NEW YORK, NY (July 12, 2018) – Engagement Labs (TSXV: EL) (OTCQB: ELBSF), an industry-leading data and analytics firm that focuses on the entire social ecosystem and its impact on business, today released its TotalSocial® ranking of the top financial services brands in the U.S. based on social influence.
The analysis is unique in that it combines offline and online consumer conversations and is based on Engagement Labs’ proprietary TotalSocial data and analytics, which continuously measures the most important drivers of brand performance in both face-to-face (offline) and social media (online) conversations. The brands in the top ten have earned the highest TotalSocial scores in the category for the last six months, compared to the Company’s previous ranking in September 2017.
Higher offline volume, which is a measure of how frequently consumers mention a brand in face-to-face conversations, lifted Edward Jones into the top 10, according to Engagement Labs’ report. Likewise, stronger offline volume propelled TD Ameritrade’s rise to the number 10 spot from number 12. However, it was not the only driver. The firm also experienced a large increase in offline brand sharing.
“We see the impact of marketing and business decisions on the movements in the rankings for this period,” said Ed Keller, CEO of Engagement Labs. “Each of the companies that moved upward benefited from corporate actions and marketing sponsorships, which enabled them to earn sustained press coverage and motivated consumers to talk about the brands.”
Strong offline influence, which demonstrates that a more influential group of consumers are talking about the brand in face-to-face conversations, was the biggest force behind Edward Jones’ four-spot jump to seventh place. It also saw improved offline volume and offline brand sharing, which measures the number of consumers talking about a brand’s marketing campaigns in face-to-face conversations. The financial advisory firm has experienced steady growth, recently moving up 27 spots on the Fortune 500 list. In addition, the company was named a "Best Workplace in Financial Services & Insurance" by Fortune in 2018. These accolades contributed to its rise in the rankings.
Meanwhile, American Express’ continued high performance in offline influence and offline brand sharing helped it rise into the number-two spot. The financial giant’s new merchant-focused business model has enabled it to grow—as the company has slashed fees in an effort to attract more merchants to its payment platform. As a result, American Express is poised to become the second-largest card-processing company in the U.S., behind Visa.
To learn more about Engagement Labs and how to increase your brand’s word of mouth in real life and online, reach out at: [email protected].