Most brand insurance advertising campaigns use zany jingles and eccentric catchphrases. The ads tend to stick in your head.
But this is not so true of insurance agents and brokers. Although the brands behind the policies are showy and memorable, the face of the policy is usually more sedate.
Insurance is competitive, so large companies create talking geckos and ducks to get attention and cut through the noise. But that’s not all. In reality, most people want to spend as little of their day as possible, even thinking about insurance.
In this article, we examine:
- What is insurance advertising, and how is it different from advertising in other industries?
- Why insurance agents/brokers and financial advisors need help developing insurance advertising campaigns.
- What are the 5 major benefits of paying for an Insurance Advertising Campaign service?
- How can a professional service help achieve results significant enough to justify the payments?
What is insurance advertising, and how is it different from advertising in other industries?
Insurance isn’t fun. And it is a low engagement product. Low engagement means something purchased once, with regular payments, receives little ongoing consideration. So, as long as nothing ends up going horribly wrong, the retention rates stay high.
An insurance advertising campaign aims to develop initial engagement. You battle for a share of the space in the mind of a human being. And with something like insurance, the consumers don’t always know that they’re going to need coverage when they encounter the ads. So, when they do realize what they need, they research a couple or three insurance agents, brokers or financial advisors. Then that’s when you need to be top of mind.
Why insurance agents/brokers and financial advisors need help developing insurance advertising campaigns.
Millions of dollars every year advertise insurance products, but according to a survey in 2016, half of Americans couldn’t even tell you the definition of a deductible. So, insurance professionals carry the burden of creating awareness of the need for insurance while educating potential clients, too.
All insurance ads fall under the responsibility of the holder of the policies advertised — even when they don’t directly create the campaign. So, there is a continual control system over distribution, content, and form. Without approvals, there are consequences for financial advisors, insurance brokers and agents.
Additional rules include:
- Ads are truthful and not misleading in actual fact or even by implication.
- Disclosure requirements mean there must be no fine print.
- Equal prominence given to exclusions and limitations.
- Disclosure of the identity of the insurer
- Jurisdictional Licensing
- No disparaging statement about other insurers or their products.
- Statistics must be relevant and recent with clearly identified sources.
- Testimonials or Endorsements must be a genuine, relevant, current opinion.
As state insurance departments examine insurance advertising on the internet, they find infractions like:
- Failure to identify the type of insurance
- Inadequate identification of sources for stats and citations
- Shortened or substitute names in invitation ads without the insurer’s full name
- Not identifying additional fees for endorsements and riders
- Offerings of noncontractual benefits like rebates
- Use of unregistered (DBA) names
So, using a professional insurance advertising service can keep you out of trouble. But really, what does it buy you?
What are the 5 major benefits of paying for an Insurance Advertising Campaign service?
1. Increased Website Traffic with Organic SEO
Search engine optimization matches keywords that people use to search with those same words in your website content. When potential clients search on Google or another search engine, organic SEO means your website shows up on their search results page. You get more clicks from these web searches instead of paying for ads.
Your insurance advertising agency determines the best keywords for you based on location, client base, and product lines. Organic SEO is absolutely essential for insurance agents, brokers and financial planners who want to stand out from the competition.
2. Website Designs – Modern, Mobile Friendly, Responsive, Easy to Navigate
There is more to designing websites than looks. Your website should be visually appealing, but the back-end tech work is just as important. Your site must look good on every device.
Then your website becomes lead-driven as it converts visitors into clients. You’ll want a call to action for appointments, contact forms, and ways for potential clients to ask for information or sign up for a newsletter.
3. Increased Online Visibility Online
SEO, content marketing and technical web development from an insurance advertising campaign help your site gain greater online visibility. Your insurance agent, broker or financial advisor site ranks higher and appeals to a wider audience. Then, the responsive web design takes over to encourage visitors to trust in you.
Establishing that trust with content marketing benefits you as an insurance agent, broker, or financial advisor. Then visitors engage with your agency brand and share the content with friends. So, online visibility increases traffic, helps potential clients familiarize themselves with your brand, and generates qualified leads more quickly.
4. Promote Locally or Nationally
Brand awareness is critical for any advertising. Insurance agents, brokers and financial advisors help potential clients familiarize themselves with your brand using local SEO and relevant content. Then, your advertising campaign shares your content in emailed newsletters and on social media. People check social media pages every day, so they consistently see your message.
Local SEO targets potential clients close by, so it is beneficial if you want to expand your book of business in your area.
5. Qualified Leads
Insurance advertising services grow your sales pipeline, so you see significant increases in the number of qualified leads. The people most interested in purchasing your services, find your website and relevant content.
Because traffic funnels based on search terms, organic SEO ensures engagement with your content focuses on your services. Then it significantly increases the likelihood they ultimately become clients. So, instead of just throwing ads out there, professional insurance advertising focuses on the targets for the best audience.
Summary
Insurance regulations change. Seek guidance to keep up to date with industry best practices. A professional insurance advertising agency follows the rules and increases your sales.
Speak with an insurance advertising agency about how to begin a campaign. We are dedicated to helping insurance agents, brokers and financial advisors create customized advertising plans, including SEO, relevant content marketing, newsletters, and social media. Please complete this online form, and then we will happily get back to you.