As of July 2022, 59% of the world’s population uses social media with an average daily usage of 2 hours and 29 minutes. This research by Global WebIndex didn’t come as a surprise. But what did come as a surprise was the fact that engineers are not as socially introverted as most people perceive.
According to surveys, engineers are usually most active on LinkedIn, with the most common user age averaging between 45-54. Most engineers spend less than an hour every week browsing and interacting on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
When social media use in the industrial sector was questioned, a study was conducted by IHS Engineering360 Media Solutions. They surveyed 1356 engineers and technical professionals. The result was shocking.
57% of the surveyed engineers use social media sites to find product reviews. Another 54% use such platforms to keep up with the latest industry news, trends, and technology.
In comparison. Six-in-ten teenage Facebook users (57%) visit the social media platform daily.
It’s safe to say that engineers use social media just as much as teenagers do.
Surveys have shown that social networking is not a fad, especially for engineers.
The first statistic below shows the most popular social media platforms in 2022, while the second statistic shows what networks are used by engineers and how often.
Source: DataReportal
The IHS survey indicated that 63% of engineers maintain an account on LinkedIn, 55% are active on Twitter, 48% use informative resources from YouTube, and Facebook stays the top fourth popular platform where engineers often share a more personal aspect of their life, connecting and networking with their friends and family.
There are four resources that are shown to affect and influence most purchase or decision-making actions for engineers and technical professionals. These four include a search engine, online catalogs, word of mouth, and supplier websites.
This means that although social media is a great factor in proof of knowledge authority, and online presence, it doesn’t play a major role when social media is managed individually.
In order to trigger an action and generate credible, high-quality prospects or leads, a social media platform requires a sales funnel strategy, that not only allows the viewer or reader to look at the social posts, but also click on actionable links.
These types of buttons or actions require a ‘Call-to-Action’, calling the reader to take action.
Considering the 4 important factors above, a good strategy to maximise the use of social media is to increase SEO optimisation on blogs and post articles on LinkedIn.
The reason for this is that LinkedIn articles are search-engine optimised, allowing exposure to searchers outside of someone’s LinkedIn network.
Secondly, maintain and broaden LinkedIn network connections to increase exposure with a higher chance of referrals.
Lastly, have marketing collaterals that you can send or allow for download on your clean and presentable website at all times.
67% of engineers and technical professionals say the biggest challenge in using social media for work is inefficiency when compared to other methods such as search engines, supplier websites, and online catalogs.
This emphasizes the importance of having a consistent theme within social media. Keep the same colors, the same branding, and the same message to build a loyal audience base.
To conclude the survey:
- 61% of engineers and tech professionals spend less than one hour a week on social media for work-related purposes.
- LinkedIn is the most popular and effective social media for engineers
- 57% of engineers and tech professionals use social media to find product reviews.
- How-to videos/tutorials (82%), product demos (79%) and training videos (70%) remain the top three most popular types of content to watch on YouTube.
If you’re an engineer or technical professional looking to increase so social presence or generate leads for your company, keep these 5 things in mind:
- Start with your website
- Start your social media with LinkedIn, Google My Business (Listing), Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
- Create a presentable, ready-to-share online catalog.
- Set up a CRM that can keep and nurture all the leads you will generate.
- Always expand your network and be active by participating in industry events.
AR & Associates have helped IT, Engineering, Automation, Manufacturing, and Energy companies all across Australia and New Zealand to generate leads, increase brand awareness, maintain reputable PR, as well as increase sales.
We focus on helping you spend less time in marketing and PR, and more time serving your customers. Leave the matter to the respective experts. As engineers ourselves, we understand the core values and importance of marketing through trust and reliability.
We provide a full tailored solution that helps you build your company to the next level through digital and on-site marketing. With expertise in organic omnichannel marketing and on-site event or workshop planning, we offer a full turn-key marketing solution that gives you time, space, and freedom to focus on what you do best, which is to run your business.
Email us here or call us today at (+61) 02 8416 4442 to get more information or book a complimentary marketing consultation or strategy session below.
