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Digital marketing tools your bank should know about
Digital marketing is evolving rapidly to meet customers where they are. We look at how remarketing, geofencing and other techniques can help your community bank get the word out.
How to build a successful payments strategy
Customer expectations and fierce competition—it’s never been more important to think strategically about your payments offering.
Revealed: ICBA’s best-performing community banks 2018
Our annual coast-to-coast roster of high achievers is here! Read on to see the 75 community banks that made the cut, and hear from nine we’ve highlighted for their consistent high performance and...
10 tips to boost cross-selling
Throw your sales goals out the window. Help customers get what they want, and your bottom line will take care of itself.
Who are ICBA’s best-performing community banks 2017?
Independent Banker’s annual listing of America’s best-performing community banks
ICBAs State of Community Banking survey results are in
Our annual State of Community Banking Survey of ICBA member banks reports that you’re planning to grow through creating efficiencies, introducing new technology, and investing in digital marketing....
How to boost creativity at your bank
Large corporations that lack the agility of startups often turn to “intrapreneurship” to make time and space for creative development in the workplace. Should community banks be doing the same?
Jim Reber: Manage Interest Rate Risk With Strategic Portfolio Decisions
Yield curve shape reflects bond market’s mood.
Q&A: Growth-Related Challenges for the Evolving Community Bank
Whether growing organically or through M&A, even positive change can present challenges. We talked to two community bankers about considerations and issues they’ve noticed as their banks have grown.
Rob Birgfeld: Amplify Community Banking With Local Influencers
Influencer marketing doesn’t have to target social media stars with millions of followers, it can start at a local level.
Michael Benedict: Putting the 'Strategy' in 'Portfolio Strategy'
How can you use your portfolio to create operating leverage?
What Role Do Wealth Managers Play Amid Economic Uncertainty?
Community banks that offer wealth management can play a notable role in easing customers’ anxiety amid economic and financial uncertainty.
Jim Reber: The Rule of Three
Bond portfolio yields are at multiyear highs.
The Secret to Engaging Customers Through Podcasts
With the popularity of podcasts, these community banks are riding the sound waves. Learn how they plan and produce episodes and build up engaged audiences.
Streamlining Social Media for Community Banks
Don’t have a dedicated social media person? No problem. New tools and an inclusive approach make your community bank’s social presence simpler to establish and maintain.
The Anatomy of a Rate-Cut Cycle
Examine the current Fed cycle versus the past to inform portfolio strategy.
Powering Potential: Maximize Your Social Media Impact
ICBA’s marketing resources, education programs and compliance tools provide community bankers with strategic social media solutions and regulatory guidance to amplify their online presence.
Regulatory Expectations for Compliance Are Evolving – Are You Keeping Up?
Regulatory Expectations for Compliance Are Evolving – Are You Keeping Up? SPONSORED | As the regulatory landscape continues to change, every financial institution can use an extra hand when it...
Ladder vs. Barbell: Portfolio Management Tips
Learn how community banks can leverage barbell strategies to balance risk, improve yields and manage bond portfolios effectively.
Adding a New Business Line? Key Bank Tips
Thinking of expanding your bank’s services? Explore expert advice on creating specialty lines, conducting due diligence and ensuring long-term profitability.
Financial Wellness: Community Banking & Investments Services
Learn how First National Bank of Pasco connects banking, lending, and investment services under one roof, focusing on women investors, retirement, and business planning.
Word of Mouth: Community Bank Growth
Discover how community banks can leverage word of mouth to grow their customer base. Learn 10 actionable strategies to boost referrals, testimonials and engagement.
Public Funds as a Strategic Anchor in Modern Wholesale Funding
Public Funds as a Strategic Anchor in Modern Wholesale Funding SPONSORED | PTMA Funding links community banks and local governments, providing stable public deposits that diversify liquidity....
Your 2026 Budget Is Complete. Now Is the Right Time to Fix What Made It Hard.
Your 2026 Budget Is Complete. Now Is the Right Time to Fix What Made It Hard. SPONSORED | Budget season is behind you, but those frustrating spreadsheet errors, manual ALM imports, and limited...
Jim Reber: Jonathan Swift on Community Banking
Through the lens of Jonathan Swift’s sharp observations, Jim Reber examines enduring truths about community banking—balancing risk and reward, managing portfolios, and navigating uncertainty with...
Everything You Need to Know About ICBA LIVE 2026
The world's largest gathering of community bankers will be inspiring, educational and invigorating. Learn about the events, speakers and celebrations that make it a must-attend event.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Community Banking Strategy for Growth
Community banks can drive growth by leaning into relationship-based banking, targeted technology investments and personalized customer strategies. Explore leadership insights for expanding prospects.
Fed Policy Outlook 2026: FOMC Changes & Rates
The Federal Reserve’s 2026 FOMC roster changes could reshape interest rate policy. Here’s what new leadership, voting shifts and market expectations mean for rate cuts, the yield curve and...
Customer Retention Strategies for Community Banks
Looking to improve customer retention? Here’s how community banks strengthen loyalty through appreciation events, feedback programs and community engagement strategies.
Single-Location Community Banks That Thrive
Can community banks succeed with just one location? Four single-branch community banks share how staying small lowers overhead, strengthens customer relationships and supports long-term growth.
Community Bank Marketing Strategies for Growth
Learn the latest marketing strategies for community banks, including video, contests, AI, and social media to engage local audiences.
Community Bank Innovation: Navigating Core Providers
Discover how community bank innovation thrives through core provider integrations, API access, and regulatory compliance support from the ICBA in 2026.
Community Bank Portfolio Management: 2026 Shop Talk Strategy
Explore 2026 community bank portfolio management strategies, including yield curve impacts, CBLR, and agency MBS, in this shop talk with ICBA's Jim Reber.
Strong Tech Provider Relationships, Faster Growth for Community Banks
Strong Tech Provider Relationships, Faster Growth for Community Banks SPONSORED | Sustainable growth depends on more than technology - it relies on strong relationships with your banking technology...
ICBA's New Endorsed Broker-Dealer: The Baker Group
Meet ICBA Securities' new endorsed broker-dealer, The Baker Group. Discover how they empower community banks through investment portfolio management.
Online-Only Bank ZYNLO Drives Growth for PeoplesBank
Discover how PeoplesBank leverages Zynlo Bank to drive digital growth, attract younger demographics, and innovate with banking as a service (BaaS) solutions.
Playing Under Par: Bond Portfolio Strategies for Community Banks
With the book price for bond portfolios having dropped for the first time in 17 years, community banks should take a page out of the golfer’s playbook.
Behind Mercantile Bank's Payroll and HR Solution
After struggling to manage its own payroll and human resources needs, Mercantile Bank built an innovative solution that’s now used by business customers and non-customers alike.
How Can Community Banks Best Manage Change?
During a merger or acquisition, success hinges on addressing employee concerns early. We asked bankers and consultants for their best tips for building trust and mitigating uncertainty among staff...
Something’s Feasting on Your Tech Budget. The Playbook Starves It.
Something’s Feasting on Your Tech Budget. The Playbook Starves It. SPONSORED | Something is quietly eating your tech budget, and you may not know it. The IBT Apps Playbook gives bank leaders a...
Portfolio Management: What Bank Portfolio Managers Need to Know About Optionality Risk
Optionality risk is quietly costing you. Use these tips to identify extension, contraction and volatility risk—and build a more resilient investment strategy.
Portfolio Management: Lies and Statistics
Community bank bond portfolios have latent strengths.
Community Banks Win Big with Sports Sponsorships
Discover how community banks use sports sponsorships to boost brand awareness, drive organic growth and make a lasting impact in their communities.
Portfolio Management: What the Bond Yield Curve Mean Reversion Means for Banks
The U.S. yield curve is finally normalizing. Here's what mean reversion means for community bank NIMs, portfolio strategy and 2026 opportunities.
Municipal Bond Credit Risk: Infrastructure Funding or Warning Sign?
With municipal bond issuance hitting $600 billion in 2026, community bank portfolio managers must evaluate credit risk indicators. Learn key metrics for assessing municipal debt quality.
Community Bank Marketing: 5 PR Tips for Stronger Social Media Results
Discover proven community bank marketing strategies for PR and social media success. Learn how to build trust, create authentic content, and leverage ICBA resources for stronger engagement.
Estate Planning for Banks: A Customer Retention Strategy for the Great Wealth Transfer
Community banks are using digital estate planning platforms and fintech partnerships to retain customers during the $124 trillion great wealth transfer. Learn how legacy planning tools strengthen...
Bank Insurance Strategy: A Holistic Approach to Community Bank Risk Management
Learn how community banks can build a unified bank insurance strategy that treats coverage as a strategic asset, closes insurance coverage gaps, and strengthens enterprise risk management.
The MVP of Bank Funding
The MVP of Bank Funding SPONSORED | Just as a great player brings both durability and flexibility to a lineup, reciprocal deposits offer a scalable, dependable source of funding that can adapt as...