For all of the challenges it presents to our daily lives, the pandemic has also provided some unexpected opportunities to think and work differently than before. “While so many things about banking have changed in recent years, social media continues to grow in its impact on prospects, customers and employees,” according to Independent Banker. “And that means it can be a challenge to keep up with the latest trends in social media marketing.” But one group has been meeting and greeting, crowdsourcing and sharing their smarts on the best ways for community banks to connect in our new environment.
Begun as a small and scrappy group in 2018, the Social Bankers has grown into an influential industry leader of bank marketing and social strategies in financial services. “The #SocialBankers started with a few bank marketers reaching out to each other with questions and sharing their knowledge,” according to the group’s website. Today, bank marketers across the country “learn from each other and keep up to date with our changing industry.” The group stays social savvy through daily check-ins, monthly video meetings, Twitter chats, and more. Providing a sounding board in a non-competitive environment is a cornerstone of the group.
“When we share information, we can make the industry better,” says Tim Martinson, one of the group’s founders. “We have everyone from people who are right out of college to people who are over 50,” he says. “There’s a diversity of geography, experience and opinions, which is especially important for the many of us who are a one-person or a very small department within our banks.” The group’s advice and experience often results in answers to questions at the speed of social. “Just today, I saw a posting from someone asking about gift cards for a quarterly giveaway, and she had replies within 10 minutes…”
So, what are some of their must-have social strategies for community financial institutions right now? The Social Bankers recommend:
- Use newsletters to amplify your social content. In the era of social media, don’t overlook more traditional communication channels to make connections.
- Diversity should show up in social. If your bank has DE&I policies, your social media should reflect those commitments and that culture.
- Use social media for recruitment. What better window into your organization than social media? Influence new talent, early and often, through engaging posts.
- Use internal subject matter experts. Collaborate with your own experts to develop content ideas. Teams in consumer-facing roles will have their finger on the pulse.
If you are interested the Social Bankers, join them on their social channels and follow #SocialBankers. For more information on programs to support banking, like the Social Bankers, stay tuned to Believe in Banking as it looks at industry inspiration in financial services. To learn more about developing targeted brand communication and social media strategies that drive engagement, deeper audience connections and business growth, email us at info@adrenalinex.com.