November 1, 2021

Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

User Generated Content - Get People Talking

  • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
  • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
  • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
  • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
  • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
  • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

Highlight Your Organization and Community

  • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
  • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
  • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

Focus On Giving Back

  • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
  • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
  • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
  • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

Holiday Hashtags Calendar

  • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
  • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
  • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
  • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
  • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
  • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
  • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
  • December 31st: #NYE2021

And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

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November 1, 2021

Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

By
Denim Social

For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

User Generated Content - Get People Talking

  • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
  • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
  • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
  • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
  • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
  • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

Highlight Your Organization and Community

  • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
  • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
  • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

Focus On Giving Back

  • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
  • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
  • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
  • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

Holiday Hashtags Calendar

  • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
  • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
  • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
  • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
  • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
  • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
  • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
  • December 31st: #NYE2021

And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

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SIMILAR POSTS:

Make the most of your social media pages and posts by optimizing your images and including essential information about your business on each platform. By giving customers an optimal digital experience, you can broaden reach and provide better customer service through your digital platforms.

Facebook

IMAGE SIZING:

Profile picture: 176 x 176px (desktop), 196x 196px (smartphones)

Cover photo: 820 x 312px (desktop), 640 x 360px (smartphones)

Keep the main content of your image centered. On a desktop the photo will display as 840x312px, but on mobile will size down to 640x360px.

Facebook post image: 1200 x 630px

The ideal width for a Facebook post image is 1200px, but height can vary based on what type of device the image display is optimized for. We recommend keeping it at the recommended size to keep consistency on all devices.

When creating a Facebook Ad graphic, any text should not take up more than 20% of the photo. You can find a cheat sheet here: https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay.

Facebook Video: 1280 x 720px

The optimal length for a short-form video on Facebook is 15 seconds to 1 minute; for a long-form video, it is 3 minutes. The maximum file size is 10GB. 

Facebook Link Image: 1200 x 630px

Make sure to claim ownership of your links for the ability to change the link preview photo. You can find more info on that here: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/528858287471922?id=708699556338610.

Carousel Post: 1080 x 1080px

Carousel posts are a great way to display multiple services or features that you offer to your customers. When placing a Facebook ad you can link each carousel photo to a different link, making it easy for people to navigate to your specific products.

Facebook Story: 1080 x 1920px

Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience.

IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION:

Page name:

This is where you can name your Facebook Page, but be sure to keep it shorter than 75 characters.

Page username:

Customize your page URL by adding a username, making it easier for people to locate and navigate people from other digital platforms. Your Facebook URL can include up to 50 characters.

Page call to action:

Facebook gives you a variety of choices on calls to action. For example, if you’d like customers to contact you by email, you can set up a “Send Email” button with your email address connected and ready to go.

LinkedIn

IMAGE SIZING:

Profile picture: 400 x 400px

Upload your business logo here to personalize your profile. If this page is for an individual, this is where you will upload their headshot.

Cover Photo: 1584 x 396px

Having a personalized business cover photo will make your profile look more professional and give you the opportunity to provide page visitors with more of the look and feel of your business. This can include an image related to your business or a graphic with information on services you provide or your business slogan.

LinkedIn post photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

When targeting an audience on both desktop and mobile, make sure that you optimize for mobile to give people the best experience.

LinkedIn Link Photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

Providing an image with your link preview can help give viewers a better idea of article content and improve your click thru rates. 

LinkedIn Link Video: 4096 x 2304px maximum, 256 x 144 pixels minimum

The optimal video length for LinkedIn is 30-90 seconds and the maximum file size is 5GB.

IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

Page name:

This is where your business name is located, as well as your company industry, location, and number of followers.

Page description:

Add your business slogan, mission, or a short description that tells people what your company, products, and services can do for them.

X (Formerly Known as Twitter)

IMAGE SIZING

Profile picture: 400 x 400px

Upload your business logo or headshot to personalize your profile.

Cover photo: 1500 x 500px

Be sure to center your content to give your followers an optimized experience on mobile.

Twitter post photo: 1600 x 900px

Allow your followers to see the entirety of the photo in their feed by adhering to this sizing guideline. The maximum file size is 5MB.

X video: 1280 x 720px (desktop, recommended), 720 x 720px (mobile)

The optimal video length for Twitter is 20-45 seconds and the maximum file size is 512MB.

IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

Underneath your profile photo, your company name and username will be displayed.

Write a short bio to tell people more about your business.

Instagram

IMAGE SIZING

Profile photo: 110 x 110px

Your profile picture will be small, so be sure your image is sized correctly and centered. This is a great place for your company logo.

Profile thumbnail: Displays as 161 x 161px

This is a preview of your large image post, but looks best when the photo posted is square.

Highlight Cover: 1080 x 1920px

Your cover photos should have centered images to give your highlight reel a balanced look. You can also name your highlights, but be concise as they can only be 15 characters long.

Instagram Feed Photo: 1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

The recommended width for all Instagram feed photos is 1080px, but the height can vary. To optimize for your feed display within your profile, we recommend using the sizing listed above to keep your image square.

Instagram Feed Video:  1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

The optimal length for an Instagram video is 30-60 seconds and the max file size is 650MB.

Instagram Feed Ad Photo: 1080 x 1080px

Your ad photo will display the same as a normal feed photo, but with a link attached. When creating an ad in Ads Manager, you’ll be able to upload a separate photo for Instagram to keep your photos optimized for the user experience.

Instagram Story: 1080 x 1920px (portrait), 1080 x 601 (landscape)

Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience. The maximum length of the story is 60 seconds.

Instagram Reels & Live: 1080 x 1920px

Reels can be used to offer tutorials, demos, or service features. These will be saved under your profile page for viewers to go back and watch at their leisure. The maximum length for Reels is 90 seconds. For Live, this can be used for announcements, events, or other Q&A sessions. These can also be saved for later viewing, and can last up to 4 hours.

In a time where it's important than ever to maintain and build existing customer relationships, financial professionals like loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors should look to LinkedIn as a primary means of communication and an essential part of everyday communication.

Today, meeting customers where they are means being active on social media. Aptly named "the professional network", LinkedIn is prime territory for boosting thought leadership, crafting an online presence, and creating authentic, lasting relationships that will stand the test of time (and economic ups and downs).

Whether you're just getting started on social media for financial professionals, or you're a seasoned LinkedIn veteran looking to make the most of the network, it's time for financial institutions to take LinkedIn seriously in 2024.

LinkedIn Can Help Build Trust & Credibility

It seems simple to say, but trust hinges on authentic relationships. Today’s customers want to work with real people who connect with them on a human level. That’s why it’s so important to be yourself when using social networks like LinkedIn. Put some of your personality into their social  posts, talk about things that are important to you, or ask your networks questions. (If this keeps you up at night from a risk perspective, know that approval tools like Denim Social can help ensure compliance.)

When people interact with you through LinkedIn, they’ll see how much reliable value you provide to their lives and will be more likely to trust your brand with their livelihoods. Authenticity is even more crucial when it comes to attracting prospects at the top of the funnel who haven’t gotten the chance to meet (and befriend) you yet.

While the current economic climate poses many potential challenges, remember that gaining and keeping customers’ trust is the key to acquiring and retaining clients (even in tough times). Lean on social media networks like LinkedIn to tell the your brand’s story, build thought leadership online, and gain more followers who convert into new clients. Let them get to know your institution and you, and they’ll want to work (and stay) with you for years to come.

LinkedIn Is A Winning Choice

It's hard to hear, but if you aren't on LinkedIn already, you're already behind. In fact, 9 out of 10 financial advisors are using LinkedIn for their business, and other industries see similar usage numbers. The same way that email and text messaging have become routine modes of communication, so will social media like LinkedIn.

You can bet that your audience will be there, too. Over 16% of LinkedIn users log on every single day, and this number continues to grow as the networks becomes more and more popular among the groups that financial professionals target most frequently, like young professionals and business leaders.

Being active and sustaining a regular presence can have some serious payoffs. For example, pages that post weekly instead of just monthly have almost 6 times as many followers.

The future is bright for those that use LinkedIn to their advantage. It's clear that there's no slowing down its momentum as a primary social network!

LinkedIn Can Help You Educate

Are there certain points you are always trying to get across with your customers, or questions you are routinely asked? Look no further than LinkedIn. Use this powerful network to create and share posts that will position you as one of the top expert in your field and in your community.

There are currently over 27 million people that look to LinkedIn as an educational tool. When someone comes looking for an answer to their question, you want to be the go-to source of truth for them.

With LinkedIn, you can share graphics, videos, documents, photos, and more. It's easy to diversify your content to make your profile a wealth of knowledge for your customers and prospects. If you are looking for more ideas on how to make the most of LinkedIn, check out Denim's Social's Best Practices For LinkedIn.

In sum, LinkedIn is basically your new business card. Use it well! Don't let your opportunities on LinkedIn pass you by. Start prepping now to get your strategy in order so you find success on LinkedIn in 2024. Interested in other social networks, too? Try downloading our Social Selling Playbook for Financial Institutions. Happy posting!

Where Are the Biggest Opportunities to Use Social Media in Financial Services?

Denim Social's Guide To Social Selling For Financial Services shows that most financial professionals — 83% of those surveyed — have a social media presence. It’s a great place to start, but having a profile is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what benefits financial institutions can enjoy from social media. Smart financial marketers and their teams should be optimizing their social selling efforts on every network to get the most out of what social media has to offer.

Customers are active in many other places online, so why not meet them there? After all, 79% of people look to social media for financial advice. By meeting customers where they are on the main 4 networks, financial institutions can stay top of mind and grow real, authentic connections. Let’s dive into what Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook have to offer and how financial services marketers can best use each platform.

1. Instagram

As far as major social media platforms in financial services go, Instagram tops the list. While many financial professionals might not at first think of the photographic and visual network as prime business territory, its popularity makes it an excellent place to strengthen real relationships. 

Instagram is one of the best ways to get in front of younger audiences, which is a worthwhile goal, considering that many Millennial customers will likely be on the search for new financial services providers as Baby Boomers pass their wealth on to the next generations. What's more, 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business account and 80% use the platform to discover new products.


Even better, getting started on Instagram is a breeze. Instagram ads also allow hyperlinks, so you can lead readers right from their feeds to your website with specific calls to action to learn more. Lead them to a personalized and well-designed landing page on your site, for instance, and you'll be drawing each follower who clicks through one big step closer to conversion.

2. LinkedIn

The majority of financial services providers already use LinkedIn, and there are many ways to make it perhaps the most successful social selling platform out of all the networks. Employees at institutions of all sizes and financial industries can use this professional network to cultivate thought leadership and educate their customers.

For financial services marketers, a brand profile is a necessary starting point. Getting the most out of the platform, however, requires activating your employees in a social selling strategy. They can share relevant content, such as videos and published articles from trusted media outlets, as well as engage with customers and prospects one-on-one via direct messaging to establish themselves as experts and build trusting relationships. People want to engage with other people, not with general brand pages. It’s no wonder that employees on social media can garner 10x the engagement of brand pages alone.

3. Twitter

Like LinkedIn, Twitter is also a great place for agents, loan officers, and advisors to share their expertise. Understandably, financial services marketers might be intimidated by the fast-paced nature of the platform and fear they don’t have enough resources to keep up. However, with the proper social media management tools, maintaining compliant engagement on Twitter is totally possible — and worth it.

One of the greatest benefits of social media marketing for financial services is the ability to provide more value to customers. Twitter makes this incredibly easy to do. Marketers can follow all relevant news media outlets and keep an eye out for any articles that might benefit their clients or prospects. For example, an explainer piece on recent changes in tax legislation may be helpful come tax season. Retweeting such helpful resources educates followers on financial topics and builds trust in the brand and its employees.

There’s no single best social media platform for marketing. Each one has a unique opportunity to reach and engage current and future customers. If you’re already on social media, it’s time to level up your social media marketing strategy by diving into Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook in more depth. No matter the size of your financial institution, extending your social media strategy to encompass these platforms can help grow your audience, build trust, and maintain solid customer relationships.

Whether you love or loathe social media's infiltration into every element of our personal and professional lives, there's no denying that this powerful medium is never going away. Social networks are growing bigger and stronger by the day. Forward-thinking achievers in every industry understand this and have responded by leaning all the way into social selling.

For the unaware, social selling is using social media to sell a product or service by showcasing authenticity, strengthening relationships with clients and prospects, and building thought leadership. In social selling, advisors use their own social pages to promote content about their brand and services, but with a personal spin.

Everyone from dog groomers to financial advisors are utilizing multiple social networks to build a following and bolster their personal brands, and those who fully embrace social media's ubiquity outperform their competitors and win more business. It's as simple as that.

The key, though, is finding a way to stand out from the competition online. There's a big difference between "doing social media" and doing it well.

The difficulty with differentiation

As we all know, the internet is more than likely the first place individuals go to get advice these days — financial, familial, and absolutely everything in between. So when people go online to search for guidance on money matters, they won't find you if you aren't there, actively promoting your expertise and services.

There's no stronger business case for social media (and social selling) than that: It's where your potential customers are. Meet them there and give them what they need. If you don't, someone else will.

To set yourself apart as a financial advisor, you need to be able to sell yourself — not just your firm. Sure, many financial advisors are intermediated and you likely don't have free rein to post everything you might want to on social channels, but that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. There's still plenty to say without risking any backlash or drawing the ire of regulators.

Put your fears aside

Though some in the financial industry might feel wary or daunted by interacting directly with clients or prospects, online exchanges matter in today’s market. Brands that use a more generic social-media strategy can end up sounding too promotional, focused more on boosting the brand to a broad audience instead of forging real connections. Rather than creating original content that speaks to their particular audience, financial institutions treat these social channels as glorified billboards instead of networking opportunities for each individual advisor.

That’s too bad because there’s real power behind social selling today. When comparing the social media potential of brands vs. individuals, one study found that employees have 10 times the reach and double the engagement of the brands they speak for. The best sellers in large companies, meanwhile, were the ones who regularly used technology to foster connections with new prospects or existing clients. Building genuine relationships pays off for both advisors and brands.

So, how does someone improve their social-selling efforts? How can financial advisors use the power of their individuality to differentiate themselves from their peers? Here are five tips to help you better accomplish social selling on your personal pages:

1. Ask an expert

Even if you’re on board with tapping into the potential of authentic relationship-building through social selling, you still need the right tools and training for the job. After all, your area of expertise is in the valuable services you provide to your clients, not online marketing.

An excellent move for advisors is to seek advice from your firms’s marketing or branding team. Not only can they help you develop an effective social-selling strategy, but they can also provide you with the resources and tools you need to more effectively and efficiently create, plan, and schedule your posts. Compliance experts can also educate you on the rules that govern social media in the financial services industry. Ideally, your firm provides continuous training and tools to ensure you stay on the right side of regulations.

2. Be real

The type of posts that most people see on their social-media feeds are at least partially determined by an algorithm. These algorithms are generally designed to serve up content that users are most likely to engage with in one way or another. This can be a huge advantage, but it also means that you can’t expect to stay on people’s minds if you deliver bland, uninteresting content that isn't relevant to your audience.

That doesn’t mean you should go posting clickbait or try to shock people (there’s definitely such a thing as bad engagement). Instead, the best way to get and keep people’s attention is to be your real self. Post about what matters to you and do it in your own voice, not just copying/pasting brand posts. Post about local happenings that people in your area might care about. Speak to the challenges you hear clients ask about most. In social selling, authenticity is the fastest way to start building deeper and more lasting relationships.

3. Consistency is key

How much engagement your posts garner will often depend on when and how often you post. Not only does each channel (like Facebook or LinkedIn) tend to have different times when engagement is at its peak, but your specific audience may also have their own preferences. A little research here can go a long way.

Build a sustainable cadence and stay the course. Consistency is crucial. If you post more than once a day, make sure that each has a few hours to shine on its own. And if a post is getting a particularly high response rate, wait a while before potentially drowning it out with something new. Remember: Algorithms are looking for engagement, not frequency.

4. Mix it up

Another way to ensure better engagement (and a better response from the algorithm!) is to mix up the type of content you share. Your online presence should be a healthy medley of brand, industry, and personal and community content.

You will need to figure out what the right balance for your own audience is. Think about what they care about, the questions they ask when you work together, or specific local concerns. The bottom line in every case is to make sure you’re maintaining a variety of relevant content in your social selling strategy.

5. Give and take

Approach social media as a conversation, not a bullhorn. Social selling is about more than just getting engagement — it’s also about engaging with your audience in return. This give and take is how relationships are made and strengthened, whether they be prospects or clients you know and love.

Don’t just be reactive by responding only to comments or likes on your posts. Take time to respond to others’ posts as well, whether they’re customers or other thought leaders in the industry. This doesn’t always have to be through comments, either; a simple like can let people know you’re paying attention to what they have to say.

Social selling is a powerful tool that can help financial advisors bring in new prospects and keep old clients coming back for more advice through the power of relationship and trust building. However, in order to rise above the noise, you can’t lean on your — or your firm’s — reputation. Instead, you need to establish an authentic presence for yourself that showcases exactly what makes you the right person for the job.

Learn more by downloading our Social Selling Guidebook for Financial Institutions.

Digital transformation means that social media has become an integral part of everyday life.  It has changed the way we communicate and connect with others, and it has also transformed the way financial professionals operate. Loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors will find that social media networks like LinkedIn have immense potential in terms of building connections, establishing thought leadership in the industry, and supporting their business. 

LinkedIn has quickly become a need for financial professionals: in fact, 9 out of 10 financial advisors are currently using LinkedIn for their business, and other industries can show similar numbers, too. To leverage the full potential of LinkedIn, intermediaries should create a strong social media content and post strategy. Here’s how to get started:

Define Your Target Audience

Before creating any content or posting anything on LinkedIn, it is essential to define the right target audience. By knowing this audience, it’s easier and more effective to craft content that resonates with them, and to also tailor any message to their needs and preferences. For the financial services industry, understanding clients and prospective clients is crucial to growing connections on social media.

Develop a Content Strategy

Once the target audience is identified, the next step is to develop a content strategy that aligns with business objectives. The content strategy should focus on creating value for the audience and positioning oneself as an expert in the financial industry, be it insurance, mortgage, banking, or wealth. It’s always helpful to create a mix of content, including articles, blog posts, infographics, videos, and podcasts, depending on current events and what the target audience would prefer.

Some themes to consider using in the content strategy are:

  • Industry news and trends
  • Tips and advice for financial planning and investments
  • Case studies and success stories
  • How-to guides and tutorials
  • Thought leadership pieces on industry-specific topics

Optimize The LinkedIn Profile

A LinkedIn profile is the first thing that potential connections will see. Therefore, it is essential to optimize the profile to make a good impression and establish credibility. Some tips for making a LinkedIn profile stand out are:

  • Use a professional headshot
  • Write a compelling headline that reflects expertise
  • Craft a well-written summary that highlights skills and experience
  • Add relevant keywords to the profile to make it easier for people to find in search results
  • Include media such as videos, infographics, and presentations to showcase work

Engage With Connections

LinkedIn is a social media platform, and like any other social network, engagement is key. Engaging with connections demonstrates real interest in building important relationships and sharing valuable insights. Some meaningful ways to engage with connections might include:

  • React to and comment on posts
  • Share posts with existing network
  • Send personalized messages to build rapport and establish connections
  • Participate in LinkedIn groups relevant to industry

Measure and Refine Your Strategy

Finally, it is crucial to measure any LinkedIn strategy's effectiveness and refine it over time. Using social media analytics is a smart way to track an audience's engagement with posted content, such as views, likes, shares, and comments. Based on this data, it’s simple to refine an existing strategy, identify what works and what doesn't, and adjust the tactics accordingly.

In conclusion, creating a social media content and post strategy for LinkedIn can help financial professionals build connections, establish thought leadership, and support their business. By defining the right target audience, developing a content strategy, optimizing the profile, engaging with connections, and measuring and refining the approach, anyone can leverage the full potential of LinkedIn and make social media a priority.

Ready to start building your social selling game plan? Check out this Social Selling Playbook for Financial Institutions.

There are plenty of AI skeptics out there, but there’s no doubt about it: these tools are here to stay! Marketers that don’t embrace the features of AI and how they can make your content work smarter, not harder, will fall behind those that don’t. There are many ways that AI can boost an institution’s social media strategy, and combined with other social selling tools, it can be an invaluable asset for your team. 

Running a social selling program is no easy feat, and one of the main challenges to overcome is giving users guidance and content to create their own engaging social media posts. That’s where AI comes in! It’s not about replacing people or taking away their voices: it’s about giving them assistance to do more with less. AI like Denim Social’s Social Sidekick take off the pressure of crafting the perfect message. That way, loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors can build a presence on social media without having to spend too much time on it (and so they can focus on their business!). 

If you’re hesitant to adopt AI in your social media strategy, consider these three ways that it can make your content stronger than ever. 

  1. AI can help you start a post. The proverbial writers’ block: even the most seasoned marketers can experience it, and for those that aren’t trained in social media writing, it can be a serious issue when trying to convey a message. Oftentimes, social sellers know what they want to say, but aren’t sure how to say it or how to begin. AI should never replace authentic, human content, but it can give users something a launch pad for what they need to say. Having that initial push can open the door to future content success for inexperienced users, especially. 
  2. AI can help you build a content library. For many institutions, a major key to social selling success is providing team members with guidance on what to post. If you are the administrator for your institution’s program, that’s a lot of pressure, time, and effort spent building up content to share with users. With AI, it’s much easier to increase the quantity of content without increasing any individual’s overall output. Having a more robust library means more social media posts going out and more access to valuable resources for brands and their users. 
  3. AI can fine tune your messaging. Sometimes a post just isn’t quite right. Especially when complex subjects around financial services are up for discussion, getting the right tone and wording is hard to do. You want to be both educational and entertaining, so it’s always about striking the right balance with the message. It’s easy to be either too vague or too wordy. With AI, you can easily reword and regenerate a message to be more clear and concise if needed. Even better, you can be assured that your post is grammatically correct and formatted as needed. It’s perfect for social sellers that are just starting out or worried about posting the right way. 

Don’t let uncertainty about AI keep you from taking advantage of such a powerful and helpful tool. It can work wonders for institutions that are trying to drive user adoption, make the most of limited resources, or simply trying to boost their social media presence. There are many functions AI can serve, but most importantly, it can increase your social selling efficiency. Thanks to the Denim Social platform’s integrated AI compliance workflows, you can also control what’s being posted across all users and networks, too. 

Sign up for a demo today to learn more about how it works and what it can do for your institution

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GUIDES

Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

User Generated Content - Get People Talking

  • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
  • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
  • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
  • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
  • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
  • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

Highlight Your Organization and Community

  • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
  • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
  • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

Focus On Giving Back

  • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
  • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
  • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
  • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

Holiday Hashtags Calendar

  • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
  • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
  • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
  • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
  • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
  • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
  • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
  • December 31st: #NYE2021

And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

GUIDES

Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

User Generated Content - Get People Talking

  • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
  • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
  • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
  • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
  • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
  • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

Highlight Your Organization and Community

  • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
  • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
  • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

Focus On Giving Back

  • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
  • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
  • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
  • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

Holiday Hashtags Calendar

  • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
  • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
  • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
  • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
  • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
  • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
  • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
  • December 31st: #NYE2021

And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

Download the Guide

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Download Guide
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Download Guide
ALL GUIDES:

Like many community banks, Dart Bank wanted to keep customer relationships a top priority. This meant being more available to customers and meeting them where they are. In modern terms, that means on social media.

When Dart Bank learned about how Denim Social supports social selling for loan officers, they knew it was the perfect fit to keep their team engaged at every step of the journey. They wanted to empower their loan officers to create and grow authentic relationships online, never missing an opportunity to connect.

Shelter Insurance® sought to launch a social selling program that would not only create posting efficiency, but also make it easy for agents to establish subject matter expertise via high quality social media content. They also saw an opportunity to empower digitally savvy agents to cultivate leads online to drive business results in a compliant social selling program.

Before launching the program, it was essential that agents understood the pillars of social selling. Together with the Denim Social team, Shelter Insurance® developed a best-in-class program communication, onboarding and training process for agents.

Social selling is just what it sounds like: using social media to sell a product or service. It’s leveraging social to build personal relationships, showcase thought leadership, engage with prospects, interact with existing customers, and ultimately build trust and rapport that will eventually lead to sales.

It enables intermediaries – like insurance agents – to add value to the customer journey where there wouldn’t otherwise be an opportunity.

This guide will help financial services marketers understand why social media should be a core component of their marketing strategy and showcase how the collective reach of their intermediaries’ social media presence can be harnessed to more deeply connect with prospective clients, position producers as thought leaders in their communities, and, ultimately, build trust with clients that translates to positive business results.

It’s called social selling and it works.

The spring 2023 buying season has arrived and with it – you guessed – uncertainty. Spring has long been make-it or break-it season for lenders and loan officers, and despite present conditions, the same holds true this year. But 2023 holds unique challenges and opportunities.

As the season opens, there are a few key considerations the Denim Social team sees as critical for mortgage marketers.

Paid social is one of the most effective ways to introduce people who aren’t yet following your producers, agents, loan officers, or advisors to your financial institution at the right place and the right time.

Paid social is complementary to organic. While organic social builds first-degree connections and facilitates awareness, engagement, and branding, paid social allows you to reach larger, more tailored audiences.

BOK Financial is a financial services partner for consumers, businesses and wealth clients with more than 150 users on the Denim Social platform.

In addition to building brand credibility and establishing loan officer expertise, Denim Social enables their mortgage loan officers to cultivate relationships in social media and organically source leads.

As financial marketers look to the coming year, most are wondering, “what’s next?” While no one can say for sure, our team of experts here at Denim Social are keeping a pulse on what’s new in digital marketing for financial institutions on social media. This guide will not only educate you on the latest trends, but help you make the case for increased investment in social selling and digital marketing strategies at your institution.

Evolve Bank & Trust (“Evolve”) is an $700M+ asset institution with nearly 40 Home Loan Centers (HLC) and nearly 500 employees nationwide. See how Denim Social helped Evolve activate Home Loan Center Facebook pages over the course of just a few months.

Whether you’re in banking, wealth management, insurance or mortgage, relationships are the bedrock of your business.

Considering clients in these industries are handing over the keys to their personal kingdoms, it’s no surprise that trust and connection matter. That’s why successful sales strategies for these industries are focused on building long-term, trusted relationships.

To truly unleash the potential of social, financial institutions need to use social media as a sales tool. It’s called social selling and it works.

The power of social media is undeniable. The ability of banks to engage with and influence customers and prospects via interactive digital channels is an essential tool and a cornerstone of marketing. Gone are the days when it was “nice to have” a presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Today, these pathways are helping banks to build relationships that were historically cultivated by tirelessly walking up and down Main Street, shaking hands and leaving behind business cards.

In this case study by Denim Social and American Bankers Association, we take a look at how banks are using social media to ramp up digital engagement and build sales.

As any marketer worth their salt will tell you, analytics should drive your social strategy. The key to success is understanding how to link social media efforts to ROI metrics. Read this guide to learn how to gain insights that matter, optimize your strategy and prove your social success.

It’s no surprise that social media can help drive results for your mortgage business. In fact, the question for most marketers at mortgage lending institutions isn’t IF they should be doing more social media marketing - it’s HOW. Download to learn how to:

  • Scale your social selling program
  • Plan your content strategy
  • Train your loan officers

AnnieMac is one of the fastest-growing mortgage loan providers in the U.S., serving clients in 42 states. Learn how Denim Social helped their team to streamline its brand’s social media strategy and activate social selling for hundreds of loan officers in just four months.

As mortgage demand surges to historic highs, home purchase and refinance markets remain hot. This is excellent news for loan officers, but it also means the environment is more competitive than ever.

So how can marketers ensure that their loan officers stand out? The answer is social media.

Read this guidebook from Denim Social to learn how you can help your loan officers build strong relationships, stand out from the crowd and win more business using social media.

Every Mortgage Marketer Should Ask Themselves

Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

Read this guide if you’re asking yourself:

  • Is my social media policy current and comprehensive?
  • How do I ensure social media compliance during M&A?
  • What do I need to consider for direct messaging compliance?

In this guide we will help you think about your all important social media policy and thoughtfully consider how changes in social media tech and even your bank’s structure may impact compliance.

Every Financial Services Marketer Should Ask Themselves

Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

Stronger Customer Relationships on Instagram

Financial Services companies should be marketing and advertising on Instagram. We break down why, and help you create a strategy to reach new customers- while continuing to build trust in your brand.

How 6 Financial Marketers Are Creating Value in Social Media

Ever wonder what everyone else is doing in social media? We talked to six leading financial marketers about how they’re succeeding today and planning for the next big thing.

Get their insights on strengthening your social strategies, unlocking the power of employee networks and creating next-level content that drives engagement.

Download this guidebook to learn how 3 mortgage lenders are using social media to:

  • Position themselves in a place the community is already looking ... their social media
  • Empower loan officers to engage in local conversations
  • Turn their institution's loan officers into the voice of their brand
  • Build trust within the community

Which roles do you fill when building your bank's marketing dream team? This guide will show you the following:

  • Who does what
  • The right structure to execute strategy
  • How compliance software can help

Enjoy!

ABA Study: The Current State of Social Media

See what nearly 430 bank marketers had to say when asked questions such as:

  • Is it important to equip your sales personnel with social media accounts?
  • Does your bank measure the impact of your social media use?
  • COVID-19 & Bank Social Media

    Times are different and how you connect with customers and potential customers has changed drastically. In a socially distant world, learn to still build lasting relationships.

    Download and learn the guiding principles for using social media to serve both your customers and communities in the midst of a pandemic.

    this is a test page

    GUIDES

    Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

    For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

    We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

    User Generated Content - Get People Talking

    • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
    • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
    • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
    • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
    • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
    • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

    Highlight Your Organization and Community

    • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
    • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
    • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

    Focus On Giving Back

    • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
    • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
    • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
    • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

    Holiday Hashtags Calendar

    • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
    • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
    • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
    • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
    • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
    • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
    • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
    • December 31st: #NYE2021

    And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

    Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

    Download the Guide

    Thank you! Your submission has been received!
    Download Guide
    Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
    Download Guide
    ALL GUIDES:

    Like many community banks, Dart Bank wanted to keep customer relationships a top priority. This meant being more available to customers and meeting them where they are. In modern terms, that means on social media.

    When Dart Bank learned about how Denim Social supports social selling for loan officers, they knew it was the perfect fit to keep their team engaged at every step of the journey. They wanted to empower their loan officers to create and grow authentic relationships online, never missing an opportunity to connect.

    Shelter Insurance® sought to launch a social selling program that would not only create posting efficiency, but also make it easy for agents to establish subject matter expertise via high quality social media content. They also saw an opportunity to empower digitally savvy agents to cultivate leads online to drive business results in a compliant social selling program.

    Before launching the program, it was essential that agents understood the pillars of social selling. Together with the Denim Social team, Shelter Insurance® developed a best-in-class program communication, onboarding and training process for agents.

    Social selling is just what it sounds like: using social media to sell a product or service. It’s leveraging social to build personal relationships, showcase thought leadership, engage with prospects, interact with existing customers, and ultimately build trust and rapport that will eventually lead to sales.

    It enables intermediaries – like insurance agents – to add value to the customer journey where there wouldn’t otherwise be an opportunity.

    This guide will help financial services marketers understand why social media should be a core component of their marketing strategy and showcase how the collective reach of their intermediaries’ social media presence can be harnessed to more deeply connect with prospective clients, position producers as thought leaders in their communities, and, ultimately, build trust with clients that translates to positive business results.

    It’s called social selling and it works.

    The spring 2023 buying season has arrived and with it – you guessed – uncertainty. Spring has long been make-it or break-it season for lenders and loan officers, and despite present conditions, the same holds true this year. But 2023 holds unique challenges and opportunities.

    As the season opens, there are a few key considerations the Denim Social team sees as critical for mortgage marketers.

    Paid social is one of the most effective ways to introduce people who aren’t yet following your producers, agents, loan officers, or advisors to your financial institution at the right place and the right time.

    Paid social is complementary to organic. While organic social builds first-degree connections and facilitates awareness, engagement, and branding, paid social allows you to reach larger, more tailored audiences.

    BOK Financial is a financial services partner for consumers, businesses and wealth clients with more than 150 users on the Denim Social platform.

    In addition to building brand credibility and establishing loan officer expertise, Denim Social enables their mortgage loan officers to cultivate relationships in social media and organically source leads.

    As financial marketers look to the coming year, most are wondering, “what’s next?” While no one can say for sure, our team of experts here at Denim Social are keeping a pulse on what’s new in digital marketing for financial institutions on social media. This guide will not only educate you on the latest trends, but help you make the case for increased investment in social selling and digital marketing strategies at your institution.

    Evolve Bank & Trust (“Evolve”) is an $700M+ asset institution with nearly 40 Home Loan Centers (HLC) and nearly 500 employees nationwide. See how Denim Social helped Evolve activate Home Loan Center Facebook pages over the course of just a few months.

    Whether you’re in banking, wealth management, insurance or mortgage, relationships are the bedrock of your business.

    Considering clients in these industries are handing over the keys to their personal kingdoms, it’s no surprise that trust and connection matter. That’s why successful sales strategies for these industries are focused on building long-term, trusted relationships.

    To truly unleash the potential of social, financial institutions need to use social media as a sales tool. It’s called social selling and it works.

    The power of social media is undeniable. The ability of banks to engage with and influence customers and prospects via interactive digital channels is an essential tool and a cornerstone of marketing. Gone are the days when it was “nice to have” a presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Today, these pathways are helping banks to build relationships that were historically cultivated by tirelessly walking up and down Main Street, shaking hands and leaving behind business cards.

    In this case study by Denim Social and American Bankers Association, we take a look at how banks are using social media to ramp up digital engagement and build sales.

    As any marketer worth their salt will tell you, analytics should drive your social strategy. The key to success is understanding how to link social media efforts to ROI metrics. Read this guide to learn how to gain insights that matter, optimize your strategy and prove your social success.

    It’s no surprise that social media can help drive results for your mortgage business. In fact, the question for most marketers at mortgage lending institutions isn’t IF they should be doing more social media marketing - it’s HOW. Download to learn how to:

    • Scale your social selling program
    • Plan your content strategy
    • Train your loan officers

    AnnieMac is one of the fastest-growing mortgage loan providers in the U.S., serving clients in 42 states. Learn how Denim Social helped their team to streamline its brand’s social media strategy and activate social selling for hundreds of loan officers in just four months.

    As mortgage demand surges to historic highs, home purchase and refinance markets remain hot. This is excellent news for loan officers, but it also means the environment is more competitive than ever.

    So how can marketers ensure that their loan officers stand out? The answer is social media.

    Read this guidebook from Denim Social to learn how you can help your loan officers build strong relationships, stand out from the crowd and win more business using social media.

    Every Mortgage Marketer Should Ask Themselves

    Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

    Read this guide if you’re asking yourself:

    • Is my social media policy current and comprehensive?
    • How do I ensure social media compliance during M&A?
    • What do I need to consider for direct messaging compliance?

    In this guide we will help you think about your all important social media policy and thoughtfully consider how changes in social media tech and even your bank’s structure may impact compliance.

    Every Financial Services Marketer Should Ask Themselves

    Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

    Stronger Customer Relationships on Instagram

    Financial Services companies should be marketing and advertising on Instagram. We break down why, and help you create a strategy to reach new customers- while continuing to build trust in your brand.

    How 6 Financial Marketers Are Creating Value in Social Media

    Ever wonder what everyone else is doing in social media? We talked to six leading financial marketers about how they’re succeeding today and planning for the next big thing.

    Get their insights on strengthening your social strategies, unlocking the power of employee networks and creating next-level content that drives engagement.

    Download this guidebook to learn how 3 mortgage lenders are using social media to:

    • Position themselves in a place the community is already looking ... their social media
    • Empower loan officers to engage in local conversations
    • Turn their institution's loan officers into the voice of their brand
    • Build trust within the community

    Which roles do you fill when building your bank's marketing dream team? This guide will show you the following:

    • Who does what
    • The right structure to execute strategy
    • How compliance software can help

    Enjoy!

    ABA Study: The Current State of Social Media

    See what nearly 430 bank marketers had to say when asked questions such as:

  • Is it important to equip your sales personnel with social media accounts?
  • Does your bank measure the impact of your social media use?
  • COVID-19 & Bank Social Media

    Times are different and how you connect with customers and potential customers has changed drastically. In a socially distant world, learn to still build lasting relationships.

    Download and learn the guiding principles for using social media to serve both your customers and communities in the midst of a pandemic.

    this is a test page

    GUIDES

    Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

    For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

    We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

    User Generated Content - Get People Talking

    • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
    • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
    • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
    • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
    • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
    • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

    Highlight Your Organization and Community

    • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
    • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
    • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

    Focus On Giving Back

    • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
    • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
    • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
    • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

    Holiday Hashtags Calendar

    • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
    • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
    • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
    • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
    • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
    • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
    • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
    • December 31st: #NYE2021

    And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

    Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

    Download the Guide

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    ALL GUIDES:

    Like many community banks, Dart Bank wanted to keep customer relationships a top priority. This meant being more available to customers and meeting them where they are. In modern terms, that means on social media.

    When Dart Bank learned about how Denim Social supports social selling for loan officers, they knew it was the perfect fit to keep their team engaged at every step of the journey. They wanted to empower their loan officers to create and grow authentic relationships online, never missing an opportunity to connect.

    Shelter Insurance® sought to launch a social selling program that would not only create posting efficiency, but also make it easy for agents to establish subject matter expertise via high quality social media content. They also saw an opportunity to empower digitally savvy agents to cultivate leads online to drive business results in a compliant social selling program.

    Before launching the program, it was essential that agents understood the pillars of social selling. Together with the Denim Social team, Shelter Insurance® developed a best-in-class program communication, onboarding and training process for agents.

    Social selling is just what it sounds like: using social media to sell a product or service. It’s leveraging social to build personal relationships, showcase thought leadership, engage with prospects, interact with existing customers, and ultimately build trust and rapport that will eventually lead to sales.

    It enables intermediaries – like insurance agents – to add value to the customer journey where there wouldn’t otherwise be an opportunity.

    This guide will help financial services marketers understand why social media should be a core component of their marketing strategy and showcase how the collective reach of their intermediaries’ social media presence can be harnessed to more deeply connect with prospective clients, position producers as thought leaders in their communities, and, ultimately, build trust with clients that translates to positive business results.

    It’s called social selling and it works.

    The spring 2023 buying season has arrived and with it – you guessed – uncertainty. Spring has long been make-it or break-it season for lenders and loan officers, and despite present conditions, the same holds true this year. But 2023 holds unique challenges and opportunities.

    As the season opens, there are a few key considerations the Denim Social team sees as critical for mortgage marketers.

    Paid social is one of the most effective ways to introduce people who aren’t yet following your producers, agents, loan officers, or advisors to your financial institution at the right place and the right time.

    Paid social is complementary to organic. While organic social builds first-degree connections and facilitates awareness, engagement, and branding, paid social allows you to reach larger, more tailored audiences.

    BOK Financial is a financial services partner for consumers, businesses and wealth clients with more than 150 users on the Denim Social platform.

    In addition to building brand credibility and establishing loan officer expertise, Denim Social enables their mortgage loan officers to cultivate relationships in social media and organically source leads.

    As financial marketers look to the coming year, most are wondering, “what’s next?” While no one can say for sure, our team of experts here at Denim Social are keeping a pulse on what’s new in digital marketing for financial institutions on social media. This guide will not only educate you on the latest trends, but help you make the case for increased investment in social selling and digital marketing strategies at your institution.

    Evolve Bank & Trust (“Evolve”) is an $700M+ asset institution with nearly 40 Home Loan Centers (HLC) and nearly 500 employees nationwide. See how Denim Social helped Evolve activate Home Loan Center Facebook pages over the course of just a few months.

    Whether you’re in banking, wealth management, insurance or mortgage, relationships are the bedrock of your business.

    Considering clients in these industries are handing over the keys to their personal kingdoms, it’s no surprise that trust and connection matter. That’s why successful sales strategies for these industries are focused on building long-term, trusted relationships.

    To truly unleash the potential of social, financial institutions need to use social media as a sales tool. It’s called social selling and it works.

    The power of social media is undeniable. The ability of banks to engage with and influence customers and prospects via interactive digital channels is an essential tool and a cornerstone of marketing. Gone are the days when it was “nice to have” a presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Today, these pathways are helping banks to build relationships that were historically cultivated by tirelessly walking up and down Main Street, shaking hands and leaving behind business cards.

    In this case study by Denim Social and American Bankers Association, we take a look at how banks are using social media to ramp up digital engagement and build sales.

    As any marketer worth their salt will tell you, analytics should drive your social strategy. The key to success is understanding how to link social media efforts to ROI metrics. Read this guide to learn how to gain insights that matter, optimize your strategy and prove your social success.

    It’s no surprise that social media can help drive results for your mortgage business. In fact, the question for most marketers at mortgage lending institutions isn’t IF they should be doing more social media marketing - it’s HOW. Download to learn how to:

    • Scale your social selling program
    • Plan your content strategy
    • Train your loan officers

    AnnieMac is one of the fastest-growing mortgage loan providers in the U.S., serving clients in 42 states. Learn how Denim Social helped their team to streamline its brand’s social media strategy and activate social selling for hundreds of loan officers in just four months.

    As mortgage demand surges to historic highs, home purchase and refinance markets remain hot. This is excellent news for loan officers, but it also means the environment is more competitive than ever.

    So how can marketers ensure that their loan officers stand out? The answer is social media.

    Read this guidebook from Denim Social to learn how you can help your loan officers build strong relationships, stand out from the crowd and win more business using social media.

    Every Mortgage Marketer Should Ask Themselves

    Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

    Read this guide if you’re asking yourself:

    • Is my social media policy current and comprehensive?
    • How do I ensure social media compliance during M&A?
    • What do I need to consider for direct messaging compliance?

    In this guide we will help you think about your all important social media policy and thoughtfully consider how changes in social media tech and even your bank’s structure may impact compliance.

    Every Financial Services Marketer Should Ask Themselves

    Compliance is complicated, but don’t let it stop your lending team from making the most of social media. Think you’re ready to start social selling? Ask yourself these five questions!

    Stronger Customer Relationships on Instagram

    Financial Services companies should be marketing and advertising on Instagram. We break down why, and help you create a strategy to reach new customers- while continuing to build trust in your brand.

    How 6 Financial Marketers Are Creating Value in Social Media

    Ever wonder what everyone else is doing in social media? We talked to six leading financial marketers about how they’re succeeding today and planning for the next big thing.

    Get their insights on strengthening your social strategies, unlocking the power of employee networks and creating next-level content that drives engagement.

    Download this guidebook to learn how 3 mortgage lenders are using social media to:

    • Position themselves in a place the community is already looking ... their social media
    • Empower loan officers to engage in local conversations
    • Turn their institution's loan officers into the voice of their brand
    • Build trust within the community

    Which roles do you fill when building your bank's marketing dream team? This guide will show you the following:

    • Who does what
    • The right structure to execute strategy
    • How compliance software can help

    Enjoy!

    ABA Study: The Current State of Social Media

    See what nearly 430 bank marketers had to say when asked questions such as:

  • Is it important to equip your sales personnel with social media accounts?
  • Does your bank measure the impact of your social media use?
  • COVID-19 & Bank Social Media

    Times are different and how you connect with customers and potential customers has changed drastically. In a socially distant world, learn to still build lasting relationships.

    Download and learn the guiding principles for using social media to serve both your customers and communities in the midst of a pandemic.

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    RESOURCES

    NEWS
    November 1, 2021

    Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

    By
    Denim Social

    For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

    We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

    User Generated Content - Get People Talking

    • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
    • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
    • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
    • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
    • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
    • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

    Highlight Your Organization and Community

    • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
    • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
    • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

    Focus On Giving Back

    • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
    • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
    • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
    • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

    Holiday Hashtags Calendar

    • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
    • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
    • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
    • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
    • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
    • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
    • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
    • December 31st: #NYE2021

    And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

    Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

    Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest sent to your inbox.
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    OTHER NEWS:

    Make the most of your social media pages and posts by optimizing your images and including essential information about your business on each platform. By giving customers an optimal digital experience, you can broaden reach and provide better customer service through your digital platforms.

    Facebook

    IMAGE SIZING:

    Profile picture: 176 x 176px (desktop), 196x 196px (smartphones)

    Cover photo: 820 x 312px (desktop), 640 x 360px (smartphones)

    Keep the main content of your image centered. On a desktop the photo will display as 840x312px, but on mobile will size down to 640x360px.

    Facebook post image: 1200 x 630px

    The ideal width for a Facebook post image is 1200px, but height can vary based on what type of device the image display is optimized for. We recommend keeping it at the recommended size to keep consistency on all devices.

    When creating a Facebook Ad graphic, any text should not take up more than 20% of the photo. You can find a cheat sheet here: https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay.

    Facebook Video: 1280 x 720px

    The optimal length for a short-form video on Facebook is 15 seconds to 1 minute; for a long-form video, it is 3 minutes. The maximum file size is 10GB. 

    Facebook Link Image: 1200 x 630px

    Make sure to claim ownership of your links for the ability to change the link preview photo. You can find more info on that here: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/528858287471922?id=708699556338610.

    Carousel Post: 1080 x 1080px

    Carousel posts are a great way to display multiple services or features that you offer to your customers. When placing a Facebook ad you can link each carousel photo to a different link, making it easy for people to navigate to your specific products.

    Facebook Story: 1080 x 1920px

    Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION:

    Page name:

    This is where you can name your Facebook Page, but be sure to keep it shorter than 75 characters.

    Page username:

    Customize your page URL by adding a username, making it easier for people to locate and navigate people from other digital platforms. Your Facebook URL can include up to 50 characters.

    Page call to action:

    Facebook gives you a variety of choices on calls to action. For example, if you’d like customers to contact you by email, you can set up a “Send Email” button with your email address connected and ready to go.

    LinkedIn

    IMAGE SIZING:

    Profile picture: 400 x 400px

    Upload your business logo here to personalize your profile. If this page is for an individual, this is where you will upload their headshot.

    Cover Photo: 1584 x 396px

    Having a personalized business cover photo will make your profile look more professional and give you the opportunity to provide page visitors with more of the look and feel of your business. This can include an image related to your business or a graphic with information on services you provide or your business slogan.

    LinkedIn post photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

    When targeting an audience on both desktop and mobile, make sure that you optimize for mobile to give people the best experience.

    LinkedIn Link Photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

    Providing an image with your link preview can help give viewers a better idea of article content and improve your click thru rates. 

    LinkedIn Link Video: 4096 x 2304px maximum, 256 x 144 pixels minimum

    The optimal video length for LinkedIn is 30-90 seconds and the maximum file size is 5GB.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

    Page name:

    This is where your business name is located, as well as your company industry, location, and number of followers.

    Page description:

    Add your business slogan, mission, or a short description that tells people what your company, products, and services can do for them.

    X (Formerly Known as Twitter)

    IMAGE SIZING

    Profile picture: 400 x 400px

    Upload your business logo or headshot to personalize your profile.

    Cover photo: 1500 x 500px

    Be sure to center your content to give your followers an optimized experience on mobile.

    Twitter post photo: 1600 x 900px

    Allow your followers to see the entirety of the photo in their feed by adhering to this sizing guideline. The maximum file size is 5MB.

    X video: 1280 x 720px (desktop, recommended), 720 x 720px (mobile)

    The optimal video length for Twitter is 20-45 seconds and the maximum file size is 512MB.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

    Underneath your profile photo, your company name and username will be displayed.

    Write a short bio to tell people more about your business.

    Instagram

    IMAGE SIZING

    Profile photo: 110 x 110px

    Your profile picture will be small, so be sure your image is sized correctly and centered. This is a great place for your company logo.

    Profile thumbnail: Displays as 161 x 161px

    This is a preview of your large image post, but looks best when the photo posted is square.

    Highlight Cover: 1080 x 1920px

    Your cover photos should have centered images to give your highlight reel a balanced look. You can also name your highlights, but be concise as they can only be 15 characters long.

    Instagram Feed Photo: 1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

    The recommended width for all Instagram feed photos is 1080px, but the height can vary. To optimize for your feed display within your profile, we recommend using the sizing listed above to keep your image square.

    Instagram Feed Video:  1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

    The optimal length for an Instagram video is 30-60 seconds and the max file size is 650MB.

    Instagram Feed Ad Photo: 1080 x 1080px

    Your ad photo will display the same as a normal feed photo, but with a link attached. When creating an ad in Ads Manager, you’ll be able to upload a separate photo for Instagram to keep your photos optimized for the user experience.

    Instagram Story: 1080 x 1920px (portrait), 1080 x 601 (landscape)

    Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience. The maximum length of the story is 60 seconds.

    Instagram Reels & Live: 1080 x 1920px

    Reels can be used to offer tutorials, demos, or service features. These will be saved under your profile page for viewers to go back and watch at their leisure. The maximum length for Reels is 90 seconds. For Live, this can be used for announcements, events, or other Q&A sessions. These can also be saved for later viewing, and can last up to 4 hours.

    As the end of the year looms, budget is on every leader’s and marketer’s mind. Now is the time for financial institutions to step back and assess performance and determine how to spend wisely next year. In the face of climbing interest rates, uncertain economic conditions and hesitant customers, financial marketers will need to be effective and efficient in 2024. 

    Luckily, there’s a way loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors can cost-effectively build new (and strengthen existing) relationships: social media. A strong social media strategy helps intermediaries meet customers where they are in a personalized way. This is important, as 72% of consumers rate personalization as highly important in finance.

    In today’s digital world, being on social media is a non-negotiable for financial professionals looking to stay top of mind with customers. Consider this: employees have 10x the amount of reach as brand pages alone, and social media users that regularly share content are 57% likely to generate leads. For institutions on a budget , social media makes the most of resources and lays the foundation for long-term success. 

    Sound familiar? Many financial marketers deal with reduced budgets and fewer resources. The good news is that social media can be one of the best (and most cost-effective ways) to get the most out of overall marketing and generate real business ROI. No matter how large or small a budget, with the right approach, marketers and financial professionals can use social media to make new connections and drive results. 

    The question is, how exactly do you get buy-in from leadership to start personalizing and investing more money for social media marketing? The following strategies can help you get started:

    1. Target your audience: Identify the advocates for your mission and the people who you need to get buy-in from. Social media marketing is about identifying target audiences and catering strategies accordingly. The same applies when securing your social media marketing budget. When looking for buy-in, target those on the leadership team who are likely to understand what excellence in personalization looks like. Great personalization is omnichannel; it engages consumers on the channels of their choice and it’s deeply human. To humanize marketing beyond the brand level, financial institutions need to reach out to leaders who will be open to highly personalized tactics such as social selling, which puts employees and producers on the frontlines to build relationships for the brand.
    2. Craft the right message: Messaging is critical in marketing — and that goes double for selling the idea of a more personalized social strategy. Your message needs to resonate with your audience, even if your audience is one decision-maker. Link everything back to ROI by explaining that customers weigh reputation and online presence when choosing financial institutions. Be prepared to explain how you’ll track and increase customer conversion metrics through your campaigns. When arguing for more money toward paid social media advertising, for example, you’ll want to explain how it can boost conversion rates, meaning more customers (and revenue) coming in from your ads. Framing your message in business terms will help you advocate for funds to support personalization at scale.
    3. Present the right data: Use compelling data to bring your message home. With 75% of B2B buyers using social media to make buying decisions, social selling is a powerful way to attract new customers. In addition to all the facts and figures about why brand is important, you should also be ready to support the idea that people buy from people. At the end of the day, it’s about relationships. That’s why so many financial institutions find it valuable to launch social selling programs that position agents, advisors and loan officers to build customer relationships. 54% of prospects today use social networks to conduct product research. Your team can capture prospects where they are with the right strategies, processes and technology.
    4. Decide the right timing: The time to start advocating for personalization is now. Approach leadership about earmarking money for personalization in the budget for social media marketing. Remember that most financial institutions establish their fiscal budgets for the year and often don’t revisit those budgets for another year. 41% of marketing budgets are based on the previous year, with only 10% revisited quarterly— so plan ahead for social initiatives that might take more money down the line. You likely won’t get another chance to advocate for that money once the budget is set.

    No matter the size or scope of a bank, insurance agency, mortgage lender, or financial firm marketing budget, the end of the year is the best time to assess what’s going well and what needs to change in the coming year. There’s no doubt that social media has a place in every marketer’s budget, and knowing where and how to spend can support business goals and keep financial brands relevant and accessible. 

    Social media supercharges marketing budgets to reach more customers and prospects.. Marketers that build a smart strategy through personalized social selling will be well positioned to get the most out of any budget. See how Denim Social can help you do more with less by scheduling a demo here

    In today's digital age, social media platforms have become essential tools for professionals in various industries to connect with clients, share valuable insights, and build their brand. Instagram, with its visual appeal and highly-engaged user base, is no exception. For financial professionals, leveraging Instagram can be a powerful way to showcase expertise, establish credibility, and build stronger relationships. In this blog post, we will discuss the best practices for building your Instagram business profile as a financial professional that will give your social selling a boost.

    Choose a Professional Username and Profile Picture

    Start by selecting a username that reflects your name or your financial business's name. Keep it simple and easy to remember. Use a high-quality profile picture, such as a professional headshot or your company logo. This picture will be the first impression potential followers have of you.

    Optimize Your Bio

    Craft a concise and informative bio that clearly defines your role and expertise. Use relevant keywords, such as "Financial Advisor," "Mortgage Loan Officer,” or "Insurance Agent." Include a brief but captivating description of the value you provide to your customers. Highlight any unique selling points or specializations.

    Content Strategy

    Determine your content niche. Share content that aligns with your expertise, such as investment tips, financial planning advice, or market insights. Develop a content calendar to ensure consistency. Aim for a mix of educational, inspirational, and personal posts. Use high-quality images and graphics to enhance your posts. Visual appeal is essential on Instagram!

    Engage Your Audience

    Respond promptly to comments and direct messages. Engaging with your followers builds a sense of trust and connection. You want your followers to engage with your posts, so do the same for them! Like, comment, and share to help increase visibility. 

    Use Hashtags Wisely

    Research and use relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability of your posts. Utilize both industry-specific and popular hashtags. Best practice is to use 5-10 hashtags per post as they relate to the content. 

    Collaborate and Network

    Collaborate with influencers or other professionals in your industry. Guest posts or shoutouts can expand your reach. Attend industry events and share your experiences on Instagram. It’s all about taking those in-person relationships online, too.

    Educate and Inform

    Share informative and educational content that empowers your audience. Explainer videos, infographics, and step-by-step guides can be especially valuable. Stay up-to-date with the latest financial news and trends, and share your unique insights with your followers. Always provide value!

    Analytics and Optimization

    Regularly analyze your Instagram Insights to understand which content performs best and when your audience is most active. Use this data to refine your content strategy and posting schedule for optimal engagement.

    Promote Your Services

    While Instagram is a platform for sharing valuable content, don't forget to promote your services subtly. Share client success stories or case studies to showcase your expertise in action.

    Stay Compliant

    Ensure that your posts comply with industry regulations and guidelines. Be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest. Luckily, platforms like Denim Social that are built for the financial services industry can help with that! 

    In conclusion, Instagram can be a valuable tool for financial professionals to connect with clients and prospects. By following these best practices, you can build a strong and trustworthy online presence that sets you apart in the competitive world of finance. Remember that consistency and authenticity are key to establishing a successful Instagram business profile for financial professionals. See our Denim Social guide to building stronger customer relationships on Instagram here


    Being responsible for your team’s social selling strategy can be daunting, especially if you don’t have a plan or support. We see it firsthand at Denim Social – without a meaningful strategy, users may not be eager (or downright resistant) to jump on a new platform. So, how are others getting their teams onboard? We learn a lot from our Denim Social customers to learn how they’re making it happen. Overall, we have observed four keys to adoption success.

    Activate a hybrid distribution approach.

    We find that teams that utilize a hybrid approach to posting have the most empowered associates. What does it look like in practice? This usually includes the marketing team posting brand content on behalf of associates, and associates scheduling out pre-approved industry content from a content library, plus sprinkling in their own personal content. And rest assured, that personal content still goes through approval workflows.  

    Build a robust content library.

    If you’re going to ask associates to post content, you’ve got to make it easy and compliant. Our platform offers content libraries filled with pre-approved posts. We see that when associates have lots of content to choose from, they post more frequently.

    It's a win-win for all: Compliance teams can be confident that they are managing any content that's being posted, marketing teams can provide support more readily and get more messaging across, and users can quickly build up a content calendar with engaging, customizable posts.

    Communicate the value of social media consistently.

    Your teams need to be able to answer the age old question, “what’s in it for me?” Your teams are busy and that means you need to help them see why spending their valuable time on social media is worth it.

    In a time when meeting customers where they are means being on social media, it's essential that intermediaries look to their networks to take advantage of existing connections and forming new ones. Social media is a highly visible and time-efficient way to strengthen important relationships. It's all about doing more with less!

    Train and Train Again

    Baking social media and Denim Social training into the onboarding process is a great way to introduce new and motivated associates to a fresh way to drive their business.  It is also important to keep social media top of mind for ALL associates. An ongoing training program outlining compliance/social policy, the value of social media and Denim Social is a must, whether it be monthly or quarterly. Marketing is not often top of mind for salespeople, so it is important to continuously educate them on how to get involved and optimize their strategies.  

    Many of our Denim Social customers set up trainings that include: monthly new hire social media and compliance training courses, Denim Social overviews, a monthly Denim Social refresher training, a Quarterly Strategy training, and ongoing 1:1 assistance for users. It's all about keeping social media top of mind and having easy access to resources.

    For many, these training programs are a well oiled machine, and keeps their social program growing by educating and informing users consistently.

    If you’re struggling with adoption, these strategies can help. And of course, persistence pays off.

    Social media is only as valuable as its users and that makes adoption key. If you’re struggling to motivate your team to hop on the social media bandwagon the right tools and support can make all the difference. If you want to learn more about how the Denim Social platform works, schedule a demo with us today.


    Like many community banks, Dart Bank wanted to keep customer relationships a top priority. This meant being more available to customers and meeting them where they are. In modern terms, that means on social media. 

    When Dart Bank learned about how Denim Social supports social selling for loan officers, they knew it was the perfect fit to keep their team engaged at every step of the journey. They wanted to empower their loan officers to create and grow authentic relationships online, never missing an opportunity to connect. 

    “Everyone wants a quick response, they want to be communicated with in the way they want it…speed and availability demands have created challenges that they have to be able to be everything to the customer in the way that they want it.” - Bryan Clarke, SVP

    With Denim Social, Dart Bank launched a formal social selling program for over 50 loan officers in just a few months. Dart Bank started by posting on behalf of their loan officers. Through regular training and education combined with access to compliant content libraries, loan officers have gained the confidence to start posting to their own pages. It was important for Dart Bank to build a strong foundation and enable their team to make social media more personalized. 

    See how they helped strengthen customer relationships in this Case Study.

    Where Are the Biggest Opportunities to Use Social Media in Financial Services?

    Denim Social's Guide To Social Selling For Financial Services shows that most financial professionals — 83% of those surveyed — have a social media presence. It’s a great place to start, but having a profile is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what benefits financial institutions can enjoy from social media. Smart financial marketers and their teams should be optimizing their social selling efforts on every network to get the most out of what social media has to offer.

    Customers are active in many other places online, so why not meet them there? After all, 79% of people look to social media for financial advice. By meeting customers where they are on the main 4 networks, financial institutions can stay top of mind and grow real, authentic connections. Let’s dive into what Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook have to offer and how financial services marketers can best use each platform.

    1. Instagram

    As far as major social media platforms in financial services go, Instagram tops the list. While many financial professionals might not at first think of the photographic and visual network as prime business territory, its popularity makes it an excellent place to strengthen real relationships. 

    Instagram is one of the best ways to get in front of younger audiences, which is a worthwhile goal, considering that many Millennial customers will likely be on the search for new financial services providers as Baby Boomers pass their wealth on to the next generations. What's more, 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business account and 80% use the platform to discover new products.


    Even better, getting started on Instagram is a breeze. Instagram ads also allow hyperlinks, so you can lead readers right from their feeds to your website with specific calls to action to learn more. Lead them to a personalized and well-designed landing page on your site, for instance, and you'll be drawing each follower who clicks through one big step closer to conversion.

    2. LinkedIn

    The majority of financial services providers already use LinkedIn, and there are many ways to make it perhaps the most successful social selling platform out of all the networks. Employees at institutions of all sizes and financial industries can use this professional network to cultivate thought leadership and educate their customers.

    For financial services marketers, a brand profile is a necessary starting point. Getting the most out of the platform, however, requires activating your employees in a social selling strategy. They can share relevant content, such as videos and published articles from trusted media outlets, as well as engage with customers and prospects one-on-one via direct messaging to establish themselves as experts and build trusting relationships. People want to engage with other people, not with general brand pages. It’s no wonder that employees on social media can garner 10x the engagement of brand pages alone.

    3. Twitter

    Like LinkedIn, Twitter is also a great place for agents, loan officers, and advisors to share their expertise. Understandably, financial services marketers might be intimidated by the fast-paced nature of the platform and fear they don’t have enough resources to keep up. However, with the proper social media management tools, maintaining compliant engagement on Twitter is totally possible — and worth it.

    One of the greatest benefits of social media marketing for financial services is the ability to provide more value to customers. Twitter makes this incredibly easy to do. Marketers can follow all relevant news media outlets and keep an eye out for any articles that might benefit their clients or prospects. For example, an explainer piece on recent changes in tax legislation may be helpful come tax season. Retweeting such helpful resources educates followers on financial topics and builds trust in the brand and its employees.

    There’s no single best social media platform for marketing. Each one has a unique opportunity to reach and engage current and future customers. If you’re already on social media, it’s time to level up your social media marketing strategy by diving into Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook in more depth. No matter the size of your financial institution, extending your social media strategy to encompass these platforms can help grow your audience, build trust, and maintain solid customer relationships.

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    November 1, 2021

    Holiday Social Media Posting: Best Practices for Posts this Holiday Season

    By
    Denim Social

    For financial services marketers and salespeople, posting around the holidays is a no-brainer, but deciding what to share can be tricky. Whether you’re a loan officer, advisor, agent, or marketing pro, finding the right post or campaign that fits your brand, resonates with your audience, and isn’t boring is easier said than done.

    We’re here to help. Check out our list of social media ideas to elevate your holiday posting strategy this year.

    User Generated Content - Get People Talking

    • Vote for your favorite - This idea works great for holiday movies and side dishes. Throw out a poll on your business page and share your thoughts in the comments as the results come in.
    • Holiday Playlist - Create a post asking for holiday playlist ideas. Then create a public playlist on Spotify out of the suggestions and share it back with your audience. Share video of your team playing the playlist in branch or office location and tag the people who made the suggestion for the song that’s playing.
    • Holiday recipes - Share your favorite recipe or ask for recipe recommendations for a holiday dish.
    • Traditions - As a little twist on the holiday tradition question, try asking what unusual holiday traditions folks have in their families.
    • NYE - What’s your New Year’s Resolution? As a financial institution or professional, consider asking what folks’ financial New Year’s Resolutions are for the upcoming year.
    • Holiday Decorating - Share photos of holiday decor in the branch or office (or your own neighborhood) and ask the audience to pick a favorite.

    Highlight Your Organization and Community

    • #ThankfulThursday - As a twist on this common hashtag, every Thursday in November (and December if you like!) highlight an employee who makes a difference for your organization.  
    • #FestiveFridays - Use this hashtag to share images of holiday cheer happening around your organization. Pics of someone in a tacky sweater, holiday Zoom backgrounds, someone’s over the top desk decor and anything else you share are great human connection opportunities and a way to show your institution's culture in action.
    • #SmallBusinessSaturday - Ask your audience what local businesses they’re going to support this very-special Saturday and encourage folks to give those businesses a shoutout by tagging them in their responses.

    Focus On Giving Back

    • Team up - If you don’t already have a local charity partner, team up with a local organization and promote ways to volunteer or contribute to the cause.
    • #GivingTuesday - Promote how you or your organization are participating in Giving Tuesday and ask your audience how they’re participating in the day.
    • Get competitive - Create two teams among your audience. Ideas include geography, sports team fans, or any other not-too-personal attribute. Create two separate fundraiser links for your charity and let the competition begin!
    • Give your audience a say - Let your audience vote for which causes you support this year. (Tip: make it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place so you can make a contribution to all of the orgs you promote.)

    Holiday Hashtags Calendar

    • Every Thursday in November: #ThankfulThursdays
    • November 25th: #Thanksgiving, #Thanksgiving2021, #Thanksgivingdinner, #Thanksgivingtable
    • November 26th: #BlackFriday, BlackFriday2021
    • November 27th: #SmallBusinessSaturday, #SmallBusinessSaturday2021
    • November 29th: #CyberMonday, #CyberMondayDeals, #CyberMonday2021
    • November 30th: #GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesday2021
    • Every Friday in December: #FestiveFridays
    • December 31st: #NYE2021

    And remember, the holidays are a time to include and welcome. Celebrate the holidays that are important to a wide variety of your community members. Gestures like a social post can go a long way to make people feel included. When choosing mages and post copy, consider whether messaging around a specific holiday or a more inclusive message makes sense for your brand.

    Still looking for more great holiday ideas to build out your content calendar? Check out Denim Social's latest webinar: 

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    SIMILAR POSTS:

    Make the most of your social media pages and posts by optimizing your images and including essential information about your business on each platform. By giving customers an optimal digital experience, you can broaden reach and provide better customer service through your digital platforms.

    Facebook

    IMAGE SIZING:

    Profile picture: 176 x 176px (desktop), 196x 196px (smartphones)

    Cover photo: 820 x 312px (desktop), 640 x 360px (smartphones)

    Keep the main content of your image centered. On a desktop the photo will display as 840x312px, but on mobile will size down to 640x360px.

    Facebook post image: 1200 x 630px

    The ideal width for a Facebook post image is 1200px, but height can vary based on what type of device the image display is optimized for. We recommend keeping it at the recommended size to keep consistency on all devices.

    When creating a Facebook Ad graphic, any text should not take up more than 20% of the photo. You can find a cheat sheet here: https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay.

    Facebook Video: 1280 x 720px

    The optimal length for a short-form video on Facebook is 15 seconds to 1 minute; for a long-form video, it is 3 minutes. The maximum file size is 10GB. 

    Facebook Link Image: 1200 x 630px

    Make sure to claim ownership of your links for the ability to change the link preview photo. You can find more info on that here: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/528858287471922?id=708699556338610.

    Carousel Post: 1080 x 1080px

    Carousel posts are a great way to display multiple services or features that you offer to your customers. When placing a Facebook ad you can link each carousel photo to a different link, making it easy for people to navigate to your specific products.

    Facebook Story: 1080 x 1920px

    Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION:

    Page name:

    This is where you can name your Facebook Page, but be sure to keep it shorter than 75 characters.

    Page username:

    Customize your page URL by adding a username, making it easier for people to locate and navigate people from other digital platforms. Your Facebook URL can include up to 50 characters.

    Page call to action:

    Facebook gives you a variety of choices on calls to action. For example, if you’d like customers to contact you by email, you can set up a “Send Email” button with your email address connected and ready to go.

    LinkedIn

    IMAGE SIZING:

    Profile picture: 400 x 400px

    Upload your business logo here to personalize your profile. If this page is for an individual, this is where you will upload their headshot.

    Cover Photo: 1584 x 396px

    Having a personalized business cover photo will make your profile look more professional and give you the opportunity to provide page visitors with more of the look and feel of your business. This can include an image related to your business or a graphic with information on services you provide or your business slogan.

    LinkedIn post photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

    When targeting an audience on both desktop and mobile, make sure that you optimize for mobile to give people the best experience.

    LinkedIn Link Photo: 1200 x 628px (mobile), 1200 x 1200px (desktop)

    Providing an image with your link preview can help give viewers a better idea of article content and improve your click thru rates. 

    LinkedIn Link Video: 4096 x 2304px maximum, 256 x 144 pixels minimum

    The optimal video length for LinkedIn is 30-90 seconds and the maximum file size is 5GB.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

    Page name:

    This is where your business name is located, as well as your company industry, location, and number of followers.

    Page description:

    Add your business slogan, mission, or a short description that tells people what your company, products, and services can do for them.

    X (Formerly Known as Twitter)

    IMAGE SIZING

    Profile picture: 400 x 400px

    Upload your business logo or headshot to personalize your profile.

    Cover photo: 1500 x 500px

    Be sure to center your content to give your followers an optimized experience on mobile.

    Twitter post photo: 1600 x 900px

    Allow your followers to see the entirety of the photo in their feed by adhering to this sizing guideline. The maximum file size is 5MB.

    X video: 1280 x 720px (desktop, recommended), 720 x 720px (mobile)

    The optimal video length for Twitter is 20-45 seconds and the maximum file size is 512MB.

    IMPORTANT PAGE INFORMATION

    Underneath your profile photo, your company name and username will be displayed.

    Write a short bio to tell people more about your business.

    Instagram

    IMAGE SIZING

    Profile photo: 110 x 110px

    Your profile picture will be small, so be sure your image is sized correctly and centered. This is a great place for your company logo.

    Profile thumbnail: Displays as 161 x 161px

    This is a preview of your large image post, but looks best when the photo posted is square.

    Highlight Cover: 1080 x 1920px

    Your cover photos should have centered images to give your highlight reel a balanced look. You can also name your highlights, but be concise as they can only be 15 characters long.

    Instagram Feed Photo: 1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

    The recommended width for all Instagram feed photos is 1080px, but the height can vary. To optimize for your feed display within your profile, we recommend using the sizing listed above to keep your image square.

    Instagram Feed Video:  1080 x 1080px (square), 1080 x 1350 (portrait), 1080 x 566 (landscape)

    The optimal length for an Instagram video is 30-60 seconds and the max file size is 650MB.

    Instagram Feed Ad Photo: 1080 x 1080px

    Your ad photo will display the same as a normal feed photo, but with a link attached. When creating an ad in Ads Manager, you’ll be able to upload a separate photo for Instagram to keep your photos optimized for the user experience.

    Instagram Story: 1080 x 1920px (portrait), 1080 x 601 (landscape)

    Make the most of your stories by using all of your space and creating a fullscreen experience. The maximum length of the story is 60 seconds.

    Instagram Reels & Live: 1080 x 1920px

    Reels can be used to offer tutorials, demos, or service features. These will be saved under your profile page for viewers to go back and watch at their leisure. The maximum length for Reels is 90 seconds. For Live, this can be used for announcements, events, or other Q&A sessions. These can also be saved for later viewing, and can last up to 4 hours.

    As the end of the year looms, budget is on every leader’s and marketer’s mind. Now is the time for financial institutions to step back and assess performance and determine how to spend wisely next year. In the face of climbing interest rates, uncertain economic conditions and hesitant customers, financial marketers will need to be effective and efficient in 2024. 

    Luckily, there’s a way loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors can cost-effectively build new (and strengthen existing) relationships: social media. A strong social media strategy helps intermediaries meet customers where they are in a personalized way. This is important, as 72% of consumers rate personalization as highly important in finance.

    In today’s digital world, being on social media is a non-negotiable for financial professionals looking to stay top of mind with customers. Consider this: employees have 10x the amount of reach as brand pages alone, and social media users that regularly share content are 57% likely to generate leads. For institutions on a budget , social media makes the most of resources and lays the foundation for long-term success. 

    Sound familiar? Many financial marketers deal with reduced budgets and fewer resources. The good news is that social media can be one of the best (and most cost-effective ways) to get the most out of overall marketing and generate real business ROI. No matter how large or small a budget, with the right approach, marketers and financial professionals can use social media to make new connections and drive results. 

    The question is, how exactly do you get buy-in from leadership to start personalizing and investing more money for social media marketing? The following strategies can help you get started:

    1. Target your audience: Identify the advocates for your mission and the people who you need to get buy-in from. Social media marketing is about identifying target audiences and catering strategies accordingly. The same applies when securing your social media marketing budget. When looking for buy-in, target those on the leadership team who are likely to understand what excellence in personalization looks like. Great personalization is omnichannel; it engages consumers on the channels of their choice and it’s deeply human. To humanize marketing beyond the brand level, financial institutions need to reach out to leaders who will be open to highly personalized tactics such as social selling, which puts employees and producers on the frontlines to build relationships for the brand.
    2. Craft the right message: Messaging is critical in marketing — and that goes double for selling the idea of a more personalized social strategy. Your message needs to resonate with your audience, even if your audience is one decision-maker. Link everything back to ROI by explaining that customers weigh reputation and online presence when choosing financial institutions. Be prepared to explain how you’ll track and increase customer conversion metrics through your campaigns. When arguing for more money toward paid social media advertising, for example, you’ll want to explain how it can boost conversion rates, meaning more customers (and revenue) coming in from your ads. Framing your message in business terms will help you advocate for funds to support personalization at scale.
    3. Present the right data: Use compelling data to bring your message home. With 75% of B2B buyers using social media to make buying decisions, social selling is a powerful way to attract new customers. In addition to all the facts and figures about why brand is important, you should also be ready to support the idea that people buy from people. At the end of the day, it’s about relationships. That’s why so many financial institutions find it valuable to launch social selling programs that position agents, advisors and loan officers to build customer relationships. 54% of prospects today use social networks to conduct product research. Your team can capture prospects where they are with the right strategies, processes and technology.
    4. Decide the right timing: The time to start advocating for personalization is now. Approach leadership about earmarking money for personalization in the budget for social media marketing. Remember that most financial institutions establish their fiscal budgets for the year and often don’t revisit those budgets for another year. 41% of marketing budgets are based on the previous year, with only 10% revisited quarterly— so plan ahead for social initiatives that might take more money down the line. You likely won’t get another chance to advocate for that money once the budget is set.

    No matter the size or scope of a bank, insurance agency, mortgage lender, or financial firm marketing budget, the end of the year is the best time to assess what’s going well and what needs to change in the coming year. There’s no doubt that social media has a place in every marketer’s budget, and knowing where and how to spend can support business goals and keep financial brands relevant and accessible. 

    Social media supercharges marketing budgets to reach more customers and prospects.. Marketers that build a smart strategy through personalized social selling will be well positioned to get the most out of any budget. See how Denim Social can help you do more with less by scheduling a demo here

    In today's digital age, social media platforms have become essential tools for professionals in various industries to connect with clients, share valuable insights, and build their brand. Instagram, with its visual appeal and highly-engaged user base, is no exception. For financial professionals, leveraging Instagram can be a powerful way to showcase expertise, establish credibility, and build stronger relationships. In this blog post, we will discuss the best practices for building your Instagram business profile as a financial professional that will give your social selling a boost.

    Choose a Professional Username and Profile Picture

    Start by selecting a username that reflects your name or your financial business's name. Keep it simple and easy to remember. Use a high-quality profile picture, such as a professional headshot or your company logo. This picture will be the first impression potential followers have of you.

    Optimize Your Bio

    Craft a concise and informative bio that clearly defines your role and expertise. Use relevant keywords, such as "Financial Advisor," "Mortgage Loan Officer,” or "Insurance Agent." Include a brief but captivating description of the value you provide to your customers. Highlight any unique selling points or specializations.

    Content Strategy

    Determine your content niche. Share content that aligns with your expertise, such as investment tips, financial planning advice, or market insights. Develop a content calendar to ensure consistency. Aim for a mix of educational, inspirational, and personal posts. Use high-quality images and graphics to enhance your posts. Visual appeal is essential on Instagram!

    Engage Your Audience

    Respond promptly to comments and direct messages. Engaging with your followers builds a sense of trust and connection. You want your followers to engage with your posts, so do the same for them! Like, comment, and share to help increase visibility. 

    Use Hashtags Wisely

    Research and use relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability of your posts. Utilize both industry-specific and popular hashtags. Best practice is to use 5-10 hashtags per post as they relate to the content. 

    Collaborate and Network

    Collaborate with influencers or other professionals in your industry. Guest posts or shoutouts can expand your reach. Attend industry events and share your experiences on Instagram. It’s all about taking those in-person relationships online, too.

    Educate and Inform

    Share informative and educational content that empowers your audience. Explainer videos, infographics, and step-by-step guides can be especially valuable. Stay up-to-date with the latest financial news and trends, and share your unique insights with your followers. Always provide value!

    Analytics and Optimization

    Regularly analyze your Instagram Insights to understand which content performs best and when your audience is most active. Use this data to refine your content strategy and posting schedule for optimal engagement.

    Promote Your Services

    While Instagram is a platform for sharing valuable content, don't forget to promote your services subtly. Share client success stories or case studies to showcase your expertise in action.

    Stay Compliant

    Ensure that your posts comply with industry regulations and guidelines. Be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest. Luckily, platforms like Denim Social that are built for the financial services industry can help with that! 

    In conclusion, Instagram can be a valuable tool for financial professionals to connect with clients and prospects. By following these best practices, you can build a strong and trustworthy online presence that sets you apart in the competitive world of finance. Remember that consistency and authenticity are key to establishing a successful Instagram business profile for financial professionals. See our Denim Social guide to building stronger customer relationships on Instagram here


    Denim Social is proud to be featured in the American Banker Association’s 2023 report on The State of Social Media in Banking.


    In the report, the American Bankers Association asked over 330 banks what they are doing with social media, where they see challenges and opportunities and what the future is likely to bring.


    The report incorporates the survey findings with insight and best practices from other banks from across the U.S. and provides a list of 10 top takeaways to consider.


    “Social media is the heart of social selling,” said Doug Wilber, CEO of Denim Social, which offers the only ABA-endorsed social media management platform for financial institutions. Social selling is the process of building relationships and brand awareness through selected social media platforms, with the aim of boosting not just awareness, but the bank’s sales results. It’s a way of connecting directly with prospects, and can be a powerful complement to tried-and-true methods such as cold calling and email marketing.”

    Learn more about social media opportunities for banks by downloading the report here.

    In a time where it's important than ever to maintain and build existing customer relationships, financial professionals like loan officers, insurance agents, and financial advisors should look to LinkedIn as a primary means of communication and an essential part of everyday communication.

    Today, meeting customers where they are means being active on social media. Aptly named "the professional network", LinkedIn is prime territory for boosting thought leadership, crafting an online presence, and creating authentic, lasting relationships that will stand the test of time (and economic ups and downs).

    Whether you're just getting started on social media for financial professionals, or you're a seasoned LinkedIn veteran looking to make the most of the network, it's time for financial institutions to take LinkedIn seriously in 2024.

    LinkedIn Can Help Build Trust & Credibility

    It seems simple to say, but trust hinges on authentic relationships. Today’s customers want to work with real people who connect with them on a human level. That’s why it’s so important to be yourself when using social networks like LinkedIn. Put some of your personality into their social  posts, talk about things that are important to you, or ask your networks questions. (If this keeps you up at night from a risk perspective, know that approval tools like Denim Social can help ensure compliance.)

    When people interact with you through LinkedIn, they’ll see how much reliable value you provide to their lives and will be more likely to trust your brand with their livelihoods. Authenticity is even more crucial when it comes to attracting prospects at the top of the funnel who haven’t gotten the chance to meet (and befriend) you yet.

    While the current economic climate poses many potential challenges, remember that gaining and keeping customers’ trust is the key to acquiring and retaining clients (even in tough times). Lean on social media networks like LinkedIn to tell the your brand’s story, build thought leadership online, and gain more followers who convert into new clients. Let them get to know your institution and you, and they’ll want to work (and stay) with you for years to come.

    LinkedIn Is A Winning Choice

    It's hard to hear, but if you aren't on LinkedIn already, you're already behind. In fact, 9 out of 10 financial advisors are using LinkedIn for their business, and other industries see similar usage numbers. The same way that email and text messaging have become routine modes of communication, so will social media like LinkedIn.

    You can bet that your audience will be there, too. Over 16% of LinkedIn users log on every single day, and this number continues to grow as the networks becomes more and more popular among the groups that financial professionals target most frequently, like young professionals and business leaders.

    Being active and sustaining a regular presence can have some serious payoffs. For example, pages that post weekly instead of just monthly have almost 6 times as many followers.

    The future is bright for those that use LinkedIn to their advantage. It's clear that there's no slowing down its momentum as a primary social network!

    LinkedIn Can Help You Educate

    Are there certain points you are always trying to get across with your customers, or questions you are routinely asked? Look no further than LinkedIn. Use this powerful network to create and share posts that will position you as one of the top expert in your field and in your community.

    There are currently over 27 million people that look to LinkedIn as an educational tool. When someone comes looking for an answer to their question, you want to be the go-to source of truth for them.

    With LinkedIn, you can share graphics, videos, documents, photos, and more. It's easy to diversify your content to make your profile a wealth of knowledge for your customers and prospects. If you are looking for more ideas on how to make the most of LinkedIn, check out Denim's Social's Best Practices For LinkedIn.

    In sum, LinkedIn is basically your new business card. Use it well! Don't let your opportunities on LinkedIn pass you by. Start prepping now to get your strategy in order so you find success on LinkedIn in 2024. Interested in other social networks, too? Try downloading our Social Selling Playbook for Financial Institutions. Happy posting!

    Being responsible for your team’s social selling strategy can be daunting, especially if you don’t have a plan or support. We see it firsthand at Denim Social – without a meaningful strategy, users may not be eager (or downright resistant) to jump on a new platform. So, how are others getting their teams onboard? We learn a lot from our Denim Social customers to learn how they’re making it happen. Overall, we have observed four keys to adoption success.

    Activate a hybrid distribution approach.

    We find that teams that utilize a hybrid approach to posting have the most empowered associates. What does it look like in practice? This usually includes the marketing team posting brand content on behalf of associates, and associates scheduling out pre-approved industry content from a content library, plus sprinkling in their own personal content. And rest assured, that personal content still goes through approval workflows.  

    Build a robust content library.

    If you’re going to ask associates to post content, you’ve got to make it easy and compliant. Our platform offers content libraries filled with pre-approved posts. We see that when associates have lots of content to choose from, they post more frequently.

    It's a win-win for all: Compliance teams can be confident that they are managing any content that's being posted, marketing teams can provide support more readily and get more messaging across, and users can quickly build up a content calendar with engaging, customizable posts.

    Communicate the value of social media consistently.

    Your teams need to be able to answer the age old question, “what’s in it for me?” Your teams are busy and that means you need to help them see why spending their valuable time on social media is worth it.

    In a time when meeting customers where they are means being on social media, it's essential that intermediaries look to their networks to take advantage of existing connections and forming new ones. Social media is a highly visible and time-efficient way to strengthen important relationships. It's all about doing more with less!

    Train and Train Again

    Baking social media and Denim Social training into the onboarding process is a great way to introduce new and motivated associates to a fresh way to drive their business.  It is also important to keep social media top of mind for ALL associates. An ongoing training program outlining compliance/social policy, the value of social media and Denim Social is a must, whether it be monthly or quarterly. Marketing is not often top of mind for salespeople, so it is important to continuously educate them on how to get involved and optimize their strategies.  

    Many of our Denim Social customers set up trainings that include: monthly new hire social media and compliance training courses, Denim Social overviews, a monthly Denim Social refresher training, a Quarterly Strategy training, and ongoing 1:1 assistance for users. It's all about keeping social media top of mind and having easy access to resources.

    For many, these training programs are a well oiled machine, and keeps their social program growing by educating and informing users consistently.

    If you’re struggling with adoption, these strategies can help. And of course, persistence pays off.

    Social media is only as valuable as its users and that makes adoption key. If you’re struggling to motivate your team to hop on the social media bandwagon the right tools and support can make all the difference. If you want to learn more about how the Denim Social platform works, schedule a demo with us today.


    Connect & Convert on Social

    Successfully scale conversion optimized campaigns across all social media channels with built-in compliance, publishing tools, and more.
    Request a Demo