3 minutes
Follow these tips to help your credit union grow, promote its offerings and provide an ever-better member experience.
Sponsored by PSCU
Social media is changing the way we communicate with consumers. Having a strong social media presence gives credit unions the opportunity to build personal relationships with their members and future members. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you make the most of social media:
1. Do use social media to learn about your members.
Social media is a great tool for learning more about your members by identifying their interests online. When members like a page for a product or charity that is important to them, credit unions can adapt their services to meet those members’ needs. If members post about looking for their first home on their public profile, that is a perfect opportunity for a credit union to offer a first-time homebuyer seminar to guide them through the process.
2. Don’t over-share content.
Although new posts help to increase followers, sharing too frequently can do more harm than good. Your members can become annoyed about how often your credit union is posting, so spread out content throughout the day. It is best to post once or twice a day on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and up to five times per day on Twitter.
3. Do use feedback on social media to improve your credit union.
Your credit union can leverage positive and negative social media reviews to prioritize improvements to its products and services. Members who write reviews about your credit union provide honest feedback and could influence future prospects. Receiving feedback from members about your services will allow you to pinpoint exactly where your credit union needs improvement to create a better member experience.
4. Don’t delete or ignore negative comments.
When a member posts a negative comment on one of your credit union’s social media platforms, be prepared to respond quickly and appropriately. Don’t delete negative feedback. Directly addressing negative comments and fixing the situation demonstrates your commitment to your members. Future members will feel confident in trusting you with their finances if they see that you solve issues in a timely manner and with integrity.
5. Do use member success stories.
Sharing members’ success stories on social media is an effective strategy for enhancing your credibility, engaging your audience and gaining new members. Share videos or photos of members explaining how joining your credit union has positively impacted their lives. Potential members tend to ignore promotional posts that consume your social media profile; they want to see how your services provide value.
6. Don’t be offensive.
Protect your credit union’s reputation by refraining from posting or liking content that could be offensive to your members. Remain unbiased and objective when it comes to posts that are controversial, and always remember that you are representing the credit union while you are on social media.
7. Do share how your credit union is involved in the community.
Promoting your credit union’s products and services on social media is essential, and sharing how your credit union embodies the philosophy of “people helping people” is also engaging. Post pictures of your credit union donating to a local charity or staff volunteering together. Credit union members and future members will appreciate that giving back to the community is at the core of the credit union’s foundation.
By keeping these tips in mind, your credit union can use social media to gain new members, effectively promote its products and services, and maintain an exceptional member experience.
Alyssa Fedorovich is a social media expert at CUES Supplier member PSCU, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Also read “A New Focus for Facebook.”
