Last December, I had the pleasure of speaking at the annualInsurance Executive Conference. Our session focused on how theinsurance industry should be thinking about the ways social mediaplatforms might transform how this industry relates to, andcommunicates with, our audiences. Based on the discussion we hadthat day, here are 10 key considerations as you ponder how youbuild your policies moving forward.

Don't Just React to Regulation; Develop Proactive,Commonsense Policies

Last year, Peppercomm co-hosted a roundtable with PRWeek in which we discussed thecurrent regulatory environment. FINRA requires companies keep trackof all their online marketing/communications. The FTC requiresthat, if anyone who has a material connection with an organizationis talking about said company (or competitors), they need toprovide proper disclosure of that relationship. And the NLRB hasbeen issuing guidance increasingly indicating that employees andother professionals should have a reasonable right to talk abouttheir professional lives online. This can produce a nebulousenvironment to communicate in; but it also indicates that companiesneed to develop strategies that ultimately strike a balance amongthe tugs of compliance, transparency, and employee rights.

Use Social Media Primarily as a ListeningTool

No matter the regulatory walls you face, proactive listening isan area our organizations should be investing in deeply. What arethe issues your company is trying to own from a thought leadershipperspective? What are some of the issues about which you want tounderstand public sentiment? What are your target audiences talkingabout the 99.99% of the time they aren't talking about you? Use theopen nature of online communication to keep track of thosediscussions, and ensure that those insights are circulated aroundyour organization. There's much to be learned from the conversationoutside our walls.

Prioritize Answering Your Customers' Needs

When people come to your official presence, it is often becausethey want or need something. You want to make sure you respecttheir needs. Social media is a place for two-way dialogue. Thereare many good regulatory reasons why insurance companies can'tanswer certain questions in such a public setting. But rapidresponse is crucial here. We've worked with organizations rangingfrom utility companies to appliance manufacturers to put in placereal-time responses to people's service issues. The challenges canbe daunting for doing the same in the insurance setting, but lookat MetLife'sdevelopment of a 2-hour response policy to customer issues viasocial media as an example for how insurance companies can buildpolicies that prioritize answering customers' needs.

Show People, Rather than Tell People, About Your Passionand Dedication

Too often, we focus on what we would like to tell our audiences,rather than on the issues affecting their daily lives. Especiallyin this industry's regulatory environment, we too often end upre-sharing previously approved corporate messaging. But thatdoesn't speak to the issues behind why people care about ourcompany. For instance, our former client Genworth Financial once developed a Facebook page celebratingthe work of long-term caregivers. A community of caregivers andtheir families began using that page, unexpectedly, to share theirstories and support one another. In response, Genworth let thatcommunity support itself, with minimal intervention from thecompany. When we can help open a conversation among our targetaudience, it allows them to see what we care about and stand for,without overt marketing.

Focus on the Underlying Issues in People's Lives ThatYour Services/Policies Seek to Address

Too often, insurance companies struggle for content, in partbecause they are focused on "what" rather than "why." There's muchwe can learn from how companies in other sectors use their socialmedia to put the focus on owning issues rather than on solelymarketing products and services. For instance, ourclient Steelcase—in the office furnituresector—has transformed their image over the past decade from anoffice furniture supplier to experts on workspace design andcreating the environments that best facilitate work in the 21stcentury—within which, of course, the furniture they make fitsnicely.

Create a Master Narrative Which Establishes a Sense ofContinuity for All Parts of Your Company

Various parts of the organization communicate for disparatepurposes to particular segments of the audience. In the process,the overall story of the company often gets fractured. If mostinsurance companies are indeed singular brands, they too often havedissociative identity disorder. Organizations must figure out anoverarching understanding of who the company is and how each partfits into that overall narrative. For instance, our client EY hasrecently developed a framework to explain "the why": "Buildinga better working world." This master narrative helpscontextualize everything the company does, across a wide range ofpractices, sectors, and geographies. Each of your companies mustfigure out what that purpose is, and every division must know whereit fits into that story.

Emphasize Internal Continuity andCoordination

Insurance companies are quite large, so planning andcohesiveness can become an issue when looking at what the companyis saying as a whole. The key is not to have a police force thatdetermines what people can't do but rather a team of coordinatorswho make sure that the story will match up for your audiences—andthat all parts of the company are building off one another'scontent when relevant. For instance, at our client Lincoln Financial, the communications team brings all thoseinvolved in creating online content together regularly tocoordinate what they are working on, to discuss the strategy forhow it all fits together, and to hear from voices outside theorganization about social media and industry issues. 

Make Your Thought Leaders "Characters" in ThatStory

Your B2B and B2C audiences—as well as the media—want to see theexpertise, passion, and humanity behind your company. Make sure keypeople, then, become characters in that narrative. Whether it bepublic speaking, regularly penning a column in a key publication,ongoing meetings with prominent journalists in the field, anongoing video series, participation on social network sites, or anyother methods for public engagement, key experts in the companymust break out of traditional corporate letters and stodgy businessupdates to convey what the company cares about and deeplyunderstands.

Provide Material for Your Intermediaries

If you are hoping that audiences will engage with and ultimatelypass along your content, think about why they would want to shareit. Create material that is easy to share and that couldserve your audience's communication purposes. Forinstance, Life Happens regularly packages resources for easy reuse byinsurance companies—material which takes into account how those whomight circulate it would likely want to use it. Insurance companiesand agencies alike should think about creating material that theirbusiness partners, employees, and/or customers might find value insharing. Keep in mind: many of your business partners are feelingthe pressure to be in the digital space but may be struggling withcoming up with their own material.

Educate Partners on Proper Disclosure, Policies,Approaches

When it comes to your agents and other B2B audiences, be able toput yourselves in their shoes. Don't underestimate theirintelligence, but don't overestimate their knowledge about thedigital communications space. Think about how you can bettereducate them about regulatory issues and disclosure in social mediaas you learn more yourself. And, when it comes to agencies andtechnology partners you connect with on a corporate level, be sureyou find partners who take issues of transparency and compliance asseriously as you must.

Sam Ford is Director of Audience Engagement with strategiccommunications and marketing firm Peppercomm. He is also Co-Chairof the Word of Mouth Marketing Association's Ethics Committee andco-author of the 2013 NYU Press book, Spreadable Media: CreatingValue and Meaning in a Networked Culture. He writes for HarvardBusiness Review, Inc., and Fast Company, among other publications.Find him on Twitter @Sam_Ford.