Standard Life Hong Kong Makes Foray Into Facebook Marketing

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Standard Life aims to raise HK$10,000 as part of a Facebook donation campaign to support Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children.

The U.K. life insurer has designed a Facebook app so that it will donate HK$10 to its charity partner for every user that likes its page on the social network.

The charity effort unveiled in April to commemorate Children's Day in Hong Kong and the company will have to acquire more than 900 fans to meet its target by the end of May.

However, Standard Life says it is not using like-gating to acquire more fans.

"You can say it's an activation but that's not why we're doing it. We just want to use a channel that will best help us spread the word and raise money for the charity," says Sandy Lau, chief marketing officer at Standard Life.

If you're using your Facebook page correctly and communicating effectively, you'll naturally attract customers and the community that is interested in what you have to say, she adds.

Since the CMO joined the insurance firm from HSBC last September, she has been spearheading its social media strategy and launched a Facebook presence in February.

Its Facebook content updates are focused on CSR (corporate social responsibility) efforts to communicate the company's brand values and involvement in the community instead of using the social network as a promotional channel, Lau says.

Because of the regulatory nature in the finance sector, marketers often find it a challenge to get buy-in from within.

It requires lobbying internally, not just to the boss but other stakeholders such as the risk department and sales agents.

Lau says internal lobbying is important to communicate its social media strategies and part of that process is done through corporate e-newsletters, posters, and engaging staff.

For instance, staff get to vote and decide the charity partner for the current Facebook donation campaign.

Standard Life has a strong focus in digital, not just advertising and promotion or social marketing but driving its digital business strategy, Lau points out.

The company rolled out utility iPad and iPhone apps for customers to log in to their accounts to set up fund alerts or switch funds on their mobile devices since 2011.

And part of her role now involves working closely with the IT department to review the digital customer experiences on these apps as well as evaluating website usability and capability across platforms.