Maybe you think social media is for the popular kids with their flashy products and huge fan base. But if you look carefully you will see some of the most successful companies at social media in the construction industry seem pretty…, well, let’s just say it. Boring. Some of these companies are way too serious. Others just don’t seem like they get excited about anything, like making buildings. Meh.
Some of these companies have it figured out, though. Through creativity, attention to detail, and with a generous dollop of humor, various businesses in “boring” industries have grown their customer base by doing social media marketing right.
If they can do it, you can do it. Seriously.
You Are NOT Boring
People who are in the market for your product or service aren’t bored by it; they are very interested. They will only become bored if you provide boring content full of features and specifications. Yes, your customers need and want to know those things but in a way that makes that information memorable and enjoyable to consume.
Are your competitors in the social space? What are they doing and how well is it working? Would you read their blog or follow their Twitter feed? If so, then they are doing something right. If your competitors are not using social, this is your chance to show everyone how it’s done.
Develop your own voice so your content will be recognizable. Create content that sounds like you; decide how you want your company seen. Tell a story. Make this a branding exercise while you put together the information your customers need and make it consistent across channels so no matter where it is seen you will be recognized.
A great example of developing a voice is HubSpot, a marketing software platform. When you see content from HubSpot you know who produced it, how easy it will be to consume, and that your questions will be answered.
Respond to Questions
People will dig deeper and give more attention to content that answers a pressing question. By providing the answers you put yourself in a position to:
- Become the acknowledged expert
- Increase repeat visits
- Nurture leads through the funnel
- Generate more awareness with every new contact
How do you know what people are asking? Because you consult the very social networks your ideal customer spends time on. You go to Twitter, Facebook, Quora, or a more industry-specific network and search for keywords related to your business. What is everyone asking about? Talk to your sales team; what do prospects ask them? What concerns do they bring to you? Interact with existing customers; find out why they came to you and what ongoing information needs they have.
And if you receive feedback and interaction from your target audience, be sure to engage with them to deepen the relationship and let them know you are here to help.
Provide Easily Digestible Answers
What would you want to look at: a list of numbers or an infographic with statistics alongside drawings and briefs about what the numbers mean?
Don’t give a textbook answer, make it fun. Get on your inner snark, or clown, or whatever type of humor your company engages in and let it color your answers. Is there a guy who has the staff in stitches with stories about things that happen at the jobsite? Use his examples and his style to create a funny video about getting through the permitting process or how “not” to use a tool.
The saying about a picture being worth a thousand words is very true. Construction simply begs to have images and videos created. What could be better than showing the progress of a project or close-ups of parts of a building nobody ever sees? Do people often wonder why a particular project can take so long? Show them what goes into building it.
Make It Easy to Share
One of the easiest ways to get your content shared is by putting social media share buttons on every piece of content. You should have buttons on your blog entries, on your pages and in any external content you produce.
When you publish, make sure you promote through the social media channels your customers frequent. Invite them to share with their colleagues and friends. Ask them to pass the information along. Make your Facebook page a second home; share tips on Twitter. Get out there where everyone can see you.
Above All Be Relevant
Posting and sharing about anything and everything just to get a backlink won’t do much for your bottom line. Your ideal customer wants information and data about your industry. Writing about something else just for the sake of attracting a reader may get you a visitor hit but will that visitor come back or convert? Unlikely.
Create content that appeals to each segment of your prospect base and funnel. Don’t be afraid to get specific or in-depth. The biggest reason people use the internet is to get information that will help them solve their problem without getting stalked by a sales rep. Nobody wants to call you to get even the tiniest bit of information because they are afraid of the hard sell. The web has provided a way to find this information. If you don’t provide it your competitor will.
There is no such thing as a boring industry, only boring content. Even the driest subject can be livened up with story-telling techniques, images, and attention to the needs of the customer. If they need to know it, it isn’t boring. Just because the industry seems serious doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor. Make your company into a living organism by developing your own voice and providing answers to customers’ questions.
That’s what’s known as being social.
