A recent campaign by Securian Financial Group illustrates how social media can be a great tool for the financial services industry. The brand chose a relevant topic, engaged with the public, and used social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – to reach out to potential customers.
Choose Relevant Content
Securian picked a topic – ‘Long-term goals need a long-term partner’ – that accurately represented the brand and worked with their compliance department. To help make this topic relevant to potential customers, the brand sought out public opinion. “We hired a small crew, walked to a local park and conducted spontaneous interviews,” says Angela Schema, manager, Communications.
These interviews turned into a series of four videos supporting the brand’s chosen topic: financial security for the long run. The videos include a variety of people (and some of their pets) “sharing their views on personal goals, financial strategies, debt, retirement savings and more.”
Set Goals
Securian set clear campaign objectives:
- Increase Facebook “Likes” by 25%
- Increase Twitter followers by 15%
- Build brand recognition for Securian
- Promote Securian’s commitment to helping people reach their long-term financial goals
Make It Social
Starting in November, Securian posted one video per week to the brand’s YouTube channel. These videos were then promoted through Securian’s presence on Facebook and Twitter.
Measure Results
Securian closely monitored the number of followers, subscribers, likes and views on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. According to data provided by the company, campaign goals were exceeded:
- Facebook likes rose 27% to 571 (now at 579)
- Twitter followers increased by 19% to 191 (now at 201)
- YouTube channel earned 4,133 views
According to Schema, the experiment “was a success on several levels” — even though the numbers are not large, the campaign produced a definite increase in followers. “Our results show that our long-term value proposition is resonating and we can build a social media community around our brand,” says Schema.
