4 things your agency should be doing on social media

For those who don’t know me, I’m Jeff and I joined the small but mighty HawkSoft marketing team in March 2021.

I hate introductions because let’s be honest, you aren’t here for that. Regardless, here’s the short and sweet of me, Jeff White - HawkSoft Social Media Manager extraordinaire:

• I’ve been managing social media for businesses for 10 years
• I had absolutely 0 insurance experience prior to HawkSoft
• Passions include pizza, my dog, and 80s B-list action movies

Now with that out of the way, let’s dive in. Since I spend a lot of time on social media, I’ve noticed some trends and common pitfalls among independent agencies. I want to share a few easy ways to level up your agency’s social media posts, with examples of real posts from agencies and what sets their content apart.

In this article:

1. Make it unique
2. Post video
3. Encourage staff to post on LinkedIn
4. Have fun!

1. Make it unique

This may be a personal irk of mine, but posting unique content is important to your brand. If you were to visit a profile of a business you admired and all they had was generic content, what would you think? Your clients are bound to think the same thing if your content lacks personality. 

Wishing your customers a “happy (insert holiday here)” on social media is great and all, but what value are you giving your audience? Instead of posting a generic photo, tie it into a campaign or mission that your agency cares about.

For example, on Thanksgiving instead of posting a stock photo of a turkey, post a few photos of when your agency volunteered at a local food bank. This shows your audience that you care for your community and aren’t just an insurance agent.

Here’s a real example of YMI Insurance doing something unique for Valentine’s Day on TikTok. They visited a local donut truck that was giving away donuts and reviewed the delicious pastries.

Here’s what I like about it:

• Highlights a local business
• Shows a fun side of the agency
• They weren’t afraid to try something new
• They cater to the specific platform (review-type content is big on TikTok)

YMI Insurance is no stranger to creating unique social media content—in fact, they received the 2023 Excellence in Technology and Social Media Award from PIA National. Check out some tips they shared with us about their social media strategy here.

Here are some other great examples of agencies posting unique content on social media.

• LinkedIn: Valentine’s Day Box Content (Platt Insurance)
• Instagram: “Full House” employee introductions (iProtect Insurance)
• X (formerly Twitter): Sharing recipes with your insureds (Blue Marsh Insurance)

2. Post video

I’ll put this simply: would you rather look at a photo or watch a fun, short video? If you didn’t choose video, you’re in the minority.

66% of consumers report short-form video to be the most engaging type of social media content in 2022 according to Sprout Social, up from 50% in 2020.

I’ll bet dollars to donuts (see what I did there) that you’d pick video. That being said, all videos are not created equal. A video like the one YMI did above will perform much better than a video that only features text.

Why? Text isn’t as exciting to the viewer as someone speaking or offering their insight on a topic. We want to see and hear from humans, not read things.

Here are a few simple ways to utilize video:

• X (formerly Twitter): Clothing drive (Paradiso Insurance)
• Facebook: Referral program (Blue Marsh Insurance)
• Facebook: Birthday raffle (AA Lares Insurance)

• Sponsor an event (Brad Sizemore Insurance)
• Office remodel (T5 Insurance)

3. Encourage staff to post on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great way to build one’s network and brand (as well as the agency's) by posting content.

Showcase your personality. If you pull back the curtain and showcase yourself as real people, not just a professional storefront, your connections will recognize that and develop a deeper connection with you.

The platform is another touchpoint for your staff to connect with customers and prospects. Did they just visit with a prospect? Regardless of whether they want to do business or not, send them a connection on LinkedIn with a note that says something like:

“Hello ___. I appreciate you meeting with me yesterday to talk about your insurance needs. [Reference something from your conversation like] I hope you have a great time this weekend at the beach with your family. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about insurance in the future. Again, thanks for meeting with me!”

Stay top of mind. Post content on a regular basis. Prospects may not be ready to buy now, but they may be a few months down the line.

Here are a few good examples of agents posting content to LinkedIn:

• Tom’s Tuesday Tip (Tom Larsen)
• 3 ways we help our clients WIN in the insurance game (Stephen Turnbull)
• Lunch with the staff and big changes coming (Jimi Honochick)
  
  
  

What will a prospect connect with more: a blank LinkedIn profile or one with fun, unique content about the industry? I think you know the answer.

Have fun!

Now in effort to not get too existential, I have a simple statement for you: have fun.

I believe it’s a scientific fact that fun is good. If I am incorrect, feel free to email me at: jwhite@hawksoft.com.

Showcasing fun activities in your office gives your agency and brand a personality. Who wouldn’t want to do business with an agency that has a mischievous inflatable llama that terrorizes the office?

You can include all agency staff in creating these fun campaigns. This spreads the fun and releases dopamine for all those involved. #science

With the market is as hard as it is now, I think it’s important to stop and have fun. This is coming from someone who isn’t an actual insurance agent, but a little fun can make your working environment a lot more enjoyable, no matter what you’re dealing with on a daily basis.

Measuring success

Social media is a beautiful yet horrifying thing.

It’s hard to measure ROI on the things I talked about above. Instead, I recommend focusing on the bigger picture.

• Is my audience increasing year over year?
• Is my engagement rate or impressions increasing year over year?
• Am I having fun? Is my staff having fun?
• Is my brand gaining more exposure?
  • Is my agency getting more world-of-mouth referrals?

Once you get into your social media groove, you’ll find what works for your agency. You’ll notice some posts perform better than others. Once you find those posts, analyze them and find what made them successful.

I hope this helps and I wish you happy posting. Feel free to reach out if you have questions. If there’s anything I can do for you, I’d be happy to help.