Regina DeMars, director of content marketing and social media strategy at FNBO, delivered a keynote session about content strategies that work at the Bank Customer Experience Summit.
Content is king. But it’s one thing to say it, it’s another to treat it like a king. Banks in particular are working at developing content strategies that can both retain current customers and bring in new ones. This includes social media, digital signage and other mediums. Regina DeMars, director of content marketing and social media strategy at First National Bank of Omaha(FNBO) delivered a keynote session about content strategies that work at the Bank Customer Experience Summit, held in Charlotte, North Carolina from Sept. 9 to 11.
She began the presentation by inviting the attendees to “think about the brands you can’t live without and the reason you can’t live without them.” DeMars then pointed out that “64% of consumers say they have a relationship with a brand because of shared similar values.”
Her bank has a history going back 166 years and now it has embraced social media including TikTok, X and other accounts. It utilizes influencer marketing, a Cashology podcast and more.
“Consumers have so many options, so you have to think about what’s going to stop that scroll,” DeMars said.
Making a connection
So what type of content actually makes an impact? DeMars said you need to make a connection, but making that connection can be challenging.
First, DeMars said you need to make sure you utilize real photos of real people in your posts.
“Anytime you can put yourself out there or your employees on your pages, that’s going to drive a lot more engagement,” DeMars said.
Second, recommended tagging other accounts, such as a small business. She will often post pictures of family, friends or coworkers at the small business to drive more engagement.
Third, it’s key to start with questions in your social media posts.
“If you ask a question, people are more likely to stop and think oh they actually care about what I’m going to say. If someone does respond, you need to reply to them pretty quickly to keep that communication going. Being vulnerable and adding authenticity to your content can be huge,” DeMars said.
She gave an example where she posted a photo of herself on a dance team as a teenager. She tagged all the members of her former dance team and asked a question about whether anyone had ever taken a risk like this. This drove a lot of engagement on LinkedIn.
Customer-centric content strategies
DeMars listed a number of key tactics to create successful content. One of the most important element is understanding your audience and where they are. She argued you shouldn’t just launch a channel, you should research what platforms your target audience is on and how you are going to engage them.
“Think about why you are creating the content, who you are trying to reach and how you are going to set yourself apart,” DeMars said.
This is key to establishing trust, as Regina said “content builds relationships, relationships are built on trust, and trust build revenue. As bankers, we are all about trust. You don’t just want to talk about your products and services, but you want to think about what’s going to make them really engage with you.”
Influencer marketing
Many businesses are reaching out to influencers for marketing efforts. In fact, DeMars said that brands are planning on spending $7.14 billion on influencer marketing in 2024, an increase of more than 15% from 2023.
However, banks often aren’t sure of who to reach out to and might contact the wrong person.
“I hear from a lot of people we have no idea where to start and how to engage with,” DeMars said. Instead, she said banks should, “think about your objective, who aligns with your brand values and who is going to reach your targeted brand.”
In FNBO’s case it reached out to a financial influencer and two college sports players to promote their products, which saw a lot of engagement. She pointed out that people trust influencers more and thus are more likely to purchase products or services promoted by influencers.
On a practical level, FNBO partnered with influencers to deliver several unboxing campaigns ranging from a swag bag with tailgating equipment like a portable speaker to a small business campaign called “Post Big about Small.”
“We had an unboxing concept with five items from small business market and we partnered with lifestyle influencers. We saw huge lift from small business customers,” she said.
Get employees engaged
It’s key to get your employees engaged into your content strategy. For example, DeMars said on a quarterly basis, FNBO will send employees a swag box on a new product or service the bank is launching. The bank will ask employees to make a post about the service and award them based on the most creative posts.
In addition, it’s useful to make social media posts showcasing the life of an employee. For example, one TikTok showed social media employees at FNBO telling jokes such as, “We’re social media managers at a bank of course we approved this with compliance first. Wait…did we approve this with compliance?”
Lean into reviews
Customer reviews are a primary form of user-generated content that banks and businesses can’t afford to ignore. DeMars said that 49% of customers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from friends and family. As a result, banks need to be monitoring these reviews and communicating quickly with customers.
“At FNBO we make sure we are monitoring all the conversations and respond to all the positive and negative comments. Even if you have a negative review, you have the opportunity to turn that into a positive customer experience.”
If a bank can respond to a negative review quickly enough and resolve that issue with the customer, it can turn a complaint into a loyal brand advocate.
In summary
Wrapping up the presentation, DeMars offered five takeaway points for banks to use as social media strategies including:
- Create genuinely compelling content to build relationships.
- Lean into influencer marketing.
- Focus on the unboxing experience.
- Invite customers to be part of the brand.
- Turn reviews into raving fans.
Although it may not be easy for banks to adopt these social media strategies, especially due to regulatory concerns, DeMars emphasized that these strategies will not only build up your brand but also create loyal customers who will promote your brand.
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