Many businesses in the building industry assume social media is an effective marketing tool because of its widespread use among consumers. But manufacturers and suppliers serving building industry professionals face a unique set of questions: How often do pros use social media? Do they follow manufacturers/suppliers on social media? If so, what kind of content do pros want to see?
To answer these questions, The Farnsworth Group surveyed 413 pros about their media habits. Respondents included remodelers, home builders, architects, specialty contractors (plumbers, electricians, painters, etc.), and kitchen and bath designers.
Prevalence and Frequency of Social Media Use in Pros
Most pros are on social media, and those using social media tend to access it many times in a work day. Seventy-six percent have a personal social media account on sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Of those who use social media, 91 percent access social media at least once each work day, with 55 percent accessing it three or more times.
Manufacturers and Suppliers on Social Media
About 40 percent of pros who use social media follow manufacturers/suppliers. When asked how likely they would be to follow or continue following a manufacturer/supplier on social media, 33 percent said, “Extremely likely” and 25 percent said, “Somewhat likely.” This shows almost 60 percent of pros on social media are at least somewhat likely to follow manufacturers/suppliers, indicating a strong marketing opportunity for businesses seeking to target pros.
Desired Content
Pros who follow manufacturers/suppliers on social media want to see content about new products and sales or discounts above all else. 25 percent said they would like to see information about new products, while 23 percent said they would like to see sales or discounts. Price and product information are less important at 15 percent of respondents, while reviews and ratings garnered 11 percent.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Most pros have a personal social media account and access social media daily. Just under half follow manufacturers/suppliers on social media, and nearly 60 percent said they are likely to follow or continue following manufacturers/suppliers. When pros follow manufacturers/suppliers, content about new products and sales or discounts is most important.
Since many pros use social media daily and are likely to follow industry businesses, social media should be a key element in marketing strategy for suppliers serving pros. Businesses wishing to target pros over social media should offer information about new products and discounts in daily posts, delivering desirable content to pros in a relevant medium.
