People within the industry may not realise how important social media marketing for construction is. Here at Construction PR, we have proved time and time again that having an effective strategy in place makes a world of difference! We have over 12 years of experience within the construction industry and the expert knowledge on social media that is needed to up your social media game.
Rise of technology
Year after year, the amount of people using social media increases. As of January 2021, over 53 million people in the UK alone actively use some form of social media. This roughly translates to 78% of the population! Phones place everything in the palm of our hand; gone are the days of phone books and directories, now all it take is a quick Google search to find a product or service. Mobiles are quick, easy, and always there. Therefore, you need to make sure you are doing everything you can to reach your target audience online.
Posting pictures
Construction is a very visual industry. Before people decide to use your services, they may want to see examples of your work. One of the best ways to do this is by sharing images and videos on your social media, particularly on Instagram. Pictures of finished products and the process of getting to that stage, are things that really catch people’s attention. Not only can they see what they are going to get from you, but they can also see how much work goes into it. The content you put out there must be of good quality for it to reach your desired audience. It might not be practical for you to have a professional camera with you on site, however, smart phones are just as good these days, if not better. Familiarise yourself with your phone camera. Get snapping whilst you work. Instagram humanises your company, making it the perfect tool for social media marketing for construction. It brings you and your target audience closer. This should be reflected in the content you post. Ensure your pictures look professional but allow your audience to see a human side to your business.
Videos
Over the last year, video sharing on social media has reached an all-time high. TikTok was one of the most downloaded and used apps in 2020, and has continued to grow in popularity. Instagram has followed suit, introducing Reels – a way to share 15 second videos with your Instagram followers. Many construction companies are using this as way to show the behind the scenes of their final product. By using time lapses (sped up videos showing changes over the course of a project) and short snippets of works, you can attract a larger audience. On TikTok, the construction hashtag has amassed over 14.3 billion views worldwide, showing just how big of an audience there is for this type of video. If your content is shot well and can capture the attention of the watcher, they are more likely to share this with friends and family, increasing your exposure.
Captions and Hashtags
If social media is your tool belt, then captions and hashtags are just tools; you must use them properly for them to work! A caption can be the deciding factor between someone stopping to read your post and follow you, or for them to continuing to scroll. You need to capture the user’s attention and make it relatable to the image. Describe what is going on in your image. If it’s a video of a digger, talk about where this was and the process you are carrying out. You don’t want to make your captions sound like adverts as these dehumanises your brand.
Any hashtags you add must be relevant to your post and your image. If you’re posting on Instagram, you can add up to 30 different hashtags to each post. The best technique for hashtags is to add a variety. Using #construction on your post will get a lot of reach, but it is likely your post will be lost under new ones in seconds. Include some hashtags that aren’t as widely used. For example, a hashtag for the area of the country you’re working in. Or, the type of construction being carried out. It is worth doing some hashtag research and choosing a few that are most used and then some that aren’t. That way, you can mix and match them when you post.
Using Instagram Stories
Another visual element on Instagram you can utilise within social media marketing for construction, is the ‘Stories’ feature. This allows you to upload short clips and pictures to a story away from your grid. These will stay up for 24 hours before disappearing. You can also add them to highlights on your profile for people to visit after the 24 hours are up. This is an easy way for your followers to keep up with what you’re doing on the go!
How Can Construction PR Help with Your social media?
Now you know a bit more about why you need to use social media and what you can use it for, you must implement it. Here at Construction PR, we have a dedicated team who specialise in social media marketing for construction. We know that putting these tips into action can be time consuming and, with a business in construction, you don’t often have much time for other parts of the business – this is where we come in! Our social media team can take care of your stories, posts, captions, and engagement for you, so you don’t have to worry. We have been working with clients within the construction industry for some time, so we know the right audiences to target.
Ready to start on your social media journey? Get in touch with our friendly team today to start discussing your strategy or call us on 01376 386 850 – we would love to hear from you!