Industrial firms 'love' social media marketing

Industrial firms have firmly embraced social media marketing, according to an article published on ThomasNet today.

Seven out of ten small to medium-sized suppliers are already engaging with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, as well as other channels, in an effort to promote themselves.

Thomas Industrial Group surveyed more than 3000 businesses, finding that many industrial firms already use social media to market products and services, gain new business, conduct research and forge relationships with their customer base.

The study also found that 56 per cent of buyers are more keen to do business with suppliers that have a social media presence. Perhaps unsurprisingly, industrial suppliers are now using social en masse, with 20 percent saying that they used social platforms to learn about customer's opinions, 27 percent to find new prospects, and 41 percent to provide information on the products and services that they offer.

It isn't all good news, however. The results suggest that those companies that fail to get on board the social train are at risk of losing business opportunities to those who have already engaged with social media platforms.

Susan Orr, senior director, strategic marketing at Thomas Industrial Network said: "The industrial sector is awakening to the fact that social media isn't just a passing consumer fancy, but an essential part of any branding and marketing programme."

Orr also stressed that social media campaigns require careful management, saying: "Savvy suppliers also understand that the most effective social media programs need constant care and feeding. To influence prospective buyers, suppliers need to continually update their social media content, and to be actively engaging in and initiating conversations."

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