BOSTON, May 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DALBAR, Inc. announced the release of its first-ever social media rankings of financial services firms. DALBAR explored what it takes to be successful in engaging social media crowds by taking an in-depth look at the social media pages of sixty financial services firms.
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Asked and answered a million times and ways, the question does not lose its pertinence when posed in the context of social media: If something is posted onto a social network and no one engages with it, does it actually exist? Technically speaking, yes, the post is there, but does it make an impact? Chances are it does not.
There were four financial services firms that did emerge as All-Stars in making an impact and successfully engaging social media crowds:
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Ameriprise: They were the only firm in the study to receive a 5-star rating on Facebook. Those posts that were meant to engage and actually did engage came together to form a superstar of social engagement. The firm asks questions in nearly all posts and succeeds at having many followers react by liking, commenting or sharing the posts.
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Prudential: By actively trying to engage with their followers – and often successfully so –Prudential has earned the top spot of the DALBAR Twitter engagement ratings. The firm attempts engagement by asking their followers questions, such as where they'd like to retire to. Their posts often engage without trying too hard due to their interesting and educational content.
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John Hancock: By using the concepts and techniques that created successful posts on their other social media presences and applying it to the needs of their LinkedIn audience, John Hancock set themselves apart as an All-Star. The firm invites followers to join discussions on relatable subjects that can also become teachable moments.
- New York Life: By using the idea behind their high-engagement posts on other social media networks and applying it to the professional landscape of LinkedIn, New York Life also joined the top of the LinkedIn ratings. The firm uses a mix of inspiration and discussion about the workplace to try and connect with followers.
"These leading industry players recognize that in order to successfully engage their followers, they can't take a one-size-fits-all approach," said Kathleen Whalen, Managing Director of DALBAR. She added, "they make sure they are giving customers what they want based on the individual network they are drawn to, equating to a recipe for success."
The Social Media Rankings were derived by calculating the engagement rates for each firm across Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube throughout the first quarter of 2014. Dalbar examined the amount of actual engagement and a firm's rate of proactively attempting to engage with their audience on social media.
For more information on DALBAR's Social Media Rankings, please contact Erin Batog at 617-624-7273 or ebatog@dalbar.com.
DALBAR, Inc. is the financial community's leading independent expert for evaluating, auditing and rating business practices, customer performance, product quality and service. Launched in 1976, DALBAR has earned the recognition for consistent and unbiased evaluations of insurance companies, investment companies, registered investment advisers, broker/dealers, retirement plan providers and financial professionals. DALBAR awards are recognized as marks of excellence in the financial community.