To the average person, the topic of insurance can often be mundane and confusing. It doesn’t matter whether it’s life insurance, auto insurance or product liability insurance, the ins and outs of legal data can be hard to grasp. Who wants to read about premiums and deductibles? Maybe you do, but your target audience probably doesn’t.
Or do they? Even though insurance may be represented as a “boring industry”, it’s still a necessity – and people are still interested in learning more about their options. According to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, 74% of shoppers use insurer websites or aggregators to get quotes and research information. As long as people are comparing policies online, they’re simultaneously going to be looking for content that contextualizes the information for them and helps make the important decision of which insurance provider to ultimately purchase from.
With that said, the more valuable content you have on your site, the more likely you are to attract visitors and generate leads. Some insurance companies have already recognized this and have started business insurance blogs, like the Allstate and State Farm insurance websites, where they create interesting content out of seemingly boring topics.
Here are 5 tips on how insurance agencies can turn dry insurance topics into engaging pieces of content.
1. Write in short, digestible formats.
You can instantly make something more interesting just by changing the format. Readers don’t want to see one long paragraph after another – because that feels more like a textbook than a blog post. Instead, they want you to pick out the important information for them. That’s why things like how-to’s, listicles, case studies, checklists, tips and quick facts are so effective - they provide value to the reader in an easily digestible package.
You can also use bold headers and photos and graphs to help break up the text, too. However you decide to set up each blog post, just remember to keep it topical and easily scannable. The more long-winded your post is, the more likely it is that you’ll lose reader attention and deviate from the topic at hand.
Plus, changing the format even makes the title more clickable. Here are some examples:
2. Describe real-life scenarios.
Always provide analogies and examples that your audience can relate to. At first glance, they might think, Oh, that type of insurance doesn’t apply to me. But if you can present a real-life scenario in which they would need your coverage, they’ll be much more interested in what you have to say about it.
3. Write like a human, not a robot.
The way your website makes someone feel is oftentimes more important than you might think. After visiting your insurance website, people should feel empowered and confident enough to proceed with a purchase – or at least move to the next stage in the buyer’s journey. If your content sounds like a robot wrote it, customers might hesitate about trusting you – especially if you’re promising to take care of them, their loved ones and their assets.
You can start writing more conversationally by telling a story, using contractions and pronouns and by adopting a more casual, relational tone of voice.
4. Use a compelling angle.
Another way to make dry topics more readable is by finding a compelling angle that works for your audience. If they’re operating their own business, what are some of their pain points and concerns? If they’re recently married and hoping to start a family soon, what hopes do they have for their future and for their family’s future? The topic doesn’t seem so dry when the content has been highly personalized to address their specific needs.
Other ways to find compelling angles include capitalizing on recent news headlines and trends and by using social media to promote your blog content in interesting and creative ways. This might even include repurposing blog content into videos, questionnaires and polls.
5. Write about related topics that are interesting.
Allstate Insurance Company does this really well. Their blog is filled with posts that are timely, relevant and helpful without straying too far from their coverage plans. Examples include Science Made Simple: How a Fire Extinguisher Works and Snowmobile Safety: 7 Hand Signals to Know. As you can see, these topics are far removed from the typical What is Home Insurance? Yet, they help attract people to their site and demonstrate how knowledgeable they are about things affecting your safety.
Whether you’re just getting your business insurance blog off the ground or you’re looking to revamp existing articles and other pieces of content, use these tips to make your company stand out online. For more help, contact Virtucom Group. With extensive experience in producing content for commercial and personal insurance companies of all sizes, our expert writers and editors can transform your blog into a helpful resource for all your clients’ insurance needs.
