Q&A with Chalmer Dettler: Social Media Compliance Challenges for Community Banks

As someone who works closely with community banks, I understand the unique challenges they face in managing social media compliance. I recently spoke with CHALMER DETTLER Dettler, President of Farmers and Merchants State Bank, who shared his firsthand experience on the topic. His insights highlight the hurdles and opportunities that social media presents for smaller financial institutions.

In this Q&A, Chalmer walks us through his bank’s approach to social media, from balancing limited resources to navigating compliance requirements. I hope his experiences resonate with those of you who may be facing similar challenges and provide actionable insights for strengthening your bank’s social media practices.

The Role of Social Media in Community Banking

Q: What role does social media play in your bank’s overall growth and marketing strategy?

Chalmer Dettler: Currently, we only have a Facebook page. We post bank and community events there. The "strategy" behind our posts is simply to let community members know that we’re here, supporting and promoting our community. It’s a way to stay visible and engaged with our local customers.

Staffing and Compliance Concerns

Q: What are your biggest challenges when managing your bank’s social media presence?

Chalmer Dettler: Staffing is the main issue. With such a small staff, finding time to devote to social media is difficult. It’s tough to prioritize when there are other daily operational tasks that need attention.

Q: Do you feel restricted in posting about products and services on social media because of compliance concerns?

Chalmer Dettler: Absolutely! That’s the main reason we don’t post about products or services. Besides having limited staff time to handle Facebook posts, ensuring compliance for these types of posts would add another layer of complexity and time.

Q: What is the approval process for social media content before it goes live?

Chalmer Dettler: Right now, there’s no formal approval process in place. We keep our posts pretty simple and community-focused, so we haven’t implemented a specific system for approvals.

Navigating FFIEC Guidelines with Confidence

Q: How familiar are you with the FFIEC Social Media Guidance? Do you feel confident in your ability to ensure compliance with it?

Chalmer Dettler: We’re aware that the guidance exists, but we’re not very confident that we’d be fully compliant if we decided to post more about products and services. It’s one of the reasons we’ve been cautious in our social media activities.

Q: What is your biggest concern about your bank’s social media presence from a compliance standpoint?

Chalmer Dettler: Even though our posts are limited and generic, I’m concerned we might still be missing something. For example, obtaining authorization from parents to post a minor’s picture or name is something we worry about. Overall, we avoid posting about products and services because we’re not well-versed in social media compliance regulations.

Q: How do you currently document social media activities to ensure proper audit trails for compliance and proof for examiners?

Chalmer Dettler: Right now, we don’t have any tracking in place. We assume regulatory compliance examiners are checking our social media platforms—Facebook, LinkedIn, X—before an exam starts, but we don’t have formal documentation ourselves.

Implementing Practical Solutions for Compliance

Q: If there was a solution that could simplify social media compliance, what would it look like?

Chalmer Dettler: For me, the best method of ensuring compliance is the good old checklist—Yes or No answers. If the answer is No, then it would require an explanation or steps to take to change the answer to Yes. A simple checklist approach would help us a lot.

Final Thoughts

Chalmer’s experiences reflect the realities many community banks face when managing social media—limited resources, compliance challenges, and the need for straightforward processes. These are common issues that underscore the importance of accessible, compliant social media management tools.

At Spring Media Solutions , our goal is to simplify social media compliance for banks of all sizes. We handle all aspects of social media compliance for banks, ensuring a confident, compliant, and engaging online presence without the hassle.

Interested in fully managed social media compliance solutions for community banks? Connect with Jill D. Williams , request a FREE CONSULTATION or leave a comment to learn how Bank Monitor can help meet your compliance goals.