• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, November 15, 2011

Navy Federal Credit Union's search strategy has been to emphasize fee-free checking and savings accounts, but the debacle with Bank of America and other large financial institutions has opened the door to more loudly tout its philosophy through paid-search ads.

The federal credit union positions its paid-search ads on military sites. During the controversy surrounding banks that plan to charge extra beginning next year, Navy Federal experienced higher click-through rates for ads related to fees and membership, according to Sue Voss, assistant vice president of marketing and advertising at Navy Federal. Today, the platform only counts the number of clicks -- which does not necessarily equate to activity, she said. But that will change.

Credit Unions and small banks across the country reported a surge in account openings, thanks to initiatives like Bank Transfer Day and Move Your Money. The National Association of Federal Credit Unions reported a tripling in new checking account openings in one weekend in some states, and Google searches for credit unions rose in October and heading into November, too -- more than three times since the start of the year, to reach an all-time high.

Voss said the credit union relies on more than 100 keywords. A team of about 10 marketers from Navy Federal and its search agency supports between four and five paid-search ads, depending on the promotions for that month.

Navy Federal Credit Union serves those in the department of defense, contractors, and their families. On the minds of many consumers -- not just those in the military or government-related jobs -- remain the state of the economy and finding ways to survive through current financial troubles, including the unraveling of the European economy.

An unrelated survey from Yahoo Finance shows the declining economy and perceptions of the misuse of government power have caused many Americans to lose hope in the American Dream. Only about one-quarter of the public is confident that President Obama and Congress can fix the financial crisis.

The survey, conducted in September in partnership with Ipsos OTX MediaCT, reveals that while 53% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 still view America as the land of opportunity, 41% feel the American Dream is out of reach.

Most adults are confident they will be able to retire, but 38% plan to live off Social Security. Overall, 37% of adults -- of which 41% of women -- said they have no retirement savings. About 63% of adults -- 72% of those over 55 -- believe the U.S. economy will get worse.

Among parents who have saved college funds for kids, 22% have used them for other expenditures such as groceries and mortgage and rent payments. Seven percent admit that they used their child's college funds for vacations and shopping. Fifty-three percent of adults rate their financial position as "satisfactory," with 32% calling it "poor," and 34% have less savings now than they did last year.