Ranking Banking Brands: Who’s on Top in 2010?
Bancography releases the 2010 edition of its Bancography Brand Value Index, showing what are the top banks leading its bank branding ratings.
Digital Marketing in Banking
Articles about digital marketing in banking, including website design, digital advertising, online/mobile marketing, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and search engine marketing (SEM).
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Why Some Community Banks Are Ditching Social Media Marketing for Streaming Platforms
Bank marketers are increasingly flocking to streaming services as a way to advertise — but it's more than just a return to traditional TV ads.
Popular Articles within Digital Marketing in Banking:
Spy on Your AdWords Competitors with SpyFu
Look up what any bank or credit union in the world spends on Google AdWords advertising.
7 Reasons to Use Your Bank’s Slogan as a Website URL
If you have a brand tagline, why not turn it into a memorable marketing URL?
How-To: Google AdWords Basics for Banks and Credit Unions
A recent poll conducted by The Financial Brand found that 57% of banks and only 23% of credit unions utilize search engine marketing (SEM). Clearly there are many financial institutions that have yet to embrace this powerful approach to marketing. AdWords is Google’s flagship advertising product and main source of revenue, generating revenues of USD$23 […]
Online Marketing: How Do You Stack Up?
Earlier this August, 154 financial institutions participated in The Financial Brand’s 2010 Online Marketing Study, including 49 retail banks and 93 credit unions. 64 of the participants had $1 billion in assets or more. 66 had less than $500 million in assets. 46% described themselves as “novices” at online marketing, 43% said they were “intermediate” […]
3 Credit Union Microsites – The Pros and Cons
Mystery Monkey Tour Contest Financial Institution: GTE Federal Credit Union Microsite: www.GTEFCUMysteryMonkeyTour.com An escaped Rhesus Macaque monkey in Tampa then evaded capture for over a year, traveling across tree tops and through backyards spanning three counties and over 400 square miles. Along the way, the wily monkey accrued a sizable following, becoming a celebrity of […]
Don’t Let Those Promotional Microsites Become Porn
When you buy a domain name for your next bank or credit union promotion, buy more than one year. Buy at least two. Better yet, buy three. At a cost of $30, there’s no excuse. When your promotion is over, put up a parking page or redirect visitors to your main website. Otherwise, this is […]
Credit Union Scavenger Hunt Nearly Doubles Website Traffic
[Update: Belvoir FCU runs a website scavenger hunt every year. Here’s a link to the 2013 edition of the contest.] To celebrate the one-year anniversary of its website redesign, Belvoir FCU hosted a virtual scavenger hunt. In its Web Hunt 2010 promotion, Belvoir FCU strategically placed what it calls “slice of life” icons — each […]
First Tech Gets Even More Squirrely
Chuck and Leroy are back. The two First Tech Credit Union spokesquirrels that originally made their debut in the summer of 2009 have returned in a new trio of TV ads. In the spots, Chuck, a Western Gray Squirrel and First Tech member, explains to his dumber companion Leroy why it’s better to go to […]
Digital Marketing: Credit Union’s Microsite Says ‘Boring Is Sexy’
“Boring is sexy these days,” says Montana 1st Credit Union on its promotional microsite, BoringIsSexy.com. The credit union’s agency, iDiz, cleverly used the promo’s URL as the campaign catchphrase — BoringIsSexy.com. The word “sexy” isn’t something you see in financial marketing very often, nor the color pink. The attention-grabbing combination is very unexpected. If you’re […]
Bank Streams Live Rock Concerts In Online Banner Ads
Dexia Bank, serving France and the Netherlands, has done two of the most innovative things you may ever see in financial services marketing. First, they have targeted a Gen-Y audience with live rock concerts streamed in the bank’s banner ads (more on that in a moment). Second, they’ve set up a whole separate bank, Axion, […]
SunTrust’s Holistic Life Lessons at LiveSolid.com Website
As part of SunTrust’s ongoing “Live Solid, Bank Solid” branding campaign, the bank has launched LiveSolid.com, a large-scale financial education website. LiveSolid.com takes “a holistic approach” to people’s “overall well being,” offering advice on personal interests and managing one’s finances. SunTrust describes the website as “an online resource center to help people navigate the intersection […]
‘Find Me a Banker’: A Website That’s Like Match.com for Banking
Reviewed and written by Jeff Stephens, CEO/Creative Brand Communications In the summer of 2009, Bank of Utah knew one of its competitors, a community bank with many business customers, was struggling and facing likely action from the FDIC. Bank of Utah saw an opportunity to capture new business from the anticipated fallout, and thus was […]
Fighting Axe Grinders and Their Online Vendettas
The Scenario Someone feels they’ve been mistreated by your financial institution. They’re pissed off, so they launch a hard-hitting online vendetta against you, centering around a new blog or website. They pull no punches, bitterly and ferociously ripping into you. They keep pushing your buttons trying to get a response. If/when thtey do get a […]
Members Help Members in USAA’s Online Website Forum
Reviewed and written by Jeff Stephens, CEO/Creative Brand Communications San Antonio-based USAA Savings Bank, which provides financial services to military personnel and their families, recently ended two months of weekly sweepstakes to promote their new Member 2 Member forum. Within USAA’s website, members can use the Member 2 Member forum to ask and answer questions, […]
‘Cash In’ With a TV Commercial Contest
Servus Credit Union, the third largest in Canada, has just about wrapped up its “Cash in with Your Camcorder” promotion, a make-your-own-TV-commercial contest highlighting the financial institution’s signature Young & Free Chequing Account. The promotion is part of the credit union’s Young & Free Alberta initiative, a broad, multi-year “challenge marketing program” from Currency Marketing […]
First Direct Website Delivers Transparency and Honesty
First Direct, the UK internet/telephone bank and subsidiary of HSBC, is leveraging its positive word of mouth reputation with a new microsite, First Direct Live, that highlights people’s sentiments about the bank — both good and bad. The Marketing Communications Manager for First Direct, Natalie Cowen, says the microsite is “a very open and […]
BankIntervention.com
Do your banking customers have a 'bank addiction'? Addison Avenue FCU is targeting those who may have a problem in its marketing campaign.
Q&A: Digital Signage Is About “Local Relevance,” Not CNN
Part of innovating on the old, traditional bank branch is with digital signage. Yet, some banks and credit unions are doing it wrong.
Say Why You ‘Intentionally Left Bank,’ Get a T-Shirt
Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union asks consumers to share their stories about why they've chosen a credit union over a large corporate bank.
Regions Bank Hopes Consumers LOVE to SAVE
Regions Bank has launched a new savings initiative, most notably including TV ads and a "Save with Regions" microsite.
Beneficial Ads Push 3rd-Party Spending Analyzer
In an effort to get savers and spenders to look at a bigger financial picture, Beneficial Bank is asking people “What would you do if you knew where your money was going?” Beneficial is offering Intuit’s FinanceWorks free to all customers. The application provides online viewing and analysis of financial data from all (not just […]