Catching Fire with your Content

What exactly do we mean by “catching fire” in terms of your agency’s digital content marketing? Well, simply put, to get more visibility in the social world, your agency is going to need shares, and a lot of them. So the million-dollar question is this: how can you get more people to share more of your insurance agency’s content? Well, first and foremost, I’m going to tell you that social media is the number one tool when it comes to getting shares in the digital space, as we reviewed in our Paradiso Presents article on social media vs. email marketing. Before we get into how you can get your content to “catch fire” with more shares on social media, first let’s observe why this should be a key factor to every agency’s digital marketing strategy.

First and foremost, more shares mean more traction online, and we are always looking to be bigger and better. Each time someone clicks the “share” button on your content, you have the ability to reach an entire new network of people. Even if you aren’t directly connected with that individual’s friends or network, they can still see your content and your posts through the power of shares. Overall, this means more visibility for your insurance agency online. That’s critical when it comes to things like branding and the customer experience, and with more shares, you can capitalize on both. Not to mention we are in a business of renewals, and social media is a great way to nurture your existing customer and client relationships. They say that “great minds think alike,” and if people see their friends and family sharing your content, they’ll be more apt to stick with you for the long haul as well. Let’s look at the three key psychological triggers that will make your audience more apt to hit the share button, and how your agency can capitalize on this strategy.

1. People Like to Interact in Groups

When it comes to social media, everyone wants to be a part of the “in” crowd, or get a sense that they are well connected with their network. By nature, people would rather be part of a group of like-minded individuals than to take our journeys alone, and there’s no questioning it. The thing is that digital avenues have pushed the envelope when it comes to building connections. Previously, we’d only really become social when we went out, such as going to work, church, a restaurant, a party, and so on. Now, with social media, we can connect from anywhere and in real time. The way we connect has changed slightly, because now it’s through a like, comment, or share. Some people even interact with posts for the sole purpose of being more social. For that reason, we can’t think directly about how we can earn a like or share, but instead focus on how we can help people connect with their friends and family. Importantly, if someone were to share content with their friends and family and tag them, then you could potentially have a warm lead when it comes time for that individual’s renewals. So how exactly can we focus our content on helping our audiences’ friends and families? Well, the answer lies within the next two psychological triggers.

2. People Like to Make Themselves Look Good

This shouldn’t be news to anyone, but to be frank, people like to make themselves look good. This is one of the more common reasons why people like to share content online. Jonah Berger, the author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On, wrote that “Before people share a piece of content, they evaluate its social currency. The better it makes them look, the more likely they’ll be to pass it on,” and he’s absolutely right. One thing that people often overlook is that simply discovering content doesn’t make you awesome, but we are competitive, and that is how it makes us feel in the moment. People are even more apt to share content that they haven’t already seen in the news feed from one of their other friends, because that has the mental stimulation of “look what I found first,” or “look what I know about before you do.” Either way, they are sharing something that they found to be interesting. In fact, Buffer cited in one study that 61% of shares online come from content that people find helpful and interesting, even ahead of content that folks find funny or important. If your content is interesting or helpful, then people think that sharing it will make them look good, and that’s critical—which actually leads us to our last psychological trigger.

3. People Naturally Want to Support or Help Others

Naturally, it feels great to help others, or watch them succeed. That is why it makes so much sense that people are most prone to sharing content from which they feel their network will benefit. This also works in multiple ways: If they feel as though they are helping you by sharing your content, such as sharing content about a cause that you support, then they will be more likely to get behind it with you. This is especially important to your visibility on social media, because if there are causes that your agency cares about, then you should certainly post about them. In the screenshot below, you can see our agency’s number one most-shared piece of content on Facebook, which is supporting our troops, a cause we care dearly about.

We saw many shares on social media due to the nature of this content, and because this was a cause we care deeply about, our audience wanted to support us. This shared content was also great for our agency, because it spoke to our agency’s brand as well. By sharing this post, we were able to reach a wide audience while supporting our brand, and that is what social media is all about. When it comes to getting more shares, you just have to stand for something. All too often, insurance agencies are trying not to take stances, or just post simply about insurance products or services. Frankly, that will not get you much traction. A wise man, Winston Churchill, once said, “You have enemies? Good. That means you stood up for something sometime in your life.”

All in all, it is critical for your agency to focus on shares when it comes to your social media strategy. Your content will have more visibility, engagement, it will help strengthen your brand, and overall you’ll see more client/customer retention when it comes time for renewals. Be sure to focus on producing content that will either make someone feel like they looked good sharing it, that they helped someone, or simply provide a place for people with common interests to collaborate, and I guarantee that you will see more shares in the social world. To all agents and brokers out there, I wish you the very best with your social media strategy as we move forward in 2017.