Social media has been around long enough for most financial advisors to have at least given it a try, but many still fail in their tactics. It is not because the advisors are clumsy with technology. The real is that social media is not their area of expertise and they are making some common mistakes.

Here are 5 things that many firms can improve:

1. Have The Right Content

Before sharing content online, it is important to know what will be successful with the appropriate target markets. Clients need to be researched. It is even important to know what prospects care about.

The same cookie-cutter articles that many other advisors are using are unlikely to differentiate the firm. When working with private clients, the relationship is the key to creating advocates that will make introductions. However, most firms have very little ‘relationship’ related content.

Questions to ask: What do my clients care about? What keeps clients up at night? What do prospects need to know? What does each target market want? Would they prefer videos, articles, graphics or some sort of combination? Does the audience need to see the firm’s brand personality?

2. Have An Amazing Website

Often a good social media strategy directs prospects and clients to the company website. If that first impression is not superior for a first-time visitor, the whole social media effort can be a waste of time. 

Every site should be responsive. In other words, it looks great on a smart phone, tablet and laptop. It should also be user friendly, so website visitors do not get frustrated.

The goal is to have a low “bounce” rate. Very rarely is the goal to have website traffic come to the site, see one page and immediately exit. There should be engaging content and it should be easy for a website visitor to see ‘other related’ content. The goal is for them to visit several pages so they take the next step to call, email or visit. It is possible that they might not see the homepage, so each page needs to stand alone, while also being integrated for the best experience.

Questions to ask:  Is the website up to date with the latest technology? Ideally, what should a prospect see, if they visit the site? What is the experience on the homepage versus each individual page? Are different sections of the site being cross promoted? Is the value proposition clear and visible?

First « 1 2 3 » Next