By Alyssa Fedorovich
Social media has changed the way we communicate with consumers. Having a strong social media presence gives credit unions the opportunity to not only build personal relationships with their members, but also expand their followers and brand awareness across potential new members and the industry as a whole.
Here are the top eight do’s and don’ts to help your credit union make the most of social media:
1. Do use social media to learn about your members.
Social media is a great tool for learning more about your members by identifying their online interests. When members like a page for a product or charity that is important to them, credit unions can adapt their services to meet those members’ needs. If members post about looking for their first home on their public profile, it is a perfect opportunity for a credit union to offer a first-time homebuyer seminar to guide them through the process. Ask your members questions and encourage them to leave their answers. Prompting with a question gives members the opportunity to join the conversation and for you to effectively learn more about them.
2. Do use feedback on social media to improve your credit union.
Your credit union can leverage positive and negative social media reviews to prioritize improvements in your products and services. Members who write reviews about your credit union provide honest feedback and could influence future prospects. Receiving feedback from members about your services will allow you to pinpoint exactly where your credit union needs improvement to create a better member experience. Additionally, sharing your members’ feedback not only establishes your credit union’s credibility, but also generates engagement. Consumers are more likely to support a brand that is actively engaged and connects with them on a personal level.
3. Do use member success stories.
Sharing members’ success stories on social media is an effective strategy for enhancing your credibility, engaging your audience and gaining new members. Share videos or photos of members explaining how joining your credit union has positively impacted their lives. Potential members tend to ignore overly promotional posts and instead prefer to see and hear how your services provide value.
4. Do share how your credit union is involved in the community.
Promoting your credit union’s products and services on social media is essential, and sharing how your credit union embodies the philosophy of “people helping people” is also engaging. Post pictures of your credit union donating to a local charity or staff volunteering together. Credit union members and future members will appreciate that giving back to the community is at the core of your credit union’s mission.
5. Don’t delete or ignore negative comments.
When a member posts a negative comment on one of your credit union’s social media platforms, be prepared to respond quickly and appropriately. Consumers have high expectations for customer service on social media. Don’t delete negative feedback. Directly addressing negative comments and fixing the situation demonstrates your commitment to your members. When replying to comments, be authentic. Future members will feel confident in trusting you with their finances if they see that you solve issues in a timely manner and with integrity.
6. Don’t be offensive.
Protect your credit union’s reputation by refraining from posting or liking content that could be offensive to your members. Remain unbiased and objective when it comes to posts that are controversial and always remember that you are representing your credit union while you are on social media, even if you are posting from your personal accounts.
7. Don’t over-share content.
Although new posts help increase followers, sharing too frequently can do more harm than good. Your members can become annoyed with how often your credit union is posting, so spread out content throughout the day. It is best to post once or twice a day on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and up to five times per day on Twitter.
8. Don’t forget to invest in a consistent brand.
A cohesive brand on social media can set your credit union apart from the competition. Use the same, simple username across all platforms. A member or prospect should be able to search for your credit union’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram profiles using the same username on all platforms. When creating a username for your credit union, avoid using special characters and confirm the name you want to use is not already being used by another organization.Keep images consistent, like using the same cover and profile photo on all of your social media platforms to allow consumers to easily identify your credit union, as well as similar color schemes.
A social media presence is imperative for credit unions today. By keeping these tips in mind, your credit union can use social media to effectively promote your products and services, gain new members and maintain an exceptional member experience.
Alyssa Fedorovich works on the social media team and helps manage PSCU’s corporate social media accounts. She also creates content for PSCU’s social media product, Engagement Builder, in an effort to help credit unions expand their social media presence and engage with members.