In this age, the importance of the use of social media by corporate organisations cannot be over-emphasized and banks are not exempted. In 2015, Nigerian banks were at snail’s pace in leveraging on the social media. However, two years down the lane, they have fully embraced the usage of social media more. Here are some of the ways Nigerian banks are gaining visibility with social media.
Customer service
Many Nigerians can relate with grumpy customer service agents in banking halls across the nation. Interestingly, the reverse seems to be the case on social media. The secret? Banks are aiming to protect their brands, and thus, try to give customers optimum satisfaction to prevent dents in their name. This is because, in the corporate world, all it takes is one disgruntled and unhappy customer to drag a brand’s name in the mud. It is, therefore, a chance Nigerian banks are not willing to take. For instance, twitter is effective when it comes to customer service.
Hello @obasaolorunfemi We introduced electronic receipt for depositors which is an alternative to the deposit slips. https://t.co/aI8dhyejna
— UBACFC (@UBACares) April 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/FroshDiamond2/status/851386353677983744
Marketing/promotions
Also, like many other organisations, banks leverage on trending topics and use it to their advantage. The recent one, #5Kbae which trended for about a week got the engagement of top brands in Nigeria.
😂😂😂 there's too much content on the internet ..
You just need to open ur eyes .@wemabank 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/0rw1AE2qJp— Abeni (@TheHabaneroChef) March 30, 2017
Receive money via Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria or TransFast at FirstBank branches and get rewarded instantly. https://t.co/bgTVEGeoaz pic.twitter.com/Q1AmJxl3jB
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) April 11, 2017
We recommend you read "The richest man in Babylon" ;an impactful publication on growing wealth. Start saving today with a Zenith account. RT pic.twitter.com/qm6T37Qv6K
— Zenith Bank (@ZenithBank) April 11, 2017
New Products/services launch
This is another great use of the social media banks have found. Dishing out new products and services, and ensuring they get to the right audience has never been easier. Asides that it’s cost effective, the exposure it gives is a great marketing tool for banking brands.
Forget Salt-Bae, here's our very own #RiceBae…#GTBankFoodDrink, April 30 and May 1, 2017. pic.twitter.com/6rn6BLRgxu
— Guaranty Trust (@gtbank) April 11, 2017
Audience engagement – building community of loyalists
Banks do so much on social media to promote their brands and build a community of loyalists. They achieve this by showing a human side of their institution which is can be relatable to their audience and they do that with a sense of humour too. Truth be told, we all want relevance, so what could give more satisfaction than to have your bank say ‘goodmorning’ to you?
Dear Diamonds,
It’s a beautiful day to be inspired.
Make the best out of it.
#MotivationalMonday #BeInspired #NewWeek pic.twitter.com/cfcoNbjTiO— Access More (@access_more) April 10, 2017
Good Morning To You!#GTBankFoodDrink pic.twitter.com/Fwut142isE
— GTBank's gtcrea8 (@gtcrea8) April 11, 2017
1st Game:
Hello Guys,can you guess these logos?
Remember.Submit your answers on our Instagram page. #PurpleHunt #Wemabank #Freebie #Easter pic.twitter.com/p7ztkCMjzx— Wema Bank (@wemabank) April 11, 2017
It is a good thing that banks in Nigeria have finally come to the realisation that Nigerians don’t joke with the social media. Therefore, seizing this to build their brand is quite insightful. Asides this, it could definitely win them a soft spot in the hearts of their customers. In aggregation, GTbank still tops the list with the highest engagements on social media platforms. While others are also scaling to heights, one thing is indeed evident when it comes to Nigerians and social media, there is ample chance for the banking industry to do more.
