Social media marketing is no longer an afterthought strategy for companies and organizations, even if your company is in the building materials industry. Every major brand is already present across the social media platforms. Companies from every industry are taking advantage of the social media. But the building products industry is lagging behind.

One of the reasons is the lack of understanding about how social media works and how building materials marketers can integrate it with their marketing efforts.

Another reason is that building product manufacturers are behind their customers when it comes to social media. They are supposed to be the smart marketers. You would think they would embrace the newest marketing tools before their dealer, builder and contractor customers. You would think they would at least keep up with their consumer customers.

What the building materials organizations don’t realize is that these can be easily overcome. And they should never stand in the way of building a social media marketing strategy.

For a great article on social media for building material companies, I suggest reading 8 Ways Building Materials Companies Can Use Social Media by Mark Mitchell.

If you’re a building materials marketer, here are five ways on how to effectively use social media.

Use social media to interact and engage

Your social media accounts should be used to give your organization a voice and a way to interact with your customers and homeowners.

Building materials companies are not so great when communicating with homeowners. You can stand out from the rest by showing a bit of personality when you homeowners in social media. One thing that you can do is to humanize your organization while you respond to inquiries and reviews. Use it as a customer service advantage.

Educate your customers and their customers

Social media isn’t only a place to advertise your products but it’s also an ideal platform to share information about home building issues. Make sure that you limit self-promotional posts. Instead, focus on raising awareness of a certain problem in home building, remodeling or repair.

Another good idea for your social media use is to give customers even more reasons to buy your products. Oftentimes, if a person gets information from you about an idea they use, they will have a sense of loyalty towards you and your company.

Raise awareness through social media advertising

Take advantage of social media advertising to help raise awareness for your brand or drive leads to your premium content. In this way, you can nurture your visitors and turn them into customers.

However, when you do use social media ads, make sure that they’re relevant and well-written in a way that they can grab your reader’s attention. 

Give your readers something that they can’t find anywhere

When it comes to social media, the sky is the limit. One of the things you can give your readers that they can’t get elsewhere is to how-to videos or infographics with tips that bring our products to light in an interesting and educational way.

Not surprisingly, companies don’t see results from their building material social media campaign – and certainly not sales. Here’s what they are missing: You are helping someone solve a problem where your product is a possible solution.  You are not selling them why your product is the best solution.

Regardless of what segment your company is in the building materials industry, there’s a place for you in the social media. Give your audience something that’s unique so it will be shared, retweeted or favorited.

Social media isn’t scary

Building materials marketers should take advantage of social media to communicate with their customers and homeowners. If you don’t have any idea on what to post, try monitoring other consumer durable products companies (especially appliance manufacturers’ like KitchenAid) and find out what posts they publish on their accounts. Take notes of what truly resonates with you.

When you start engaging with your audience through social media, your building materials industry can reap the rewards for many years to come.

Good Selling!

Greg Bonsib is an author of the new Mighty Guides Ebook Data Disruption.