PL Risk Blog

The Value of Social Media Networking for Insurance Agents and Brokers

Written by Mike Smith | Dec 11, 2013 9:12:17 PM

The Value of Social Media Networking for Insurance Agents and Brokers

According to statistics compiled by FastCompany.com, 93% of marketers use social media for their business needs. It’s becoming more common to include social media as a part of an overall marketing budget or strategy, as opposed to when it was the outlier that businesses typically did not want to spend time or money on. The question arises, how can social media work for insurance agents or brokers?

As you know, your business relies on building trusted relationships. Social media networking is fostering fundamental changes in the way people communicate, gather information, form opinions, and build relationships. This type of networking is all about listening, building community, engaging in a conversation, sharing an experience, being transparent, and being engaging. The rise of tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter indicates that customers want to do business with people whom they know and trust. It’s important to realize that social networks can offer more substance and value that the familiar “what are you doing” status updates for an agent.

So how can you make social media work for you? Here are just a few ways.

  • Social media provides a forum for discussion of social, legal, and business issues.
  • You can use mediums such as blogs and Facebook statuses to educate your clients on insurance and allow them to share feedback.
  • You’re able to help your clients instantaneously with disaster preparedness tips and even disaster recovery.
  • You can enhance your brand and marketing message to reach new audiences.

Overall, social media networking is simply a new tool for the communication you and your staff have always done. Many insurance agencies and independent agents also find that when they link their websites and their social networking sites, it greatly improves their positioning on search engines.

At PLRisk, we offer insurance products for a number of professionals, including Errors & Omissions and Professional Liability for insurance agents. To learn more, visit our professions page for an overview of insurance plans, eligibility, highlights, and target exposures, and please contact us at (855) 403-5982.