All the newfound media attention directed toward credit unions is providing a big lift to online find-a-CU services offered by trade groups, principally CUNA and NAFCU.
NAFCU reported its CULookup.com program, now with new added geomapping features, has attracted over 50,000 unique visitors so far and is on track in 2010 to see more than 130,000.
"Most importantly, on average over 80% of those visitors to the site are new, which means that we are reaching that target audience of prospects," said a NAFCU statement.
Similarly, CUNA said page views at its CU Locator service, http://www.creditunion.coop/cu_locator/quickfind.php, have been rising over the last six months, from about 150,000 over the prior period to 300,000. Month by month, the numbers fluctuate and so there have been months of 50,000, said a CUNA spokesman.
CUNA contends also its program encompasses all CUs and provides users branch and loan detail and hours of service. NAFCU acknowledges that while all federally insured CUs are in the data base only NAFCU members receive a full, enhanced listing, including branch presence. Non-members without paying special yearly fees do not get full clickability with hypertext links and detail page.
In adopting new features, NAFCU said apart from geomapping, CULookup.com also has started a linkup to Financial Services Center Coop providing information on shared branches for both prospective and existing CU members.
"Consumers can easily find credit union kiosks as close as the corner 7-Eleven," said NAFCU President Fred Becker.
Both CUNA and NAFCU locator services enjoyed big increases last January after links were promoted on various news outlets including the Huffington Post.
