Social media has taken over today, with an estimated 5 billion people using social networking sites worldwide. Though this world of knowledge at your fingertips can be overwhelming, it can also be an opportunity. Social media can connect you to new resources and leads you may not otherwise reach, helping you grow your business – if you know where to spend your time.
Spending some time on LinkedIn is a great first step. Because LinkedIn is built for sharing business updates and accomplishments, it’s an opportune place to connect with colleagues, clients, new hires, and leads.
By taking a little time to browse every day, you can stay updated on recent news and connect with others in your field. Ashley Saldivar, DHT, DHC, Client Support Manager of Software for Hardware, finds a lot of value in using it to stay connected to the door, frame, and hardware industry.
“I use social media for business quite frequently,” she says. “Many different manufacturers and brands constantly post product updates, codes, and standard updates. It’s great to take a few minutes throughout the day to scroll through and see current updates, projects, or even open job positions in the industry.”
You can also become the one posting projects and open positions by setting up your own free LinkedIn business page. In doing so, you can position your business as a credible leader in the industry. And it doesn’t take long to set up; simply follow these steps, and you’ll be ready to start posting.
But before you make that first post, write out your goals. Buildertrend, a supplier of construction project management software, says that “all your content should have purpose and intent, acting as the beams and columns to support specific business goals.” If you can create a post that connects back to a goal, you’ll know that you’re spending time wisely.
For example, a good starting goal might be: I want to attract more job candidates so that my business can grow, so I will create job postings and 2-3 posts per month highlighting my company culture. From here, you can plan the posts that will show off company culture.
Creating a content calendar can help you plan posts. Buffer, a social media management platform, adds that planning this kind of schedule “mitigates the risk of mistakes by allowing you to review content ahead of time”. You can lay out your posts in advance and feel confident, not rushed, when you finally put them online.
How often you post depends on your availability. Software for Hardware typically posts on LinkedIn once a week to reach audiences without taking time away from other business tasks. But however frequently you post, remember that consistency is key. It creates a pattern that your followers will grow used to so they will start to anticipate your posts.
Your posts can also be simple and effective. Consider sharing company events to provide insight into your company culture or highlighting the great work and stories of your employees with a staff spotlight interview.
Taking your own pictures is an easy way to find imagery. You can take out your phone and snap a photo of an event, project, or employee that you want to spotlight and post it with your text. It takes little time, and audiences will appreciate this authentic look into your business.
Speaking of audience, remember to pay attention to how your posts are received. LinkedIn includes an analytics section to let you see post reactions, reposts, comments, visitor demographics, trends over time, and more. This helps you identify when you’re reaching your target audience and when you may need to experiment with new types of posts.
With social media, a little goes a long way. By spending some time each day exploring colleagues’ posts and creating your own, you can uncover new knowledge, showcase your business, and make valuable connections in an increasingly digital world.
For more social media benefits, strategies, and post ideas, check out our free 5 Keys to Social Media Success Whitepaper: https://softwareforhardware.net/download-social-media-whitepaper/
Anna Litofsky, Marketing Coordinator, Software For Hardware.
