This is the second installment in our on-going series on Social Media for Manufacturing.  This is an extension of a recent seminar Web Marketing Manager Carmen Fontana gave on the topic for the Cleveland manufacturing association, WIRE-net. While geared towards industrial companies, many of the principles can be applied to businesses of all types.

There are tons and tons of social media channels out there.  From the common to the not so common, it can be overwhelming understanding the differences between all the different platforms.  

Here are a few of the most common social media outlets used by manufacturers:

• Blogs – An extension of your website, blogs allow you to share extended thoughts, ideas and commentary about your business and industry.  They are usually between 300 and 500 words, which requires a serious time commitment in order to be produced on a regular basis.  If you can find the time, they can really be worth it.  The content produced adds to the usability of your site and positions your company as a thought leader.  And it is great for search engine optimization!
• Facebook – The biggest social media platform of them all is seeing a lot of action from manufacturing companies.  Since many marketers already have a personal account, it is an easy transition to setting up a corporate one for their company.  That said, Facebook is not always the best route for industrial companies.  One, there is still quite a few companies that block Facebook on their internal networks, leaving your company’s corporate Facebook page inaccessible.  Second, there is a perception that Facebook is a “playground” of sorts and not appropriate for B2B companies.  This may change as more and more B2B companies break ground on Facebook.
• Twitter – A “microblogging” site, Twitter users converse in 140 character “tweets”.  Since it is less time intensive than blogs, many companies are turning to Twitter to converse with their “followers”.  However, it is still fledging in the industrial world and only time will tell if it gets universally adopted by this group.
• LinkedIn – The more “professional” social networking platform, LinkedIn allows individuals and companies to connect and share information in a more formal atmosphere.  No vacation pictures or videos of funny dog tricks here!
• YouTube – This well-known video sharing site is growing in popularity among industrial marketers because it allows companies to show (versus tell about) their product.  This is especially important where product installations may be particularly large or custom.  Additionally, videos cut down the language barriers that many international manufacturers contend with.  As the old adage goes, a picture (or in this case – a video) is worth a thousand words!

Next installment: How does Social Media fit into your manufacturing marketing plan?

This is the first installment in our on-going series on Social Media for Manufacturing.  This is an extension of a recent seminar Web Marketing Manager Carmen Fontana gave on the topic for the Cleveland manufacturing association, WIRE-net. While geared towards industrial companies, many of the principles can be applied to businesses of all types.

What is Social Media?

The words “Social Media” are often intimidating to manufacturers. There are a lot of fancy (and sometimes conflicting) definitions out there.  So let’s strip away the marketing speak and see what the dictionary says:

“Forms of electronic communication (such as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)” - Meriam Webster

So simply speaking, Social Media is nothing more than communication that just happens to be on the web.  There’s nothing mystical about that!

Why Social Media?

• Communication: Social Media gives you a forum tolet your constituents know what you are doing and why.
• Brand Development: An extension of your tradional marketing, Social Mediais another medium to share your message about what your company stands for.
• Relationship Building: Manufacturers tend to be more national and international than other businesses.  Social Media allows you to connect to people around the globe you may not have an opportunity to otherwise.
• Thought Leadership:  Know one knows your product (or marketspace) better than you.  Leverage Social Media to share what you know.
• Knowledge Gathering: What’s happening in your industry?  What’s happening with your competitors?  What are people saying about your products?  Social Media allows you to listen in to these conversations.
• Search Engine Optimization: Social Media signals are now being used to influence traditional SEO.  Expect for Social Media’s influence on Google and Bing’s rankings to continue to grow.

Next installment: An overview of the most common Social Media platforms for manufacturers