Social media is the ultimate equaliser. It gives a voice and a platform to anyone willing to engage.
Amy Jo Martin, Founder and CEO of Digital Royalty
Being in business in the connected age we currently live in and putting social media on the back burner, could mean overlooking your most effective marketing channel. While mastering social media as a company in the industrial sector is a bit trickier, the benefits of investing time and resources into these channels are clear.
Here are 8 reasons industrial companies should have an online social presence to help build their brand and explore the benefits they could gain by developing their virtual identity.
Creating a Virtual Identity
Taking control of your companies’ online identity shouldn’t be ignored. Customers and competitors alike are all participating in online conversations. Crafting your virtual identity on social media channels helps in shaping your brand’s footprint in the eyes and minds of your audience.
Educating and Creating Authority
Creating content for industrial companies on social media calls for creativity, like many others, but these platforms provide an excellent opportunity to educate potential customers on the benefits a company’s solutions can provide. Educating and informing audiences also positions a company as a credible and professional authority, and source of information, which leads to an increase in engagement and potential leads.
Adding the Human Touch
One area of challenge for many industrial companies is how to add the human component of the company to their technical or industrial image. Social media provides an opportunity to display that human side that would have otherwise remained hidden. Business is ultimately done between people and the less ‘corporate’ you can come across the more potential peers are likely to engage with you. By using storytelling industrial companies can begin a new conversation with their audience, one more centered around people.
Assisting With Sales
Social media may shorten the amount of time needed to close potential sales, by providing audiences with insights into different manufacturing processes, technology, or solutions you could offer them. This gives them a more informed opinion of your business and reduces the amount of time needed to educate peers or customers on your service offerings. Using social media platforms such as LinkedIn is a great way for industrial companies to find prospects and begin developing professional relationships by building trust, providing support, or answering questions.
Driving Traffic
The majority of valuable information that might be of interest to customers is usually located on a company’s website, the question is how to get them there? The content shared on social media is generally different pieces of information designed to educate, inspire or inform audiences about a company, but the ultimate goal (besides getting them to follow your social channels and engage with you) is to direct them to your website where they can be exposed to a wider and more detailed array of information that might interest them.
Keeping Your Audience Informed
Technological advancements and innovation move fast, and social media is a reliable way to stay informed about what your potential prospects or competitors might be doing. Likewise, it gives peers and decision-makers insight into the advances and new offerings your company might be launching, keeping them in the loop before you have even made contact.
Discovering More Benefits as You Grow
As your company grows on social media and you discover what works for your business, more and more benefits will present themselves.
Higher SEO rankings as a result of an active social media page. Aligning with other brands on campaigns on social media may allow you to build additional credibility in the market. Building a community online also attracts new talent, making your company an attractive option for future assets.
However, the true value of investing in social media can only be experienced in time. Like any other solid and sustainable relationship, it requires time, commitment, and clear communication. A more engaged community, better customer relationships, and access to new leads can only be obtained if social media is used in a way that educates, inspires, and engages people.
Our Moment of Bliss
Our thoughtful moments are always backed by inspiring music, like this corporate-meets-new-age style song “Into the Light” by Feki. Spotify.