Community bankers have long prized their place as friendlier, more accessible alternatives to giant banking brethren. But in certain quarters, they’re being criticized for not being accessible enough – via the Internet, mobile banking or even ubiquitous (and free) social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The digital world may not be the traditional milieu for smaller banks, but that’s where younger customers are headed, analysts say. A few short years ago, digital banking was the sole domain of the largest banks that had the resources necessary to enter, the online market.

But while the time is ripe for aggressively pursuing these investments, that window is going to shut very soon.

“This is the first time that the market has turned against big banks,” said Kelly Trammell, a managing director with Texas-based Sheshunoff Management Services, meaning now is the time to impress customers.

The spotlight will quickly swing away from smaller banks, he warned, and they’ll go right back to being in the big banks’ shadow. With technology investments changing the market so quickly, smaller banks can’t be content to follow big bankers’ lead anymore.

But while one side is urging banks to invest in gee-whiz features, Robert E. Bessel tempers the message. A spokesman for Connecticut-based bank technology company COCC, Bessel says banks are putting their investment dollars on a variety of bets, but no one can be sure what technology is legitimately game-changing, and what’s just hype.

Going Mobile

For example, many banks are closely monitoring the mobile banking scene, but the herd isn’t yet willing to stampede in that direction.

Bessel said “It’s [mobile banking] coming up fast, but we just don’t know how banks and customers are going to use this, and what other players are going to jump into the game.”

Still, a number of Massachusetts banks are readying to take the plunge into mobile banking and other tech investments.

Some banks, such as Eastern Bank, are already on the mobile bandwagon, and they’re about to be joined by Middlesex Savings Bank. Chuck Bauer, chief technology officer for Middlesex, said the bank had first converted to a core processing platform that can handle Internet and mobile banking.

“We’re certainly not on the leading edge [of tech innovations], but I think it’s prudent for us, as we look at upgrades in our other delivery channels, to include mobile banking,” Bauer said.

Newburyport’s Institution for Savings – which has also taken on social networking, a move many analysts urge community banks to make – announced that it would be launching mobile banking as of Jan. 25.

Michael Jones, COO of the bank, said strong online and mobile banking products allow the institution to hang on to customers outside its “community footprint,” as well as attracting new customers entirely.

“In today’s baking world, it’s all about technology efficiency. If you don’t go on board with what they’re demanding, they’re just going to pick somebody else,” Jones said.

Determining Priorities

Of course, a few small banks have yet to put up a Web site at all, including East Bridgewater Savings Bank, soon to merge with Bridgewater Savings Bank, said Bridgewater Spokesman Joe Mitchell.

“Five years ago, it was ‘nice to have,’ then ‘should have,’ now it’s a ‘need to have,’” Mitchell said of online banking.

After the merger is complete, Mitchell expects Bridgewater to resume its plans to expand online banking, including allowing people to sign up for accounts online. But it won’t come cheap.

“To do that, it’s a big outlay of money … and you have to do a lot of due diligence to make sure it’s secure,” he said. The bank recently converted to a new back-office system, which made operations smoother and will help pave the way for further offers for customer service.

The same cost/benefit argument evident in mobile banking repeats itself with remote deposit capture.

Remote deposit capture is a way in which customers – mostly businesses – can deposit a check by scanning the check’s image and transmitting it to the bank. Trammell says if bankers haven’t already invested in this, they shouldn’t bother. Checks are dying out as a transaction method, he said, and banks should put their money elsewhere.

But Christine Barry, research director with Boston-based Aite Group, begged to differ.

“Checks are going away, but they’re not going away that soon, especially for small businesses,” she said. And as many community banks try to court small business dollars, they’ll need to offer this technology.

Other than that, Barry has seen more community banks interested in shoring up their compliance and data security technology, with flashier customer offerings occupying fewer bankers’ minds.

Right now, it’s more about practical, defensive measures, she said.