A website has become a must-have for financial and insurance professionals. We’ve covered three website options that you can use to upgrade your digital presence. Now we want to tackle a common question: should your website include a blog? Here’s why you should consider having one.
Insurance Shoppers Are Looking for Information Online
The 2020 Insurance Barometer Study from LIMRA and Life Happens found that the popularity of online shopping has nearly doubled. In 2020, 29% of consumers expressed a preference for online shopping.
Even when consumers don’t take the final step of purchasing insurance online, there’s a good chance they’ll conduct some internet research. One study found that even though only about 25% of consumers buy insurance online, 74% of consumers research insurance purchases online.
Insurance shoppers are online, so you need a website. More than that, you need a website that people will actually visit. According to Statista, there are around 1.88 billion websites online right now, and the number keeps growing. Your website has a lot of competition, but an active blog can help it stand out.
Think about it this way. When people go online to research insurance products, they’re looking for information. A blog is a great source of information, so it can attract a lot of internet browsers. A blog can also do wonders for your website’s SEO, making it easier to find in Google searches. HubSpot says that businesses that blog get 55% more website visitors compared to businesses that don’t blog.
But Is a Blog Worth Your Time?
If you’re reluctant to maintain a blog on your website, it’s probably because you’re worried about how much time it will take. It’s a reasonable objection. Orbit Media says that the average blog post takes about four hours to write in 2021.
You don’t necessarily have to write the blog yourself. If you don’t have the time – or the professional writing skills – you may be better off outsourcing this task.
Either way, blogging can eat up resources, so the question becomes whether or not it can deliver a good ROI. Orbit Media says that 77% of bloggers believe blogging drives results.
Tips for Blogs that Get Results
Blogging can be a good investment, but not all blogs are equally effective. If you’re going to invest time and money into a blog, you want to make sure you’re doing it right.
- Post content that insurance shoppers want. You can’t force people to visit your blog. Instead, you need to entice them by offering the content they want. This means your blog should focus on useful information, insights and tips, not on self-promotion.
- Get the word out. Because the internet is so crowded, you can’t always count on people finding your website through search. Spread the word using social media. You can also include links to your blog in your email signature and on your business card.
- Include a strong call to action. Let’s say you have a great blog post with useful information. Lots of people read it – but then what? You need to provide a strong call to action that encourages them to take the next step, such as getting an online quote.
- Measure your success and adjust your strategy as needed. Analytics are a blogger’s best friend. See which posts get the best results so you can zero in on a winning strategy.
Partner with DIS for compelling consumer content.
The DIS Sales Tools page contains many content options to help fuel your website and specifically your blog. Check out our articles page as well as our infographics and client handouts. These are all free resources available to agents who are part of the DIS Broker Network.
Download our Broker Opportunity Kit to learn more and request a Quote Engine for your website.