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Do architects use social media for business?
The answer is, unequivocally, yes — and for building-product manufacturers trying to gain customers and get specified, this fact constitutes a huge opportunity. Social media can be a highly cost-effective way to build relationships with architecture firms, and building trust in your brand through those less formal channels exponentially increases your chance of getting selected on Architizer. That said, building an audience and communicate with potential clients through these channels is a constant challenge.
What are architects looking for when they scroll down their Facebook news feed? Which images spark their interest on Instagram? Which one-liners on Twitter will send them flocking to your Architizer profile for more information? There is no clear-cut answer due to the ever-changing, organic nature of social media — but the following five tips make for a great starting point. Read on for your quick guide to unlocking the potential of social media:
SAINT-GOBAIN’s engaging post about Matti Suuronen’s experimental home appeals to architects who are fasincated by design and innovation.
1. Create great content
This may sound like a case of stating the obvious, but it’s worth repeating Bill Gates’ assertion from 20 years ago that “content is king.” To grow your audience and your pool of potential clients through social media, it is essential to move beyond pure promotion of your products and create content that architects genuinely want to engage with. This can be done by creating blog posts on your website that you then share on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But what to share?
Content could take the form of a short walkthrough of a beautiful completed project, an opinion piece on the state of the construction industry or an entertaining feature about the challenges faced by architects — the key here is to brainstorm ideas for posts that your audience will not only want to read, but also share with their own network. This way, you will find that your clients turn into advocates, raising awareness of your brand and the innovative products you work so hard to develop.
Brands such as KOHLER educate their audience by posting guides and inspiration articles from their blog, but you can also take a thought leadership position by hosting similar articles from outside sources.
2. Educate your audience
Following on from the point above, much of the most shareable content on social media has an educational value. There are some classic formats for such articles; you have undoubtedly seen countless headlines starting with “How to … ,” “10 Tips and Tricks for … ” or “5 Secrets to Success in … .” As an expert in your field, you can adapt these templates to fit your own area of knowledge, and insightful and instructive articles will be shared by anyone who thinks your advice could be useful to their peers.
As you build up a digital archive of educational articles over time, you can become a thought leader within your field, the ‘go-to’ platform for information on a particular material, construction technique or building component. Social media provides a highly accessible platform for disseminating this kind of information and growing your influence, and can be supplemented with in-person events such as seminars and panel discussions — all of which can be promoted through those same social media channels (see point 5).
3. Start a conversation
Often forgotten by big brands that churn out a huge quantity of marketing on multiple platforms each day, the key word in ‘social media’ is ‘social.’ Facebook is built for engagement via its commenting system, and a highly effective way to get potential clients involved is to ask them what they think about industry topics that are mutually relevant to both you and them. Questions can range from broad industry-related topics to specific conversations about your product or materials; as long as it sparks the interest of your audience it can be worthwhile.
This strategy can form a superior alternative to the traditional approach of sending out questionnaires to clients via email, as the transparent nature of social media can spark conversations between multiple people and you can respond ‘live,’ increasing your brand presence while showing your human side. If a potential client is particularly responsive, you can always hop onto private chat with them to discuss their thoughts further and arrange a meeting.
Bendheim give a behnd-the-scenes glimpse of their plant and a shout-out their employees, lending their brand a ‘human’ touch.
4. Tell your story
As with any soft marketing approach, social media strategy revolves around building trust with potential clients, which can turn into customer loyalty in the longer term. A powerful way to do this is to show people who you are, where you have come from and what drives your passion for your product. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great for sharing behind-the-scenes insights into your firm, forming a visual diary that can serve to highlight how your office culture correlates with the products you make.
Ultimately, it is about being genuine — people are instinctively attracted to companies that have a real human side rather than acting as a faceless brand. Social media is a highly effective way to exhibit your personality, giving you the chance to communicate in a more informal setting than a networking event or seminar.
This post by Bendheim showcases the beautiful design of Deegan Day Design while simultaneously highlighting their product.
5. Promote yourself … AND your connections
Social media is typically used by building product manufacturers to promote new product lines and invite people to conventions where they will be exhibiting their wares. There is no problem at all with doing this, but it is worth highlighting the work of your clients, too — not only will they appreciate it, but it also helps cultivate your brand as a home for knowledge exchange and inspiration, as outlined in points 1 and 2.
Sure, it is great to share images and information about architects’ projects that include your product, but there is no need to limit yourself to that — share projects that inspire you personally, promote articles by other thought leaders that align with your philosophies and congratulate clients on their achievements in awards programs like the A+Awards. All of this requires very little effort but helps to build your community. People will remember your kind words and inspiring images, and this positivity will eventually come back to you in the form of new connections.
Top image via SOCIETY19
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