Skip to main content
Agency Forward®
By Agency Forward Editorial Team

About the author

Other articles by this author

Boosting Your Social Media Presence

January 31, 2022

Whether you’re new to social networking or you’ve planned and executed a full social strategy, the keys to social media success are the same: posting consistently, engaging with your followers and using industry data and resources to your advantage.

The six elements of social selling, according to LinkedIn

Woman standing at a table with her laptop and a cup of coffee.

1. Establish a brand

Your professional brand is how people perceive you. Your goal is to create a profile on each of your chosen social sites that will help you stand out from everyone else on social media and immediately position you as a trusted partner. You’ll want to:

  • Upload a professional portrait of yourself
  • Upload a relevant cover photo, such as the front of your agency’s office
  • Add a job title that matches the one on your business card
  • Add your location and industry
  • Introduce yourself with a personal summary
  • Summarize your business experience and write complete descriptions of your current and previous roles
  • List work skills that accurately reflect what you do
  • Include any volunteer experience you may have
  • Add your education history, including dates
  • List any clubs or organizations you’re affiliated with

2. Find the right people

Expanding your network with quality connections will help you build valuable relationships and identify better prospects. Consider these 3 ways to build your social network with quality connections:

  • Use the “People You May Know” feature
  • Ask your clients, prospective clients and colleagues to connect with you on your social sites (use the search tools to find them)
  • Join groups that include prospective clients, thought leaders in your industry and people who share similar interests with you

3. Create conversations

Sharing insights and new information can start conversations that build relationships with your clients and potential prospects. Remember:

  • Post with a purpose
  • Write about things that matter to you
  • Post 3 to 5 times a week
  • Like, comment and share content from your timeline

4. How to build trust on social media

Here’s how to build rapport and establish trust with the connections in your social network:

  • Personalize your connection requests by explaining why you’d like to connect
  • Comment on your connections’ milestones
  • Share insights with your individual connections that may interest them

“Don’t underestimate Facebook, Twitter and Instagram These social channels can help you build relationships once you’ve identified someone as a good prospect. Find best practices for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram here.”

5. Share posts from partners

Share posts from partners. Consider working with carriers such as Nationwide that offer branded posts for agents to share on their social networks. According to Insurance Journal, one of the most effective ways for an agency to build its book of business is by partnering "with one of its carriers, a vendor that provides a unique service, or even another agency with complementary products and services." It's a savvy way to add big-brand credibility to your agency brand and it's an easy way to increase your posting frequency.

6. Get local

Get local. Clients and prospects want to know how your agency is showing up in the community - whether by volunteering, participating in events or supporting local business - so show them in your social posts. Spotlight your employees and members of your community, too.

We can help you navigate every challenge

Whether you’re looking to build more relationships virtually, to generate more online leads or simply to strengthen your agency’s digital presence altogether, Nationwide offers what you need to help your business not just survive but thrive.

For the past 10 years, our Social Media Solutions program has empowered and encouraged appointed agents to use social selling to grow their businesses. You can get started, too, by emailing social@nationwide.com.

View the full guide to digital marketing in an uncertain world to learn how to connect with clients and grow sales in this new environment.

Related articles