Blurring the line between a blog and your website
Posted by Trey Reeme on September 10th, 2007
Concerning financial institution websites, Ron says:
On some sites, the blog content might be the central focus of a product’s page, and on others, blog content might be sidebar material. On some sites, blog content will replace the lifestage content that appears on many sites, letting customers themselves dictate the content, tone, and direction of what appears.
Why will FIs do this? Because they’ll learn that engaging customers and prospects in conversations is the best way to sell their products. The trust they’ll build by doing this will outweigh the competitor down the street offering a CD with one-quarter of a percent better rate. That won’t be enough to get consumers to move and switch.
I agree.
The big players get this. Name a big bank – heck, name a billion-dollar CU – who’s not thinking social media right now.
I believe marketing will twist management’s arm to get this done across the board. That said, there will be resistance.
Just like there was resistance to having a website in the first place.
On an Unrelated Note:
Please come say hi to us in Mad-town or Spokane this week at the League events there. Brent and I will have Open Source CU schwag on us and we’re just itching to give it away.
Also, congrats to Team Little Guy for crossing the finish line and raising a small fortune. I had a blast in North Carolina with Jeff and crew last week – even got to meet Dan and Matt!
Trey -
It was awesome to meet you last week! Thanks for coming down to North Cackalack to present at the Marketing Conference!
Thanks for the link love on the TLG blog … we just crossed 10,000 total page views this morning since launching it on June 27th. We’ve had well over a thousand page views since Friday – far-and-away more interest than we could have hoped for.
Thanks for your support of CU Social Media!
Jeff
Blogs and websites should and (I hope) will eventually come together. The credit unions that have jumped into the fray and started a blog are to be commended.
However, with all of these separate blogs that are getting all of the love and attention, it is leaving the main credit union sites stagnant with old content that rarely changes. I am all for integration and keeping everything fresh and up-to-date.
I suppose this is the by-product of stand-alone, free solutions like Blogger, Typepad and Wordpress. As things evolve, I believe the social aspects and interaction we all love about the blog-o-sphere will make their way throughout the corporate web-o-sphere.
I can’t wait until we can leave comments on the CEO’s bank statements!
Tim
I swear Trey – sometimes I think we were separated at birth.
Last night I posted a “How-To” for credit unions to set up their very own blog.
I don’t think that blogging will be as neccesary as actually having a web site BUT I think the act of updating your credit union website regularly will have to be.
I also agree with Jeff Pilcher that forums will become part of the fabric of credit union online marketing efforts.
Each of these technologies have their place and as we continue to develop them, they will begin to aggregate and combine to greate much more sophisticated systems.
This is great for the consumer and the members – but it will definitely be dangerous for those credit unions that choose not to familiarize themselves with this technology now.
Big consulting lesson I learned today.
Don’t talk about Blogs as if everyone knows about them. They will pretend to. Nod their heads in agreement and then either not do anything or do it wrong.
Kind of like I’m seeing with Net Promoter Score. If I hear, “Oh we DID that….....red flag! red flag!”
Anyway….the conversation needs to be less about the tools; blogs, webs, forums, etc. (because I also think there’s a next generation bloggy thing out there already….right?) and more about how to use technology to be relevant to your target audience.
Marketing today is about having a conversation. It will happen with or without you – better to join in!
@Trey – Was great to get to meet you and Dan! I can’t wait for the Partnership Symposium in Indy!