Social media has dramatically changed how Americans interact with each other. In the business world, it has been seen as an opportunity to reach customers in new ways. Insurance brokerages, like other companies, have jumped into the social media pool.

But brokers are finding that simply having a Facebook or Twitter account isn't a panacea. Like any other business tool, using social media requires a focused, thoughtful approach. Yes, it's a way to interact with customers in a more casual way, but a casual or careless approach will likely result in people tuning out and turning to more interesting and meaningful content providers.

Know your goal

Agents and consultants who work with social media say it's important to know what you're trying to do with social media.

“A lot of people jumped into social media not having a plan or a focus or really an understanding what social media was,” says Rick Morgan, owner of Rick Morgan Consulting, based in Broomfield, Colorado. “That's typical of early adapters—they just jump in and go for it. But we're at a point in time where we have to really re-think this; to be more focused and more intentional about what we do and why.”

Morgan adds that brokers need to see social media as a way to enhance the customer experience. As customers discover an insurance brokerage, then work with them, then renew, etc., he says brokers should use social media to improve every step of that journey.

“One thing we can say today, is that the customer experience is pretty much in the palm of the customer's hand; they start their search on a smartphone,” he says. Therefore, he recommends that agencies make sure their websites and social media is targeted toward the small-screen experience. “Mobile devices become a key component of the customer's experience,” Morgan says.

Gary Liu, vice president for marketing at Hearsay Social, a San Francisco-based company that provides social media management services to businesses, also stresses making things easy for the consumer.

“The first step is, be findable,” he says. “Google is the main search engine, and seven of their top 10 criteria are based off of social media-related profiles. If you want to be found on Google, it's important to have a social presence.”

Educate; be a thought leader

Several agents note that one focus for social media is to educate consumers—not just company executives and HR leaders, but employees as well.

“Our approach with our employer groups is to help employees make better decisions on health care spending,” says David Contorno, CEO of Lake Norman Benefits in Mooresville, North Carolina. “Rather than engage the employer, we are trying to engage the employee about education and incentives.”

Contorno says the best way companies can ultimately hold down health care costs is to have educated, health care-savvy employees who can make smart health care decisions.

Michelle Rupp, founder of NRG Insurance, a small brokerage in Seattle, says her company's focus is to create relationships on a local level.

“Our industry gets enough bad press; it's up to us to change that into something positive, one conversation at a time,” she says. “Part of our brand is to educate. Even if they don't buy from us, if people think about something in a different way, that's a good thing.”

One of the best ways to educate and engage consumers is to post content that is usable and interesting, Liu says.

His company helps brokerages manage their social media output so that it's consistent and compliant with company policies. But Hearsay also provides content that will appeal to consumers.

“Social networks are not a place for you as a broker to be a big billboard,” Liu says. “What you should be doing is sharing value-added content, so that you're seen as a thought-leader and a resource.”

Who has the time?

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram—all can have their use as social media platforms. But managing the different platforms and finding time to write and coordinate messages can be a challenge. Liu's firm offers solutions for companies who recognize the value of social media but perhaps don't have the time or resources to stay on top of every Facebook post.

Still, agents can find ways to make their social media personal and brand-centric, whether they use a service, do it all on their own, or combine the two.

Marty Traynor, vice president of voluntary benefits and marketing at Mutual of Omaha Insurance, uses Hearsay for compliance and scheduling of content, but he writes his own posts, often in advance.

“I've found that watching sporting events on TV is a great opportunity,” he says. “It's football season, for example, and less than half the time of a game is action. I scroll through articles and ideas during the downtime and schedule posts to be published later.”

Rupp says it takes a little more time if you're managing your social media yourself, but it also helps to give your content a local feel.

“We're in Seattle, so it's a little more casual and we like to avoid insurance-speak. Services don't work for us; they feel canned,” she says. “We make it more personal, because that's what social media is all about.”

She says she started to get better results when she worried less about perfectionism and more about presenting a positive message.

“I want to make insurance accessible, I don't want to sell fear,” she says. “I always want to post in a really 'up' mood. It's too easy to get all gloom and doom.”

Reaching consumers where they are

Contorno says it's important to remember that people can be at many different stages of technology literacy. “We try to communicate on their level,” he says. “Because social media isn't as quite as prevalent among some generations, it has to be supplemented with other media.”

And, social media requires listening as well as posting, Liu says. He encourages clients to pay attention to what others are saying; both customers and other industry voices. By using social media, he notes, an agency can get more information about potential clients and customers.

Morgan agrees that social media is not just a one-way street. “If you do a good enough job,” he says, “they become advocates for you.”