Boost your social media game - Prt 1

These days every man and his dog is on social media. We’re not joking about dogs either, Jiff the Pomeranian has over 10 million followers on Instagram!

The point is – if you’re not active on socials, you should be, and this article will help you get started on that journey. Before we dive into it, it’s worth checking out a few construction industry examples first:

• ProCoat Group
• JN Excavations

1. Put safety first

Capturing the perfect moment for a post on Instagram is not worth putting anyone at risk.

• always check your surroundings;
• mitigate any risks;
• make people in the vicinity aware of what you're doing; and
• only capture content if it's safe to do so.

If your content could be deemed as unsafe by anyone, we recommend not posting it, as this could encourage others to replicate it and place them at risk.

2. Get a decent phone with a good camera and practice

A construction business on social media will not see success without good photography (and video down the track). The better your photos are, the more likely you are to get likes and build a following. Nobody expects you to be an expert photographer who has a deep understanding of lighting and composition, but they do expect a crystal-clear shot of something that looks cool. To achieve this, you’ll need a decent phone with a good camera.

Practice makes perfect

Once a device is acquired, it’s a simple matter of practice makes perfect. Your first few attempts might not be works of art, but you’ll get better at it over time. Stick with it and ask people around you for feedback. When you start seeing likes coming in, adapt and focus on what works.

3. Choose two social media channels and set up profiles

Success on social media takes a long time and effort. To get there, you need to start small and work your way up slowly. We recommend choosing two social media channels and focusing on them, so you’re not spreading yourself too thin. If you try and do more, you’ll find the workload overwhelming. Examples of channels include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube and yes, even TikTok.

Which channels?

As a construction business just getting started on social, we recommend going with Instagram (primarily) and Facebook (secondary). However, if you’re already pretty savvy on social media and are comfortable shooting/editing videos, you may want to focus on YouTube and TikTok.

Just about every second construction business is on Facebook and Instagram, so by choosing YouTube and TikTok you’d be differentiating your business and are more likely to stand out from the crowd – though creating successful content for these channels is a lot more difficult.

Channel setup

Once you’ve decided on two channels:

• download the apps on your phone, if you haven’t got them already;
• register an account on both;
• set your business name as your social media handle, i.e. @joebloggsconstruction (if it isn't available, choose something close to it)
• ensure your contact details are entered correctly;
• include location and operating hours if applicable; and
• set your business logo as your profile picture on both channels.
• Do an initial post on both channels as a test (delete later if you don't like it)

4. Decide what you’ll be posting and when

Before you do your first post, sit down and decide what you’ll be posting and when.

Frequency of Posting

Start with twice per week and move to 3-5 times once you start to build a following. The goal here is to choose something manageable. Once you’ve decided on frequency, book a regular 30-minute time slot in your calendar to get this done – this is very helpful to keep you on track and consistent.

Content ideas

• Before & After – Great if you do this type of work and looks great in an Instagram Carousel (sharing multiple pictures in a single post)
• Action – Shots of you doing work (you’ll need someone to take these for you or setup a timer)
• Progress – If you’re working on a long project, these are a great way to keep people interested
• Close-Ups – Zoom in on machinery and interesting items around your construction site, i.e., tools or a nice edge
• Smiling / Happy People – Whether it’s you in the frame or a team member, or even your customers, having happy people featured in your posts will humanise your business and help people create an emotional connection with it
• Business Updates – If you’ve bought a new machine or have moved offices, tell people about it
• Awards & Accolades – If your business has won an award or achieved something notable, tell people about it (without bragging)
• Tricks of the Trade – Show people you’re an expert at what you do by sharing tips and useful information
• Construction Life – Share what a day in your life is like, from getting up early to working until the sun goes down
• Who are you? – Give people some insights into who are by sharing interesting stories, history, hobbies, etc.
• Testimonials – If a customer loves your work, ask permission to feature them on your socials
• Construction Inspo – Share the love by telling people what inspires you
• Industry Respect – Show your industry respect by giving kudos and shout outs to other people who do great work (you’ll find these people will repay the favour in due course)
• Discounts & Deals – If you’re running a promotion, tell people about it

Once you’ve decided what you’ll be posting and when, you should write it all down somewhere or add it to a calendar (preferably one that gives you reminders).