Why are Social Media Platforms important
There’s no shortage of ways for contractors to engage their target audience with the goal of generating new business.
Unfortunately, many contractors overlook the power of social media because they’re unfamiliar with the benefits.
On the plus side, it doesn’t take much to get started on social media.
From Twitter to Facebook to Instagram (and that’s just the start), you can be up and running on all three within an hour or so.
From there, you have a world of opportunity staring you in the face.
Why are social media platforms important?
Some people use social media for personal reasons only, such as to share photos with friends and family.
Others, however, have come to learn that posting on social media is important for business.
This leads to the million-dollar question: why should contractors use social media?
Some of the primary reasons to maintain social media channels for your contracting business include the following.
Increased visibility
You want your target audience to see what you’re doing. You want your name to remain fresh in their minds. Social media gives you a high level of visibility no matter who you’re trying to reach.
A place to share your work
Imagine you own a contracting company that specializes in kitchen remodeling. Wouldn’t it be nice to share project updates with potential customers? Social media allows you to easily and efficiently do just that.
It’s free
This alone isn’t reason enough to get involved with social media, but when combined with the benefits above you can see the point of heading down this path.
It doesn’t cost anything to post on social media, engage with your audience, and hopefully take the conversation offline when applicable.
The more you use social media networks, the more you’ll realize that there are a nearly unlimited number of benefits to doing so.
How do contractors use social media?
It’s one thing to know why you should post to social media, but another thing entirely to create a plan for doing so effectively.
There’s no right or wrong way to post on social media as a contractor, but there are definitely some tactics that work better than others.
Let’s look at three things to keep in mind.
1. Post an authentic photo of yourself
Even though you have a business, you still want to show your personal side. Get started by using an authentic photo of yourself on your Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram business page.
A company logo is okay, but a personal photo has the potential to attract a larger audience.
2. Use your real name and contact details
There’s no reason to hide who you really are. You should be proud of your business and the services you offer. Using your real name works in your favor in regards to building a strong personal brand.
3. Post regularly
The contractors who have the most success on social media are the ones with a regular posting schedule. Don’t post today and tomorrow, skip two weeks, and then post another few days in a row.
Create a publishing schedule that works for you and stick with it. This gives your audience a reason to visit your page in the future.
4. Make it unique
Your business is unique so your social media pages should be the same.
Don’t post the “same old” content as other local businesses. Some of the unique types of content you can share include:
Personal guidance and advic.
Testimonials from satisfied customers
Location-specific information and news
Project photos
Links to blog content on your website
You want your audience to learn something every time they visit one of your social media pages.
Additionally, you want the social media engagement to the point of potential customers contacting you for more information. This is one of the best ways to generate home improvement leads.
Your competition is already involved
With the number of active social media users on the rise, there’s never been a better time than now to get involved.
Even if your competitors have a headstart — and many of them probably do — it doesn’t mean you should look the other way.
Start by making a list of your top three to five competitors. From there, review their social media presence to answer the following questions:
What social media platforms are they using?
How often do they publish on each platform?
What type of content do they share?
What type of engagement do they receive?
Are there any areas of weakness that you can exploit?
Social media for contractors has grown into its own market, so you should strongly consider getting involved.
Your competitors are already taking advantage, and you don’t want to let them continue to get the best of you.
How to get started with social media networks
The way you get started with social media marketing may not be the same as the next contractor, but there are three simple steps anyone can take.
Create your social media business pages
Decide which platforms are right for your contracting business and then create a profile on each one.
Review your competitors
Not only does this show you who you’re up against online, but it also gives you inspiration in your early days of posting.
Create a content calendar
A simple spreadsheet is all you need. Use this to outline what, when, and where you’ll post content in the future. Try to plan several weeks in advance.
Social media strategy helps to generate leads
Social media advertising is just a small part of of your marketing strategy. Combine your digital marketing efforts with affordable, qualified aged leads to fill your pipeline with potential customers.