Social composites?

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. Aro PR and Marketing’s director, Billy McKenna explains how it is changing the way we communicate, and how we find out information that influences our opinions.
Engineers often tell me they reject social media because they don’t see the point of it or simply don’t understand it. I say they do so at their peril. In a highly competitive global market, where the vast majority of younger engineers, buyers and traders routinely depend on social media, companies without a social media presence are at a distinct disadvantage. They are simply not reaching or engaging with modern customers in the ways that suit them. Social media connects you directly to your customers, allowing you to showcase your capabilities and share your expertise. This personalises and adds value to your services and products. All engineers need to do is find the right social channels to suit their business and customers. For instance, Twitter is a quick and easy way to engage customers and direct them to your website, while sites such as ‘Blogger’ are a great way to publish news and press releases. YouTube is a fantastic platform for video demonstrations of your company’s capabilities, allowing users to see your products or services in action. It is also important for companies wishing to export. Still not convinced? Then let me expand on the benefits: • Social media suits smaller budgets - Tweeting 140 characters on twitter is engaging, takes seconds to complete and drives traffic straight to your website. • Showcase portfolios - channels such as Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr are great platforms for sharing your products and achievements. Using images to demonstrate your capabilities is an effective method of messaging in complex industries. • Improve search engine results - social media improves organic search results. For example, Google and Bing register social signals, so posts that are liked and link back to your website increase website ratings. This means your website will appear higher in searches and more traffic will find your website. • Building solid relationships - social media channels help to build and consolidate relationships with all those important to your business such as suppliers and staff, as well as customers. Plenty of composite and engineering companies are already using social media and reaping the rewards. Alan Harper from Alan Harper Composites explains the importance of social media and how it has benefited his company: “Social media is as important to this specialised sector as it is in many general stream sectors like fashion, music, food and travel etc. The engineering sectors generally feel social media is not for them whereas we would say they are missing the boat, especially as it is free. “We constantly use it to inform and gain good PR with our growing followers. It's taken us three years to gain nearly 450 followers, but now the degree of engagement with our clients is much higher entirely due to social media.” Harper acknowledges social media has had a positive impact on his business, but he is aware that it takes time to build a strong profile, just like building a strong brand. He continues: “Don’t be put off by only gaining one follower a week. It is really important to have a continuous open dialogue with customers and sometimes even negative feedback can be helpful. Any feedback from customers can help your business grow if they see you personally addressing the issues.” Sometimes concern for intellectual property can be off-putting when considering the use of social media. However, it is exactly the same as it would be with issuing editorial and advertising material. You only put out what you want people to know. It is entirely up to you. Adds Harper: “We always claim copyright and design rights, which are even more important in the world of engineering. Design rights are harmonised within the EU and provide a form of protection against plagiarism by others to all our designs and technical writing etc. but without the cost of patents. It only works within the EU but covers all posts and web pages.” Michael Last, managing director of Formaplex, says: “The composites industry is a fast-moving sector attracting a new generation of engineers. If you want to communicate with them as potential employees or potential customers, you need to use social media. We’re certainly not ignoring them. We’re engaging with them directly in the ways they want to be reached.” “We use YouTube to show our products being made, an important and increasingly cost effective channel with the advent of GoPro cameras and high spec’ mobile phones. With LinkedIn I’m not as sure of its benefits as everyone is using it. However, we use Twitter to publicise events and other activities happening in the company. It’s very easy to do from a smart phone or tablet.” If there are engineers out there who still feel social media is so much jargon and inconvenience, it may be time for a rethink. It does not have to be a chore. In fact, with modern communications it can be done anytime and anywhere. Imagine penning a short paragraph in a pub about the new autoclave that your company is fitting - within minutes this could have reached hundreds of people. Social media, whether you’re a fan or not, is here to stay. It is changing the way people communicate daily, how they shop and, most importantly of all, how they find out information and have their opinions influenced. It is inconceivable these days to imagine a business without a website, but it wasn’t that long ago that they were the exception, not the norm. With younger engineers entering the workplace, the future of communications is here and it is definitely social. The key to success in this area is not to be overwhelmed. It is worth learning about the options, finding out what suits your company and your customers, and sticking with it. Many engineers nurture their businesses over many years to turn them into successful companies and the same can and should be done with social media. Build firm foundations that are fit for purpose today and they help will take your company into the future. www.aroprandmarketing.co.uk