Successfully agile agents know that keeping up with technologyprovides them a solid advantage over the competition. Fromemploying such tools as apps and online video to maximizing theutilization of social media, identifying best strategies in digitalmedia has become essential.

Check out these seven National Underwriter reports thatprovide valuable insight into the challenges—and opportunities—ofthis continuously evolving business.

Click "next" to see the list.

1. Agencies & Apps: Three Case Studies of Early Adopters
By Mark E. Ruquet

Learn how independents are creating low-cost, custom apps toimprove customer service and brand their businesses astech-savvy.

2. Get Visual With Video
By Rick Gilman

If you haven't started using multimedia content to educate andcommunicate to your market, your competition will—or more likely,already is. Second, if you are among those agents who are usingvideo on a regular basis, now may be the time to consider how wellyou've integrated this communications tool into your marketingefforts.

3. Overcoming  Carrier/Agency Technology Challenges
By Robert Regis Hyle

Today, more focus is returning to the business of commerciallines and how carriers and agents can help each other overcomeissues that challenge their business. Carriers have to deal with asoft market that forces them into difficult underwriting decisions,while agents face cost uncertainties that arise from the oftenlaborious task of processing complicated policies. Here arefive viewpoints on the challenges faced on both sides and ideasfor overcoming them.

4. Social Media ABCs
By Rick Gilman

Planning a social-media strategy and managing its execution isnot as simple as ABC, but learning how to most effectively approachthe process is half the battle.

5. Matchmakers
By Mark E. Ruquet

Technological advances change the relationship between theclient, producer and insurance carrier. As more clients turn towarddirect writers and online insurance purchases, agents' value haschanged. Jeff Yates, executive director for the Agents Council forTechnology, details how agents and carriers need to work together to benefit theclient.

6. App Attack

By Melissa Hillebrand

Smartphone users are growing in number every day. Develop yourown app and interact more closely with your clients and prospects.Andy Dillow, producer at Torian, Hoffman & Dillow Insurance,published a personal app called "Insurance Dude." Dillow includeson his app's homescreen:

1. Report a claim
2. Get service
3. Get a quote
4. Contact

Learn how to build an app and what features to include in yourapp.

7. Article: Cloud-y Days Ahead
By Richard Roberts

WikiLeaks data breaches and other hacking incidents highlightthe importance of solid enterprise risk management practices, whichhelp avoid costly litigation. Richard Roberts identifies five requirements that avoidunnecessary e-discovery risks:

1. Centrally controlled document access management
2. Document classification policy management
3. Retention policy management
4. Destruction and disposition policy management
5. Legal hold management