3 minutes
All of them support consistent branding.
Sponsored by PSCU
Social media is an excellent way for credit unions to connect with their members while expanding their following. Not too surprisingly, $89 billion Navy Federal Credit Union, Vienna, Va., has the largest social media presence in the credit union industry. Wondering how the organization managed to get over 77,000 Twitter followers? It starts with creating a consistent brand to make your credit union stand apart from the competition. Here are a few ways to create and sustain a brand on social media.
1. Create a style guide.
Using a specific color scheme for your social media profiles can help shape your unique brand. One of PSCU’s member-owners, $2.4 billion Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, Tampa, Fla., posts images that include different hues of green on their platforms, creating a visual aesthetic. Decide on two or three fonts for your credit union and incorporate them into photos with a text overlay. Canva is a free resource that offers templates to ensure that all of your social media content has a consistent look.
2. Develop a logo and a hashtag.
Develop or improve a logo that represents your credit union and its vision. Promote your brand by placing the logo onto your social media graphics as a watermark. For example, VyStar Credit Union, discreetly places its logo onto images and adjusts the transparency to make it less distracting. Creating a hashtag that includes your credit union’s name or an abbreviation for it will build your brand and allow your content to be discovered easily. For example, $17 billion BECU, Seattle, uses the hashtag #WeAreBECU to increase its brand awareness.
3. Create a voice.
Use similar terminology that reflects your brand’s tone of voice in captions. Mountain America Credit Union, has a playful voice and includes words that are enthusiastic and quirky. In one of their posts the caption states, “So you’ve finally started your small business. Yay! These tips from Mountain America can help you save money and keep it rolling,” followed by a link to an article on the topic. Effectively communicate your credit union’s mission and the value it brings to your members.
4. Keep images consistent.
Use the same cover and profile photo on all of your social media platforms to allow consumers to identify your credit union on social media. If your credit union edits photos to alter the brightness or contrast, stick to that editing style to develop a consistent brand. It is also important to ensure that your credit union is posting the correct image sizes. Here are the suggested dimensions for each platform in pixels:
- Facebook: 1,200 x 630
- Twitter: 1,024 x 512
- Instagram: 1,080 x 1,080
- LinkedIn: 1,024 x 538
5. Use the same username.
A simple yet consistent username is a characteristic that is needed to create a brand for your credit union. A member or prospect should be able to search for your credit union’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the same username on all platforms. When creating a username for your credit union, avoid using special characters and confirm that what you want to use isn’t already being used by another organization.
Creating a consistent brand for your credit union on social media may seem like a daunting task, but it is crucial to stay relevant in today’s digital world.
Alyssa Fedorovich is social media specialist at CUES Supplier member PSCU, Tampa, Fla.
Read a related post by PSCU, “Social Media Do’s and Don’ts.”
