Should insurance brokers embrace Twitter as part of their digital marketing strategy?
It’s now seven years since Twitter (or Twttr as it was known at the time) came to life when co-founder Jack Dorsey posted the first ever tweet: “just setting up my twttr”. Three years, two months and one day later Twitter recorded its billionth tweet.
Today more than 200 million people have joined Twitter and the service now sees 400 million tweets sent every day.
16% of the UK population use Twitter
According to a recent TV Licensing TeleScope survey, the most popular topic to tweet about is television, with 40 per cent of evening tweets concerning what is on television.
A similar survey by Brandwatch found that women talk more on Twitter about personal matters, television and work, while men are more likely to tweet about sport, gaming and news.
This is probably not a surprise.
Given this, it’s perhaps not immediately obvious why insurance brokers should embrace Twitter as part of their digital marketing strategy, and yet over 80% of Europe’s’ Top 100 companies are actively using it.
The profile of a Twitter user is good for business
The power of Twitter as a marketing tool has been realised by many firms who are using it to help their businesses grow.
Apart from the fact that it costs very little to market your business on Twitter, it is, of course, a great medium for customers and businesses to collect and share information. In fact, according to Twitter, 40 per cent of users worldwide simply use Twitter as a “curated news feed”.
According to research by Ipsos MORI, a third of all UK Twitter users are over the age of 34 and affluent – a good fit with the profile of the business owners of today and tomorrow.
So what can Twitter do for an insurance broker?
As we’ve been saying to the brokers talking to us about using our insurance software, we believe there are 7 clear benefits of establishing and maintaining an active presence on Twitter.
1. Keep up with industry news
By following relevant trade journalists, industry leaders, trade bodies and so on you can quickly find out about market developments in the insurance sector.
2. Follow your competitors
Follow your competitors via social media and by monitoring their website to find out what they’re up to – it may enable you to get a competitive advantage or to spot a new business opportunity.
3. Use it for business development
This will take time, but your customer prospects are online and social media is a great way to find them – and for them to find you.
4. It can be an ‘extra’ customer service channel
Twitter can be a useful additional customer channel for your business. Fielding enquiries and responding to complaints that arrive by Twitter is a great way to ‘personalise’ your business in the minds of your existing and potential customers.
5. Position your business as the expert
Tweet genuinely useful information for your customers and prospects (risk management advice, changes in legislation, local flood warnings and so on), and turn your business into a valuable service.
6. Drive traffic to your website
Publicise things like free insurance tools and guides on your website via Twitter and give people a reason to visit – just don’t overdo the sales pitch.
7. Start a dialogue with your customers
Insurance brokers can use Twitter to find out what customers think about their business, its products and services. It can be invaluable information, and you can get it for free! For more information about building your Social Media strategy, please visit our insurance marketing agency website or contact us.