Using Social Media During Life Insurance Awareness Month
Curtis Hawks - Financial Advisor Opportunities
Chief Marketing Officer at Insurance Agency Marketing Services, Inc.
Awareness campaigns and social media go hand in hand. No matter the topic, these initiatives would struggle to get off the ground without social media driving the conversation. And as many of you have already noticed, this month’s conversation revolves around life insurance. While the primary intent of Life Insurance Awareness Month is consumer education, this annual initiative is a chance for advisors to boost their brand and reach new prospects.
Taking advantage of the social media momentum behind Life Insurance Awareness Month doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your existing strategy, but it does call for a little fine-tuning. Consider the following tips when outlining your September social media plans.
Post With Purpose
Launched in 2004 by non-profit organization Life Happens, Life Insurance Awareness Month is an example of purpose-driven marketing. This is a campaign that strives to make a more personal, emotional connection with the public by addressing a specific need or cause. Consistency is a crucial part of these campaigns, which is why advisors who leverage social media during LIAM need to make sure their message fits the overall narrative about life insurance awareness. There are a few trending hashtags that can help bring you into the LIAM conversation (and boost your organic reach in the process):
- #LIAM19
- #LifeInsuranceAwarenessMonth
- #LifeInsurance
- #TakeThePledge
The most effective hashtags are both relevant to the topic and already in use. While there are other hashtags we’ve seen advisors use for LIAM-related posts, not all are exclusive to your services. Also, keep in mind that using too many hashtags in one post can actually limit post engagement. Avoid using more than two or three at a time.
- #AreYouCovered
- #Insurance
- #Life
- #Coverage
- #IncomeProtection
Target Strategically
The overwhelming majority of consumers, regardless of their age, now consider social media (or other online resources) to be a valuable source of information when searching for financial services. In fact, a recent LIMRA study showed that Baby Boomers are now more likely to use the internet for information and recommendations than Millennials and Gen-Xers (who are both more likely to consult friends and family for advice). This is why it’s crucial for advisors to not only maintain a strong social media presence and an up-to-date website. Additionally, they need to post content that will resonate with your specific target audience. Building custom audiences based on consumer details is a great way to get the right message to the right target.
Let’s say you want to share a message that promotes the “family protection” aspect of life insurance. Because this will likely hit closer to home for younger to middle-aged consumers with children than it would someone close to retirement age, use age and demographic-based metrics to hone in on parents aged 30 – 50 years old. Most social networks provide a wide range of targeting options. The key is to determine who will respond better to each specific post and target accordingly.
Timing Is Everything
The majority of social media users visit one or more platforms on a daily basis. However, few of them spend the entire day scrolling through their feed. Scheduling your posts during peak engagement times can significantly increase your organic reach. While your results may vary, peak posting times, according to several studies, are as follows:
Facebook:
- 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
- 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday & Sunday
Twitter:
- 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday (with peak engagement on or around 3 p.m.)
LinkedIn:
- Early to mid-morning, early afternoon & early evening Monday – Friday
Keep in mind that social media marketing is an art, not a science. Use these tips as a starting point when crafting your LIAM social media strategy and adjust as needed. And remember that, when jumping on board with a widespread campaign like LIAM, you’re becoming part of a bigger conversation. It’s up to you to make the most of it.
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