Episode Summary
This podcast provides an insightful overview of how digital marketing has evolved over the past 30 years, beginning with the launch of the early Internet in 1991. The host, Gillian Boyer, walks through key milestones in the development of digital platforms we now take for granted - like email, search engines, social media, and smartphones.
In the early days, the Internet was not widely used. This changed with Hotmail's launch of free webmail in 1996, allowing more people to communicate online. Google's search engine in 1998 made finding information on the web user-friendly. Fast forward to 2004 when Facebook reinvented online communities and interactions. 2005 brought YouTube and the ability to easily share video content. Finally, the release of the iPhone in 2007 put robust digital capabilities in people's pockets through mobile devices.
After chronicling this fascinating evolution, Boyer provides a valuable perspective on reaching baby boomer customers today. For insurance agents specifically, she recommends focusing digital marketing efforts on search engines, email, YouTube, and Facebook. These are the platforms baby boomers engage with most actively.
Boyer lays out three concrete steps agents can take to succeed with DIY digital marketing:
First, build a strong online presence by creating a branded website, optimizing for SEO, and developing a logo and core value proposition.
Second, implement tools to communicate with customers like a CRM system and email marketing. Use these channels to deliver helpful, relevant content to prospects and clients.
Third, establish a social media presence on YouTube and Facebook. Use these platforms to share content, collect reviews, and engage your audience.
A key theme is that quality trumps quantity when it comes to social media and content. The goal is not to overload these channels but to build your brand voice and share truly valuable content.
For agents looking to improve their digital marketing strategy, this podcast provides an invaluable look at how far digital has come while offering practical, actionable tips to connect with modern customers. Boyer makes the case that an agent's brand itself is their most powerful platform. By focusing on quality over quantity and tailoring content to baby boomers' preferred platforms, agents can grow their reach and impact.
Timestamps
(0:00:00) - This course focuses on how to best market to the baby boomer generation
(0:00:40) - The Broker Link podcast takes a journey through the Internet dating back to 1991
(0:06:45) - There's no question now that digital marketing is the way forward
(0:07:36) - The top three online platforms that baby boomers trust the most are search engines
(0:09:50) - If Google and Yahoo came out in the 90s, what were baby boomers doing
(0:10:42) - 70% of the entire baby boomer generation uses YouTube on a regular basis
(0:11:26) - 68% of the entire baby boomer generation is on Facebook
(0:13:02) - This course aims to help you use online tools to grow your business
(0:13:57) - Your brand is the only platform that you can depend on
(0:16:40) - Learn some practical steps to start building your digital marketing strategy
(0:17:17) - You need to establish a website and do some local SEO
(0:21:02) - Step one of DIY digital marketing is email marketing. Baby boomers love email marketing
(0:25:39) - If you use email marketing, you can generate leads for other products
(0:28:54) - You need to create a Facebook business page and a YouTube page
(0:33:34) - Facebook is a great place for advertising. People go to your Facebook page
(0:35:13) - The number one platform is search engines. The number two platform is email marketing
(0:36:58) - This course will help you grow your business through digital marketing
