Page 17 - Michigan Credit Union League: 2018 Contact Q3

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
IN THE AGE OF FAKE NEWS
By Katlyn Lindstrom
According to CBS News, just 30 percent of Americans
say they trust social media and 60 percent want the
government to regulate social media better. In an age of
“fake news,” it has become increasingly difficult to sep-
arate fact from fiction when navigating digital spaces.
This translates to an increased burden on digital mar-
keting professionals who must find ways to combat
public skepticism so their organization’s message gets
through to audiences — and is believed when it does.
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE
At their core, credit unions are financial institutions
driven by member needs, not Wall Street profits.
Because they are designed to help consumers rather
than a big bank bottom line, credit unions are in an
ideal position to leverage industry identity to change
the perception of social media as a marketing tool.
Building trust in digital, social spaces is a lot like build- any marketing effort, a collaborative one.
ing trust face to face: Be yourself, engage in good
conversations and value honesty above all else. Here
are three tips to help credit unions better understand
how they can bring these principles into their social
media strategy:
1. Remain Authentic
Audiences respond best to content that feels “authentic.”
Take a look at any company’s Facebook page and you’ll
almost certainly find that the best-performing posts are
those with human faces and stories.
Because credit unions are committed to their com-
munities, there are many ways to put a human face
to their social media presence. Employee apprecia-
tion initiatives, community service outings and even
birthdays and work anniversaries are great ways to
bring human authenticity, and thus increased human
trust, to a credit union’s social marketing efforts.
2. Engage Your Audience
Social media is, at its core, a platform designed to
foster connection and conversation. While it can be
difficult to find the balance when using social media
for business rather than personal purposes, taking
time to engage with your audience is key to cultivating
lasting relationships.
Most consumers are used to getting information and
services online in today’s increasingly digital envi-
ronment — social spaces that feel welcoming and
responsive are often the difference between the pub-
lic’s perception of your credit union as trustworthy and
inviting, or questionable and closed off.
3. Reward Honest Voices
Once you’ve gotten comfortable sharing your credit
union’s story and engaging your audience in authentic,
inviting ways, take it one step further. Reshaping the
narrative surrounding professional social media is, like
Share content from trustworthy sources that are relevant
to your audience. This is a fabled “triple threat” — it
expands the audience’s network of trustworthy digital
media sources, builds your social network and diversifies
your social media voice.
Even in a time of great public skepticism on many
fronts, credit unions enjoy continually increasing trust
from their members and communities. Social media is
a powerful tool for cultivating authentic, conversational
and honest relationships with members outside of
brick-and-mortar locations.
By leveraging the industry’s trustworthiness, credit
unions have incredible power to reshape the percep-
tion of social media as it relates to marketing and
inviting consumers into the credit union story. It’s
simply up to us to start those conversations.
THIRD QUARTER 2018 I CONTACT 17