Is your company still resisting the urge to jump onto social networks? Although the manufacturing sector lagged behind others in joining new digital trends, the time has come for the industry to adopt the fastest growing marketing tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media holds the power to influence your customer base unlike any other platform - and according to IHS GlobalSpec, your customers are waiting to see your content. In 2014, 74% of technical professionals in the industrial sector reported having a LinkedIn account, while 61% claimed to be maintaining a Facebook account. Although only 17% of professionals are currently active on Twitter, this social media platform is popular among younger generations, and will only grow in its usage in the next few years.
It’s clear that a majority of your target market is using social media in one form or another, and many of them are there to find manufacturing related information. Out of those in the industry using social media, 69% follow manufacturing companies, while 47% look specifically for product or industry news while they’re online. This provides you with a unique opportunity to push your company’s messaging and products to potential or current customers.
Consumers and other industry professionals are on social media to find content about your products and technologies, so why not give it to them? Start utilizing social networks like Facebook and Twitter to push your content out to those who are looking for it. Original content that promotes your products, upcoming events, and company news can be your best source of social media content. This type of content should originate from your primary online tools; mainly, your website, blog and digital videos (YouTube, etc.). Frequently updating these assets gives you plenty of content to post on social networks; posting any new content from your website or blog to your social media accounts helps “push” that information to your followers, rather than relying on them to visit your webpage on their own.
At Mazak, we’ve worked to do just that on our Facebook page and Twitter profile (@MazakCorp). Each day, we send out posts/tweets concerning any company news or product info we think our followers deserve to know. From there, we are able to interact with others in the industry through sharing, commenting, and tweeting, giving us a two-way communication stream with those who use our machines everyday.
By posting high-quality photos and videos, we give many in the industry an opportunity to see our amazing machines and technologies first-hand, an experience they would not have unless they visited one of our facilities. As we welcome our President Brian Papke (@Brian_Papke) to Twitter, we’re even offering some of our leadership’s views on industry news and trends.
The influence of social media will only continue to grow in the industry. Now is the time for manufacturers to jump onto networks to promote their content and begin joining the online conversations that are already taking place. By utilizing these digital tools, the industry can continue to move forward, engaging in industry-specific conversations and showcasing their products to a new generation.