We’ve turned into a society of information consumers depending on the web to provide us with tips, how-to’s and the answers to our questions about anything and everything. This growing trend along with Google’s latest algorithm update, called Hummingbird, create a compelling case for banks and credit unions to create their own blogs. Google has always favored sites that include a blog, and this update makes this marketing tool even more relevant to search engine optimization (SEO) and placement in search results.
A recent blog post on the Content Marketing Institute web site succinctly summarizes the Hummingbird update by stating,
With Google’s emphasis on conversational search becoming apparent, providing your audience with useful content that answers users’ questions is key. Additionally, optimizing that content for mobile users is more important than ever, as mobile searches tend to be more conversational in nature. Finally, though the effect of social signals on search engine rankings isn’t entirely clear, social media should still be a part of your content marketing strategy to build your online brand.
So, content that answers users’ questions, optimized content for mobile, and a social media strategy are the three components to address. We know that content is king and the best way to create original content is with your own self-hosted blog. To create a successful blog, understand its purpose and how it fits within your institution’s overall marketing strategy. Clarity of purpose will help you specify the overall message or theme of your blog.
Financial institutions need to identify who will oversee the editorial content of the blog, create a calendar of when posts will be published, and determine, based on your message, who will contribute and write content for the blog. How often is up to your resources, and more frequency is better, but posting consistently is most important.
I personally have seen the impact this blog has achieved in SERPs (search engine ranking placement), as noted in the 2012 Financial Brand’s Best Ranking Blogs Readers Choice Winners.
Then in 2013, life and work took me away from posting consistently. Did you miss me? To that end, I have implemented a new blogging strategy so this blog will consistently post content that answers users’ questions. I am introducing a contributing author, Lisa Kanda, marketing and social media strategist, to add her expertise to our posts. I will also include podcasts, interviews and other experts to this space.
My search for blogs that fit the above criteria provided three examples of how to approach a blogging strategy.
Sevier County Bank’s blog highlights stories about some of the positive experiences its customers have had with the bank. The blog page prominently displays an email link to submit stories.
Lakeland Bank’s blog posts how to articles and educational information contributed by bank senior staff including the president/CEO, regional presidents and the chief retail officer.
The Navy Federal Credit Union blog integrates eye catching images and infographics on its posts and clearly states its purpose on the home page, including a call to action for feedback:
Welcome to the Navy Federal blog, a new way for us to provide you with the information, advice and direction you need to make important financial decisions for you and your families. This blog is designed to facilitate discussion, ideas and debate.
If there are topics you would like introduced here, please feel free to share those ideas with us.
Whether you need to do an audit on your blog or are starting from scratch, follow these steps to blogging success:
- How does the blog fit into your overall marketing strategy?
- What is the blog’s purpose and overall message?
- Identify who has oversight of the blog.
- Identify who will contribute content to the blog.
- Create an editorial calendar for post consistency.
Let me know your thoughts on how your financial institution is using blogs.
