In a post-pandemic world now shaped by remote workforces, insurance professionals can no longer rely on word-of-mouth referrals and in-person interactions to win new business.  

To grow business, brokerages must show up where their customers are shopping–online.  

To that end, Mployer Advisor recently hosted a webinar for insurance brokers, consultants, and advisors that featured the insights and expertise of Mick McKoin, Mployer Advisor’s Director of Customer Success, and Anthony Waters, Mployer Advisor’s SVP of Strategy and Product.  

During the webinar, our speakers discussed the importance of an online presence and how to maintain and improve upon it; how to solicit and feature client reviews; and best practices for short- and long-term success.  

Below are a few highlights from the webinar event.

Why Your Brokerage Firm’s Online Presence Matters

While sharing specific anecdotes of working with brokers to optimize their online presence, Waters underscored the competitive advantage and need for a digital presence for individual brokers and brokerages alike.  

He asked webinar attendees to think of Google Business Profile (GBP) as a modern-day business card. For researching employers with high intent, a GBP is often an employers’ first impression of your brokerage.  

If core details are inaccurate or outdated—think address, phone number, services offered, or other essential contact details—that first impression is a huge missed opportunity.  

Consider too that more consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses than ever before.

What’s more, September 2021 research and analysis from Mployer Advisor found that of the 110,000-plus GBP listings of brokerage firms nationwide, only 66% of brokers had claimed their GBP. Of the brokers who had claimed their profile, the brokerage listing boasted an average of 13 reviews and a 4.5 rating.

Industry research shows that unclaimed listings, on average, are 3X more likely to have poor reviews or no rating at all.  

The Importance of Generating Online Reviews  

During the webinar, McKoin explained the need for brokers to remain competitive, while also boosting their brokerage’s GBP score and searchability.  

Some specific recommendations from McKoin included the following:

Prioritize the reviews process. After a brokerage has claimed its GBP, one key advantage is the ability to respond to customers who have left reviews. As an owner or manager, it can sometimes feel awkward to ask clients to leave public feedback. However, prioritizing reviews can be beneficial to a broker’s online reputation and—perhaps more importantly—how well they rank on Google.  

Harness the power of positive reviews. Customer reviews impact local search query results. For instance, if an employer searches Google for the “best insurance brokers near me,” the list will only feature brokers with an average rating of 4.0 or higher. Therefore, it is in the broker’s best interest to solicit as many reviews as possible.  

Respond to reviews. Whether positive or negative, reviews are an essential component of a brokerage’s online presence. The timeliness and tone of a response offers a public example of your brokerage’s professionalism and expediency for potential customers.

Watch the On-Demand Webinar Now  

For more in-depth information, tune in to watch the complete, on-demand webinar, “Strategies to Enhance Your Online Presence and Win More Business.”  

If you haven’t yet, be sure to scroll through Mployer Advisor’s past webinars by searching through our library of on-demand content.

Looking for more exclusive content? Check out what’s trending on the Mployer Advisor blog and tune in to the latest episode of “This Week in Benefits.”  

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