Social media marketing is moving front and center when it comes to insurance agency web marketing strategies, which may encompass other terms such as insurance agency search engine marketing or insurance agency search marketing optimization. Agents and producers, owners and executives should be cognizant of this new frontier, perhaps changing the famous saying of “Go West, young man, go West” as popularized by Horace Greeley, to “Go Web young man, go Web”. As social media websites for business go, surely LinkedIn is one of the most preeminent, and one that insurance agents and agencies should leverage in their daily routine. Here are 10 tips to help better leverage your LinkedIn presence.

1. Professional Headline– Create a professional headline that explains your expertise and is keyword friendly. For example, I am an “Insurance Agency Marketing Expert” rather than a “Business Development Manager.”

2. Complete Education & Experience – Process can be accelerated by uploading a current resume from a Word document.

3. Request Recommendations – Request a minimum of 3 recommendations. We suggest a client, a colleague and someone else. Recommendations for previous work are also powerful.

4. Include Website Links – Add links to your website, your blog, and a personal website (if possible).

5. Integrate Twitter Feed – If you are using Twitter, add your Twitter ID.

6. Summary – Create a 1-2 paragraph professional summary that explains what you do and why it is important. Make sure to include your areas of expertise and leverage your SEO keywords.

7. Specialties – A short list of specialties that should look very much like your Top 3 SEO keyword phrases.

8. Blog Application – Under the “Applications” menu, select “Get More Applications.” Choose the WordPress application and enter the blog address. Select the options to display the blog on your homepage and profile.

9. Other Application(s)– If possible add 1-2 more applications that you feel would be of interest.

10.Make Regular Updates – Post regular profile updates. What you are working on, webinar invites, blog links and announcements are all great updates. Make sure to include your SEO keywords in the updates as well.

LinkedIn’s website states they now have over 90 million members around the world as of January 2011. Most of these members are business centric, as LinkedIn seemingly becomes the Facebook of business. Every insurance agent should have a presence on LinkedIn, and every insurance agency should have a company page on LinkedIn. Does that mean agents should ignore Facebook and other social media sites? Insurance agents and producers, should embrace the major social networking sites. However, if you are a B2B oriented agency or broker, LinkedIn should be a top priority as a social media marketing venue.