Social Media: An Important Marketing Vehicle for Manufacturers

Social media has come a long way since its infancy. Surely its potential power was not realized at its inception. Today, social media is a platform for such things as serious social issues, political jousting, news reporting and businesses. It has become a powerhouse of marketing possibilities for your company. Discounting or neglecting this fact in your company’s strategic marketing plan can be disastrous. It is also important to understand how sending out the right message benefits your company and how the wrong message can damage your company’s reputation.

Social Media Tips

Deciding which sites to use can seem overwhelming with so many options. Be selective and do not over-extend your resources. Decide which platform is most relevant to your company, products and target audience. Not every outlet is right for every business. Even though social media is mostly free, it still requires time and effort to effectively manage the process. Here is a list of some of the most popular social media websites:

1. LinkedIn is the most professionally oriented social media site, so it’s a must for all businesses in this day in age. It’s great for meeting customers, getting in touch with vendors, recruiting new employees and reading industry news.
2. Twitter allows only 140 characters to share a message. It is great for short messages, sharing pictures and creating a buzz.   
3. Facebook is a great way to attract a fan base and share content with interested customers. It can be used for messaging, gaining feedback, pictures, sharing relevant content and industry news.
4. Tumblr hosts microblogs for its users. Companies fill their blogs with multimedia images and short video clips to promote products and services.
5. Pinterest is great for the do-it-yourself crowd. Share pictures, creative thoughts or before-and-after project pictures for others to duplicate and share.
6. YouTube The site has everything from first-person product reviews to promotional clips and “how-two” instructions on a variety of topics. Users have the ability to share, rate, and comment on each video.

Some manufacturing companies are slow to adopt social media or to consider it a viable and valuable part of their marketing efforts. Social media outlets provide a unique opportunity to share company messaging and promote products to new and existing customers.

Captivate your audience by offering original content to provide value or knowledge. Content should be posted on a regular basis. Users do not seek out pages when content is notoriously old or out of date. Posting content on a regular basis also assists with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Messaging should lead the user back to your website for further engagement.

Benefits of Social Media

A strong social media presence is an essential part of doing business in today’s connected society. Many companies rely on social media to launch new products, increase brand recognition and interact with customers. Social media allows consumers to provide instant feedback to your company; both good and bad. A successful social media marketing campaign increases inbound traffic, decreases marketing costs and ultimately leads to increased sales.

Things to Avoid

Even the best intentions can go awry and have devastating consequences. Innocent content can create negative attention if the audience gets the wrong impression. Avoid being risqué or making nuanced innuendoes. They can be offensive and drive customers away. Do not use pranks or false alarms to shock and engage consumers. Check all links for accuracy to prevent embarrassment. Always use good judgement when using social media. When it comes to your business sites, resist the temptation to engage in political posts or controversial topics.

Get Started with Social Media or Improve your Efforts

Get excited about social media and reaching an even broader audience. If your company is interested in developing a social media strategy or needs to improve its current efforts to generate leads and sales, NJMEP can provide experience.

For more information, call 973-998-9801, e-mail info@njmep.org or click the button below

[otw_shortcode_button href=”/services/innovation-and-growth/marketing-pr/” size=”large” icon_position=”left” shape=”square” css_class=”hs-button” target=”_blank”]Learn More About Business Development & Marketing Services[/otw_shortcode_button]