through posts that inform, entertain and inspire: Custom animations show just how many dollar bills or VISA cards measure the right way to socially distance, garnering thousands of views and positive customer comments.
Then there’s Louisiana-based Origin Bank that amplified their values-driven approach with a simple, but powerful statement directly from their Chairman and CEO, reaffirming their commitment to equality and to the communities they serve. This empathy-led approach spoke directly to what was on their customers’ and employees’ minds right now.
Social media is a powerful way to engage directly with customers and communities. To learn more about developing a social media strategy that drives deeper audience connections during COVID and beyond, email info@adrenalinex.com.