The human factor is very important in any social media strategy. Who should participate and how much of their time will it take, are often the first questions that are asked. One of the best things about the social channel is that it usually doesn’t require a heavy lift – especially when more than one staff person is participating.

If you’re considering outsourcing, think again. Members will be able to tell if your social “voice” is not from within your credit union. Social media channels are personal, so hearing from your personal staff is important. Your social team members must also have an intimate knowledge of your credit union brand to deliver the appropriate messages to the right audience in the right social channel as well as know how to properly respond in a timely manner.

The marketing department often leads and monitors the social media strategy that lays out all of those expectations I’ve mentioned, but contributors should be from across departments. Think about the pool of experience you have among staff – from mortgages and home buying to retirement savings and student loans – all with the important information your members want to know. Plus, many of them already participate in social media for personal and professional purposes. Having a cross-departmental social media team allows your social messaging to have a broader reach, be more effective and be more genuine. Here are just a few staff members that may make sense to enlist:

• Marketing normally will oversee the strategy, monitor, track, as well as contribute.
• Member service representatives already communicate with members day-to-day, so extending their service to the social universe would be a cinch. They also have invaluable insight into what’s trending among your members in terms of questions or requests.
• Product managers are in-the-know on the best new offers, what’s new, what’s coming and what’s popular. (Just keep in mind only 10% of your posts should be promotional.)
• Loan officers have all the answers to what many find is a confusing process. They probably also have some pretty great tips to help members get comfortable with loans.
• Public relations are an obvious choice for updates in the community.
• IT knows it all when it comes to the technical channels that your members use – phone, email, app, website, online banking, etc. The more you share – whether a technical advance or a technical hiccup – the happier your members will be.

Don’t worry, not everyone on your team is going to be flooding the social airwaves at once. Each team member may spend as little as an hour (or less) per week contributing and responding in social channels. The owner of the social media strategy should communicate across the organization and social team when specific messaging is scheduled or even own the scheduling all together for social posts going out from your brand. Keep in mind, however, that your social media strategy should extend beyond your credit union’s organization accounts. Your subject matter experts can be engaging members under their own accounts as well or posting to your blog under their own name. That’s what brings humanity to your brand and helps members relate to and trust someone they know is an expert. Just make sure you share your overall social strategy and policy with the team so you’re all working towards the same goals.