Driving Financial Growth Through Digital Marketing Excellence

The Challenge

SECU faced a critical business challenge: how to drive growth in applications and short-term certificate (STC) deposits while adhering to rigorous data privacy policies that prohibited the use of member CRM lists. This limitation created a unique marketing obstacle, as the campaign needed to effectively target both current and prospective members without utilizing traditional first-party data sources.

The stakes were high, as SECU needed to enhance its market position while maintaining its reputation for member privacy and security. This careful balancing act required innovative approaches to audience identification and targeting that would preserve member trust while delivering meaningful business results across multiple financial product categories.

• Acquire New Customers: Identify and convert qualified prospects into SECU members
• Increase Existing Business: Encourage current members to expand their relationship with additional products
• Maintain Privacy Standards: Achieve business goals while upholding stringent data protection policies

Search Engine Marketing

The campaign deployed sophisticated SEM tactics to capture high-intent users actively searching for financial products and services. Keyword strategies were developed to target both branded terms for existing member awareness and non-branded financial product terms to attract prospects considering similar offerings from competitors.

• Targeted high-intent financial keywords
• Optimized ad copy for different audience segments
• Implemented advanced bid strategies for efficiency

Walk West utilized platform-specific targeting capabilities across major social networks to reach both current and potential members with engaging, visually compelling creative assets. Custom audiences were built using interest-based and behavioral signals that indicated financial service needs without requiring member-specific data.

• Deployed platform-native targeting solutions
• Created segment-specific messaging variations
• Utilized video and carousel formats for engagement
  

The campaign leveraged sophisticated programmatic buying capabilities to reach precisely defined audience segments across thousands of websites, mobile apps, and digital channels. This approach enabled broad reach while maintaining targeting accuracy through algorithmic optimization and real-time bidding strategies.

• Facilitated continuous campaign optimization
• Automatically shifting budget toward the highest-performing audience segments
• Consistent creative executions
• Placements to maximize efficiency and conversion rates throughout the campaign period

Third-Party Data Integration

To overcome the limitations of first-party data restrictions, SECU partnered with specialized data providers to identify both current credit union members and individuals eligible for membership. This innovative approach enabled targeted messaging without compromising customer privacy or violating internal policies.

The third-party data strategy included careful compliance reviews to ensure all targeting methodologies adhered to financial industry regulations and SECU's internal privacy standards, creating a responsible framework for audience identification.

Privacy-Compliant Marketing Excellence

The campaign demonstrates that financial institutions can achieve remarkable marketing results while maintaining the highest standards of customer data privacy. By developing innovative targeting approaches that don't rely on first-party data, SECU created a blueprint for responsible digital marketing in highly regulated industries.

Multi-Channel Integration Benefits

Walk West utilized platform-specific targeting capabilities across major social networks to reach both current and potential members with engaging, visually compelling creative assets. Custom audiences were built using interest-based and behavioral signals that indicated financial service needs without requiring member-specific data.

Data Strategy Innovation

The creative application of third-party data sources proved that effective targeting doesn't require compromising customer privacy. This approach offers a valuable model for other financial institutions facing similar challenges with first-party data limitations.

Conclusion

Walk West's strategic investment in digital marketing transformed SECU’s ability to attract and engage members. By leveraging targeted content, SEO, and personalized communication, SECU not only enhanced its digital presence but also achieved measurable growth in membership and financial performance. This case exemplifies how credit unions can effectively compete in the digital age through thoughtful and data-driven marketing strategies.