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Social media is often associated with B2C marketing, where direct engagement with consumers can lead to quick conversions. Manufacturing companies, on the other hand, are typically B2B and may have longer sales cycles, leading to the belief that social media won't have as immediate an impact.
However, social media marketing has increasingly become a key component in the strategic marketing efforts of manufacturing companies. In fact, a whopping 98% of manufacturers are generating sales-qualified leads through digital marketing efforts, which include social media tactics. LinkedIn, for example, is the top platform for manufacturing companies, with nearly 79% reporting success in generating leads and raising brand awareness. This demonstrates a clear return on investment as manufacturers harness the power of digital platforms to connect with potential customers.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at social media marketing for manufacturing companies and find out how you can use these platforms to bring your brand to life and resonate with a broader audience.
A Guide to Social Media for Manufacturing Companies
Social media is a pivotal marketing platform for manufacturing companies, offering an unparalleled opportunity to amplify their digital visibility. If you haven’t included it in your overall marketing strategy, there’s no better time than now to do it.
Here are tactics that will boost your online presence, engage with your audience, and bolster your brand in the market:
1. Develop a content calendar
Plan your posts, and stick to a consistent schedule. For most manufacturing companies, 3-5 posts per week across platforms is enough. Figuring out the best posting schedule for your business is an important part of the strategy. You’ll need to look at data and get to know your audience to get a better sense of when they are most likely to see your posts and engage with them.
You can also leverage social media tools like Clearview Social, which makes that part of the job a lot easier. PeakTime™, its smart scheduling algorithm, uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to find the most ideal times for your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook posts to get the most attention.
2. Share behind-the-scenes content
Give your audience a glimpse into your company culture and operations. Share photos and quick videos of products being made, or perhaps, employees at work. Create video tours of your facilities highlighting the machinery, production lines, and workshops where products take shape. Showing employees using specialized tools, testing prototypes, and discussing ideas for improvements are also good ideas for content. You can also give close-up looks at the details and finishings that make your products stand out.
Not only do these authentic peeks into your business engage your audience, but they will also help your followers understand the craftsmanship that goes into creating your products.
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3. Educate your audience
Post content that informs and educates followers about industry topics or how your products work. You can also create blog posts or videos that break down technical concepts in simple, straightforward language.
Sharing insights into industry trends and how your products respond to them can also establish your authority. For instance, if sustainability and reducing environmental impact are becoming priorities for your customers, explain how your manufacturing processes and material choices keep those considerations in mind.
Discussing these things shows your expertise in your industry while also satisfying customers' curiosity about the products they rely on and the manufacturing processes that create them.
4. Highlight customer success stories
In the manufacturing industry, trust and reliability are crucial. One powerful way to build this trust through social media is by highlighting customer success stories. Showcase how your machinery, tools, or services have played a pivotal role in a client's project, focusing on the challenges overcome and the efficiencies gained.
Use testimonials, detailed case studies, and visual before-and-after snapshots to illustrate the practical benefits of your products. Not only does this approach provide social proof, but it also demonstrates the real-world value of your manufacturing solutions. Just be sure to get consent from your clients before you feature their success on your socials.
5. Consider paid social advertising
While organic social media efforts are important, paid social ads can significantly boost the reach of your content and brand messaging. Target your ads based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and other parameters to ensure they're seen by the most relevant potential customers.
Make sure to A/B test different ad creatives, headlines, and calls to action to determine which performs best. Then, allocate most of your budget to the highest-converting ad campaigns.
6. Analyze and optimize
As you're using social media to engage your audience and promote your brand, it's important to evaluate how effective your efforts are. Continually optimize your approach based on what performs best. See what's working by analyzing metrics like likes, comments, and shares. Track follower growth and demographics to shape your content and platform strategies. Based on that, make changes and continue improving your social media campaigns to improve marketing results. Post more content that resonates with your audience and less of those that don't.
This is another area in your process that you can make more efficient by taking advantage of tools designed for social media marketing. Leverage tools that provide social media analytics features so you can track and measure clicks, click-through rates, engaged users, and more. Clearview Social, for instance, allows you to calculate the Earned Media Value (EMV) of organic social shares as if they were purchased through paid ads. It also has the "Find Out Who" feature that helps identify which businesses clicked on shared content. This will help you with social selling and follow-ups.
7. Create an employee advocacy program
When it comes to amplifying your manufacturing company's social media reach, nothing beats the power of your own employees. From engineers to factory workers, every team member can act as a brand advocate. Encourage them to share content about new machinery, productivity enhancements, and innovative solutions. This allows you to tap into their personal networks of suppliers, customers, and peers, which broadens your digital footprint substantially. Then, provide incentives for those who generate significant industry engagement.
Getting your employees to participate, however, may be a completely different story. Your goal is to make it as easy and as convenient for them as possible so they have fewer reasons to shy away from the program. This is where you'll need game-changing tools that make posting easier.
Clearview Social streamlines the process of transforming your workforce into active supporters of your brand's narrative. With Clearview Social, sharing company content becomes second nature to your teams, allowing them to post company-approved content at the most effective times and with just a few clicks. The more effortless your employee advocacy campaign is, the more appealing it becomes to employees.
Don’t get left behind; Get your manufacturing firm on socials
Social media offers a vast, untapped potential for manufacturers willing to explore and innovate within these platforms. With the right strategies, these digital spaces can amplify your industry voice, highlight your technological advancements, and showcase the expertise and reliability that are the hallmarks of your business.
Employee Advocacy Made Simple For Manufacturing Firms!
If you're ready to leverage social media effectively, empower your marketing team with Clearview Social—it will help you develop a thoughtful social media strategy for your manufacturing business, allowing you to highlight your company's expertise, innovations, and success on the platforms that matter most.