Recently, I had the opportunity to address a group of community banking executives on social media best practices at the Tennessee Bankers Association biannual roundtable event. It was an engaged group of 40 or so bankers from across the state, and they asked some great questions.

Following are some of the high points of our discussion. With limited time and resources, small-town banks – or any small business – can’t do everything on social media, nor should they. Make your social media channels work for you with these tips and recommendations.

Consider your resources. Don’t create presences on every network under the sun. If you only have bandwidth for Facebook, just do Facebook.

Be consistent. It’s less important for you to post three times per week or six times per week. But once you decide how often you are comfortable with, stick with it. TN Bankers photo

Be found. If you have multiple branches, make sure your Facebook address is updated, and take control of Google My Business so your customers can find your physical locations.

Connect with your customers. It can be nerve-wracking for businesses to open themselves up on social media to negative reviews or comments. But remember that nothing is more powerful than a company’s responding to and helping fix a customer issue publicly for others to see.

Promote your networks. List your social icons everywhere! On signage in the branch. In any e-communications you have with customers. On printed pieces.

Select your networks with care. Think about what you post where. Here’s an example of what a bank’s network mix could look like and the content they share:

  • Facebook: Post about new employees, customer appreciation events, philanthropic efforts, community happenings, maybe even live video from the branch president during key moments.
  • Twitter: Tweet during networking events, with other organizations (like nonprofits you’re supporting), and with media and other influencers as appropriate.
  • LinkedIn: You could post job openings to a company page here. Your bank executives should also have updated LinkedIn profiles.
  • Instagram: Instagram is all about compelling photos and videos. Consider a presence here if you have someone on staff with a good eye who can capture compelling images of your branch or community in a way that makes sense for your company.