The social media landscape continues to evolve, which presents new opportunities for banks and credit unions to succeed. An effective social media strategy can enhance engagement, brand loyalty, and overall growth. But so many financial institutions aren’t leveraging this great marketing, branding and educational tool to its full advantage. 2025 should be the year you change that! Let’s take a look into the top social media trends for financial institutions in 2025, breaking down what works, what doesn’t and how to best use this tactic to support your goals.
What Works For Financial Institution a Social Media Plan
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Personalized Content: Financial institutions can create more relevant and engaging experiences for their audiences by tailoring content to individuals’ preferences and financial goals. By investing in data-driven insights and crafting content that speaks directly to people’s needs, banks and credit unions can differentiate themselves in a competitive market, improve customer and member retention, and ultimately build long-term relationships. For example, Fidelity Investments does a great job engaging with its audience by tying in real-life events, like winter breaks, to effective budgeting tips.
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Short-Form Video Content: Video remains a dominant force in social media with 73% of consumers preferring to watch short-form videos when learning about a product or service. People want their information to be short and sweet. This can be magnified when looking at social media statistics. According to the Sprout Social Index, consumers find short-form videos to be 2.5x more engaging than long-form videos. Short-form videos allow financial institutions to relay information on their products and services in a unique fashion. For example, Bank of America creates unique videos to promote their products and services like credit cards and Zelle.
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Focus on Financial Literacy: Highlighting financial literacy on social media helps banks and credit unions build trust by providing valuable, educational content that empowers customers and members to make informed financial decisions. This approach not only boosts engagement but also increases brand credibility, encourages loyalty, and attracts new customers and members, as users are more likely to share helpful content within their networks. For example, Charles Schwab consistently posts financial literacy content on their social media platforms to keep their audience up to date with smart spending habits.
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Community-Centric Campaigns: Showcasing initiatives like local sponsorships, charitable donations, and volunteering efforts allows financial institutions to build trust and demonstrate their commitment to the well-being of their customers and members. Community-centric campaigns create a sense of belonging, encourage community engagement, and strengthen brand loyalty, as people feel more connected to financial institutions that genuinely care about their local area. Social media isn’t just about pushing products and services for your institution, so make sure to leverage it to help build or support what your brand stands for. For example, Citizens Bank often uses its platform to promote its commitment to local cultural initiatives and sponsorships.
What Doesn’t Work For Financial Institution a Social Media Plan
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Generic, One-Size-Fits-All Posts: One-size-fits-all posts don't resonate with diverse audiences, making them less effective. Generic content fails to address the unique needs and interests of different user segments, resulting in lower engagement and relevance. For example, the below text would be considered a generic, one-size-fits-all post as it is overly broad and doesn’t have a singular focus point:
“We are committed to providing financial solutions to help you reach your goals. Whether you're saving for the future, managing debt, or planning for retirement, our team is here to guide you every step of the way. We believe in empowering our customers to make informed financial decisions, offering a range of products and services designed to meet your unique needs. Thank you for trusting us with your financial future.”
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Inconsistent Posting: When financial institutions don’t post regularly, they risk losing relevance in the fast-paced digital world, where people expect timely updates and ongoing communication. Consistent, well-timed content helps build a steady presence, keeps the audience informed, and maximizes engagement. While posting daily isn’t recommended either, make sure you have a solid social media plan for the month that assures you have sufficient, balanced post content a few times a week. For example, if your financial institution posts on a Monday, there should be a different post already scheduled for Wednesday to keep your audience coming back.
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Over-Promotion: For banks and credit unions, focusing too much on promotional content can diminish trust and reduce authenticity. Instead, a balanced approach that combines helpful, educational, and community-oriented content with occasional promotions is more effective. By offering value through financial tips, news, and insights, banks and credit unions can build stronger relationships and keep their audience engaged without overwhelming them with constant sales pitches. For example, a financial institution should be following the 80/20 rule – 80% of posts centered around its audience and 20% of posts focused on promoting products and services – for an optimal social media strategy.
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Long, Text-Heavy Updates: Social media thrives on quick and easily consumable content. People are quickly scanning their social feeds, so making lengthy paragraphs is going to result in disengagement. Rather than publishing a text-heavy post, financial institutions should break down information into concise, visually appealing posts. Infographics, bullet points, or short-form videos can help capture attention and make key messages more accessible.
Let ZAG Interactive Help
Staying ahead of social media trends is crucial for banks and credit unions to effectively engage with their audiences and build long-term relationships. By embracing personalized content, promoting financial literacy, engaging in community-centric campaigns, and maintaining a consistent, balanced approach, these financial institutions can stand out in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
Our team of digital strategists can help take your financial institution’s social media marketing and social media designs to the next level. Contact us today to build a 2025 social media plan that delivers measurable results.