Social Media for the Industrial Marketplace
Kate Peterson,
Copywriter
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Social Media for the Industrial Marketplace
When you think about brands that have mastered the art of social media, who comes to mind? Maybe Nike, Coca-Cola, Doritos…?
For years, popular companies like these have generated thousands of followers through their fun and relatable content. When it comes to social media marketing, however, you don’t have to be a B2C powerhouse to achieve similar results.
In fact, research shows that manufacturing and industrial companies can use social media to increase their website traffic up to 300% and boost lead generation by 150%. With more than half the world’s population currently using social media, your company should be too. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean your industrial B2B should hop on Instagram and start posting memes or get Justin Bieber to promote your new line of pneumatic cylinders (although don’t turn down the opportunity if it ever presents itself).
Social media is vast and the way in which it’s used will differ from industry to industry. If you want to increase traffic and boost quality leads, your focus should be less on gaining thousands of new followers and more on connecting with the right kinds of followers.
This is where buyer personas are especially useful—not only for determining the type of person you want to target, but also where to find them. Keep in mind that the best social media strategy for your business may not involve every platform on the market.
A metal distributor, for example, might find that their target audience is more interested in instructional YouTube videos than an Instagram photo of an aluminum sheet. Before creating separate accounts on every platform, look into the value proposition of each. How does it align with your company’s goals and the values of your target audience?
Oftentimes, this is where B2C and B2B marketing differ. While a brand like Nike can get away with posting sleek shots of their shoes in action, users may not show the same kind of engagement on a photo of a screw in a wind turbine. Instead, think broad. A fastener company might see better results with a post centered around new innovations in the power industry.
This may require some research. Unlike B2C brands, your goal on social media won’t always be to drive direct sales. Instead, use your platform as an opportunity to establish your brand as an industry thought leader and position yourself against competitors. Post content for the purpose of relating to your audience, instead of trying to sell to them.
This is why it’s important to put thought into what you’re posting and who you want it to reach. If you catch the attention of the right audience, it’s likely that at least a few of them will pass your content onto people in their own network. In this way, you can leverage your social media to build a web of online marketers all working to grow your audience, for free!
For years, popular companies like these have generated thousands of followers through their fun and relatable content. When it comes to social media marketing, however, you don’t have to be a B2C powerhouse to achieve similar results.
In fact, research shows that manufacturing and industrial companies can use social media to increase their website traffic up to 300% and boost lead generation by 150%. With more than half the world’s population currently using social media, your company should be too. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean your industrial B2B should hop on Instagram and start posting memes or get Justin Bieber to promote your new line of pneumatic cylinders (although don’t turn down the opportunity if it ever presents itself).
Social media is vast and the way in which it’s used will differ from industry to industry. If you want to increase traffic and boost quality leads, your focus should be less on gaining thousands of new followers and more on connecting with the right kinds of followers.
Developing A Successful B2B Social Media Strategy:
Identify Your Target Audience
The key to any social media strategy is to be intentional about who you’re targeting and how you’re targeting them. Throwing random information into the media void will do very little to promote your brand.This is where buyer personas are especially useful—not only for determining the type of person you want to target, but also where to find them. Keep in mind that the best social media strategy for your business may not involve every platform on the market.
A metal distributor, for example, might find that their target audience is more interested in instructional YouTube videos than an Instagram photo of an aluminum sheet. Before creating separate accounts on every platform, look into the value proposition of each. How does it align with your company’s goals and the values of your target audience?
Connect & Engage
Now that you’ve identified who you’re targeting and on which platforms, it’s time to brainstorm the kind of content that will attract them. This is where inbound marketing comes in handy. You’ll want to speak to the interests of your consumers.Oftentimes, this is where B2C and B2B marketing differ. While a brand like Nike can get away with posting sleek shots of their shoes in action, users may not show the same kind of engagement on a photo of a screw in a wind turbine. Instead, think broad. A fastener company might see better results with a post centered around new innovations in the power industry.
This may require some research. Unlike B2C brands, your goal on social media won’t always be to drive direct sales. Instead, use your platform as an opportunity to establish your brand as an industry thought leader and position yourself against competitors. Post content for the purpose of relating to your audience, instead of trying to sell to them.
Expand Your Reach
At its core, social media is a place to share information quickly and to a variety of people. What used to be accomplished through word-of-mouth is now accomplished through comments, likes, and messages.This is why it’s important to put thought into what you’re posting and who you want it to reach. If you catch the attention of the right audience, it’s likely that at least a few of them will pass your content onto people in their own network. In this way, you can leverage your social media to build a web of online marketers all working to grow your audience, for free!