As social media platforms have evolved into full-blown communication channels, more industrial companies are relying on these platforms to reach their target audiences.  But which social media is best for industrial marketing?   Which social media channels should we be watching?

Is Social Media Right for My Industrial Business?

Many industrial businesses shy away from social media since they feel it is better for business to customer communications and not business to business.  Or they focus solely on LinkedIn.

Contrary to that thought, many Industrial companies are finding that the businesses they serve are on social media and it is a great way to build brand awareness and relationships.

Social Media Examiner found that more B2B companies are starting to pick up on this and are expanding beyond LinkedIn.

• 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn
• 88% use Facebook
• 83% use Twitter
• 61% use Google+
• 55% use YouTube
• 39% use Pinterest
• 26% use Instagram

The key to being successful on social media in 2019 and beyond is to make sure you are thinking about your clients.  What do they want to see?  It isn’t the time to be self-serving and post what you are interested in or just try to sell stuff.  Think about your audience and tailor your social media content to them. Make social media about your audience, not just your business.

Your Social Media Plan?

Decide what you hope to gain from using social media for your industrial business and how you will measure it.   Are you looking for followers, clicks, a certain action, etc.

Once you know what you want to accomplish on social media and how you’re going to measure success. The next step is laying out the steps for how to get there.

You are not alone if you do not have a written social media plan in place.

According to the Content Marketing Institute,  80% of B2B marketers have a social media strategy, only 32% have it written down somewhere.

A written  B2B social media plan allows you to set goals and lay out a roadmap for reaching them.

Questions your plan should answer include?

• Who is your target audience?
• What social platforms will you use?
• What are your goals?
• Which social media metrics will you be using to measure your efforts?
• What type of content will you be publishing?
• How are your competitors using social media?

Find Your Personality

Don’t be boring and dull.   Just because you are a B2B business or industrial in nature does not mean you have to be boring.  Social media should not be an afterthought.  Make sure your posts have personality and a human touch.

Unfortunately, since a lot of B2B companies treat social media as an afterthought, their posts lack personality and a human touch.

Engaging with your clients on social media will make you stand out from your competitors.  Very few are doing it successfully.

In our next post, we will provide tips for industrial social media success and trends to watch.