How to Grow Your Organic Social Media Following as a Building Materials Company
In the digital age, social media isn’t a nice to have for businesses, it’s a crucial must-have. Everyone hangs out there, it’s the place to be and be seen, it opens doors to new markets that traditional marketing tactics just can’t reach.
We don’t need to elaborate on the importance of a social media presence because we know you’ve heard it before. The real question is: Once you’re on social media, how do you build and continuously grow your organic following? Especially as a building materials company.
In this blog post, we’re going to explore some strategies that you can use to grow your following without breaking the bank.
Define your target audience
Everything hinges on your audience which is why it’s the first one on this list. You need to know your audience, because all the social media content that you create, and post will be for them.
For example, while most of your target audience is likely to have a social media presence, you’re likely to find a more concentrated younger Pro audience. This means that your messaging and content needs to cater to their needs, what they like, what they want to know.
Defining your target audience isn’t just about simple demographics, it’s also about understanding what industries these Pros are coming from. For a building materials company, your target audience may include architects, builders, contractors, and homeowners.
Create quality content
It may be tempting to only use your social media platform as a place to announce new products, services, and the odd holiday shout out but if this is the only thing that you are using it for, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Quality content delivers on a promise, and it gives something to your audience. It should be informative while being engaging and visually appealing.
Some great examples of quality content include how-to’s, soft product launches, answering follower questions, highlighting your charity work, how you do what you do. This also helps create a stronger brand image and voice, letting your audience get to know you as a company and building brand trust in the process.
Use the right hashtags
A big part of growing your organic social media following is understanding how hashtags work and using the right ones. Hashtags increase your audience reach in the same way that SEO does, just simplified. For example, your audience may be looking for content around “floor tile inspiration”, if you use hashtags like #floortiledesign and #floorstyleinspo, your content is likely to populate for anyone who is interested in floor tiles.
Like SEO, hashtags are ever changing. This is why it’s so important that you research popular hashtags in your industry and use them in your posts. Always use hashtags that are relevant to your content so that you attract the right audience.
Engage with your audience
The algorithm really likes when businesses like and respond to people’s comments. The more you engage, the more likely your posts are to populate on the screens of the people you are trying to reach. This also really helps build a loyal following and encourages your audience to visit your page, which in-turn tells the algorithm that you are relevant.
A great way to engage with your audience is to encourage user-generated content. Don’t be afraid to host a giveaway or two. Another way to engage with your audience is by asking for feedback on your products and services.
Use paid social media advertising
Social media is a big and saturated place. Your audience may be looking for a company like yours but may not be able to find you. This is where paid social media advertising comes in. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer targeted advertising options, allowing you to reach your ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
While organic reach has declined in recent years, you can still get a foothold with the right messaging and strategies. Growing your social media following as a building materials company takes time and requires some effort, but it is a worthwhile investment if you do it right.
With a great plan in place and a little bit of patience, you can grow your following and drive sales for your business.
