Most people really do not know the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn from a marketing standpoint. They know that LinkedIn is more for business and Facebook is more for connecting with consumers. For health insurance agents, this example can create a lot of confusion as they waste their time on both platforms each day, not targeting the right audiences or using the platforms the right way.
Let’s start with a breakdown of the limitations and advantages of both social media sites and how health insurance agents could use them, and also where they may be struggling at with each of these sites.
Facebook For Health Insurance Agents:
Think of a Facebook page as a website that you can promote and share content from. Now think about it as something you can use for free but have to pay for if you want any types of results. Facebook allows you to have a page for free and even get people to like your page and see your content. However, they will make that content very difficult for people to see organically, even if they are following your page. If you have 1,000 followers and make a post, expect fewer than 50 of them to see it. Yes, the numbers are that low and it can be very frustrating for you because you’ve spent so much time on there.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to abandon social media, instead you need to stick with it. Make four posts a week to your page and do not expect any results. Why? Because this shows that you’re active and posting user-friendly content each week. Also, when you do get to times like open enrollment, you have an opportunity to boost or market yourself to thousands of people in your area with an established and active page, giving you a better chance for engagement.
LinkedIn Marketing Details
A company page on LinkedIn is good for indexing with Google but that’s about it. Boosting on LinkedIn also isn’t that valuable as it’s very expensive and rarely generates results. What you as an agent need to do is take some time and post good content like articles and facts on your personal profile, talk about trending topics, join groups and connect with people. When people see that you’re providing them reliable and helpful information via your profile, they will want to learn more and work with you directly.
As you look for ways to improve your marketing efforts, make sure you utilize your time and budget wisely. Going between Facebook and LinkedIn is smart but you have to know what to expect from each platform and how it can benefit you throughout the year.