Digital Marketing Tips
      Back to home
      1. Fuse + Forge Knowledge Base
      2. Forge
      3. Digital Marketing Tips

      The Forge Baby Steps

      The proven digital marketing roadmap for insurance agencies.

      Getting started with the Baby Steps.

      Marketing your insurance agency can be easy. Thousands of insurance agencies across the country and around the world are seeing success. Your agency can, too!

      The Baby Steps are designed to be followed in a step-by-step fashion. So start with Baby Step 1. After that, proceed to Baby Step 2, then Baby Step 3, and so on.

      Keep it simple, follow the process, and be patient as you do!

      The table of contents.

      Here’s what we’ll cover throughout this resource on The Forge Baby Steps.

      Step 1: Website

      Launch a modern website focused on user experience. Include proven sales tools and features that uniquely reflect and differentiate your agency.

      Your website is the hub of all activity. Prospects, clients, and referral partners often search for your agency online and visit your website before you even know they exist.

      Your website is the first chance to make a great first impression. What does your website say about you? Does it help your agency look amazing, get found, sell more, and service better? If not, it’s time for an upgrade!

      If you’re already using our Forge website platform, you’re all set with this step! If you’re not, learn more using the buttons below.

      Step 2: Tools

      Actively use website tools and features to drive business.

      The more you actively use your website, the more value you get out of it. Sure, people will visit your website even if you don’t do anything, but there are so many sales and servicing tools to leverage. Your website is so much more than an online brochure.

      Use tools like Clickable Coverage, Video Proposals, Hello Producer, Power Panels, Notification Bars, Client Service Center, Live Chat, and more to reach prospects, better serve your clients, and highlight what makes your agency shine.

      Step 3: Directories

      Ensure your agency information is correct and consistent across online directories.

      Ensuring your insurance agency’s NAP (name, address, and phone number) is accurately and consistently displayed within online directories and listing sites can improve visibility and may even help your website’s SEO (search engine optimization).

      There are hundreds of online directories, some more important than others. Start with Google My Business, Apple Maps, Facebook, LinkedIn Company Directory, Bing, and Yelp. They have the greatest domain authority, which means you’ll get the best bang for the buck from them.

      If you’re using our Forge website platform, we can help update these platforms for you! Set up your Google My Business account and complete the short questionnaire using the link below.

      Update Your Agency's Directory Listings

      Step 4: Reviews

      Collect at least 50 recent 5-star reviews.

      Getting 5-star reviews on Google, Facebook, and other online services helps establish your insurance agency as the trusted, credible solution in your local area. However, there’s another benefit. It’s great for your website’s SEO (search engine optimization), too!

      Google and other search engines see the reviews and prioritize the search results accordingly. Usually, this means the more 5-stars you get, the higher you’ll be in the search results when people are looking for insurance in your area.

      If you’re using our Forge website platform, you already have a built-in form and simple process to capture feedback and 5-star reviews. Get started using the link below.

      Get More 5-Star Reviews

      Step 5: SEO

      Focus on organic search engine optimization (SEO) unique to your agency.

      Generally speaking, there are three buckets to consider when thinking about SEO:

      • Site structure and core content.
      • Ongoing location-based content.
      • Credibility indicators such as reviews, backlinks, social media activity, domain name registration length, years in business, and others.

      If you’re using our Forge website platform, you already have many SEO benefits built in that are working for you automatically. But getting your agency to the top of Google and other search engines isn’t always as easy as flipping a switch. So there are a few simple things you can do if you’re serious about SEO.

      Learn more using the link below.

      Supercharge Your Agency's SEO

      Step 6: Social

      Establish your social media presence. Post photos, videos, and other content.

      Think of social media like opening the front door to your insurance agency. It’s a way to share who you are and what’s happening at the agency. So to do social media the right way, it needs to come from within the agency. Get creative, be human, and have some fun! And the more fun stuff you post, the more people will get to know your agency and want to follow along with likes, follows, and comments. Being active on social media can also help with SEO.

      There’s no right or wrong social platform for your agency. Pick the one that you like best, whether Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or otherwise, and dive in.

      And after you get going, it’s fine to post some generic posts, but always put your spin on them.

      Step 7: Email

      Build an email list to send clients and prospects regular emails showing the personality of your agency.

      The return on investment (ROI) of email marketing is hard to beat. On average, for every dollar spent on email marketing, it generates $38. That’s 3,800% ROI!

      • 73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.
      • 59% of respondents say marketing emails influence their purchase decisions.
      • 80% of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention.

      So while email isn’t as glamorous as AI-powered chatbots, Instagram influencers, or other new-school tech, it’s still one of the best marketing and retention strategies around today!

      Step 8: Webinars

      Host monthly webinars to promote your agency to clients and prospects.

      Webinars, Zoom meetings, and other web sessions provide the perfect platform to showcase your expertise and personality. They establish you as the go-to thought leader and trusted resource while also offering value to your prospects, referral partners, and clients.

      Schedule sessions monthly and leverage email marketing, social media, and traditional ways to spread the word. Record each session and share the recording afterward. Depending on the timeliness of the content, create a library of past sessions on your website and share them as much as you can.

      People make decisions based on trust, likability, and having access to the right solution for them. Give away your best stuff and you’ll earn loyal followers for life.

      And be sure to turn on your webcam! People want to see you and those who work at the agency. Smile!

      Step 9: Ads

      Explore targeted paid advertising on Google and social media.

      There are a few different types of online advertising, including social media, pay-per-click (PPC), display, and remarketing. Google and Facebook (Instagram) own most of the market and ad pricing varies depending on the ad audience and type. Google Ads (a form of PPC) tends to be the priciest option since many of the big insurance companies and direct writers compete and drive the cost-per-click quite high. Expect to spend thousands of dollars each month if you want to play this game.

      Otherwise, a better place to start for most insurance agencies is with social media awareness advertising and remarketing. These ads tend to be lower cost and get your insurance agency in front of your target audience. You set your desired ad budget and the social platform(s) will show your ads to that audience until your ad budget runs out. Remarketing ads are shown to previous visitors to your website. We suggest designing them to reinforce your expertise, credibility, and culture.

      Step 10: Momentum

      Build momentum over time, remain patient, and focus on what works best.

      As with most things in life, success requires patience and perseverance. Meaningful results take time to achieve.

      Remember, the Baby Steps are designed to be followed in a step-by-step fashion. Stay focused, work your way through the steps, and see what works best for your insurance agency. Do more of what works, less of what doesn’t, and enjoy the process of growing your agency using digital marketing.

      Manage Your Website on Dashboard

      If you want to manage your website, use our tools and features, and learn more about Forge, log in to Dashboard.

      https://your-website-address.com/aalogin

      If you'd rather speak to us, reach out to our Client Experience team at team@agencyrevolution.com or (800) 606-0477.