How do I develop my companies brand awareness and social media following.

[alice.baxters]

I started at my new job around October time, this is my first marketing job. The job is great, however, I am the only person doing marketing at this company, and i am finding it very difficult to build the companies brand awareness. I have created their social media for them, and the company is now consistently posting on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Now that all our social medias are up and running my boss now wants to see growth in our followers, and engagement, but this is proving very difficult. One of our competitors, WS Transportation, has a very large following on all their socials, but i cannot figure out how they've done it as they don't post regularly or follow other people on their socials.

I am consistently posting on our socials, and posting videos as well as photos, putting in hashtags, and tagging companies in our posts. I'm not sure what else I can do, I am very lost, if anyone has any advice on how I can develop my companies social media following and brand awareness it would be much appreciated.

 

[fisicx]

Hi Alice and welcome to UKBF

Do you want brand awareness and SM followers or do you want more customers/clients? The two are often mutually exclusive.

People looking for services like yours don't care about brand awareness or have a desire to follow you on facebook or whatever.

What they will do is research on Google or linkedin or follow up on an advert or billboard or email or whatever. They won't be looking on FB. They won't care about tagging or hashtags. And they won't engage.

You would be better off sorting out the dreadful website (a primary marketing channel) and look at advertising in the appropriate magazines and websites.

Sorry to be so grumpy but your boss has given you a pointless task.

If they won't listen to you then just keep doing what you are doing. It won't achieve anything but will make your boss feel better.

 

[Mark T Jones]

to support what @fisicx says, marketing isn't about reaching as many people as possible - it's about reaching & resonating with the right people (at the right time).

There is a small irony that your employer has probably built the business to a certain size by accidentally doing this (leveraging their existing network of connections), but believe that in employing you their market should be 'everyone'.

Personally, my next step would be to sit down with the boss & have an in depth discussion around who the target customer should be, what your differentiators are, what type of work you are looking for etc etc. Whilst quietly pushing them away from the idea that more followers = better marketing

 

[WaveJumper]

to support what @fisicx says, marketing isn't about reaching as many people as possible - it's about reaching & resonating with the right people (at the right time).

There is a small irony that your employer has probably built the business to a certain size by accidentally doing this (leveraging their existing network of connections), but believe that in employing you their market should be 'everyone'.

Personally, my next step would be to sit down with the boss & have an in depth discussion around who the target customer should be, what your differentiators are, what type of work you are looking for etc etc. Whilst quietly pushing them away from the idea that more followers = better marketing

One would think as a "marketing person" they would have a handle on that and be the one leading. Defiantly needs to sit down with the boss a long (in my opinion) overdue discussion is overdue

 

[alice.baxters]

Hi Alice and welcome to UKBF

Do you want brand awareness and SM followers or do you want more customers/clients?

People looking for services like yours don't care about brand awareness or a desire to follow you on facebook or whatever.

What they will do is research on Google or linkedin or follow up on an advert or billboard or email or whatever. They won't be looking on FB. They won't care about tagging or hashtags. And they won't engage.

You would be better off sorting out the dreadful website (a primary marketing channel) and look at advertising in the appropriate magazines and websites.

Sorry to be so grumpy but your boss has given you a pointless task.

If they won't listen to you then just keep doing what you are doing. It won't achieve anything but will make your boss feel better.

to support what @fisicx says, marketing isn't about reaching as many people as possible - it's about reaching & resonating with the right people (at the right time).

There is a small irony that your employer has probably built the business to a certain size by accidentally doing this (leveraging their existing network of connections), but believe that in employing you their market should be 'everyone'.

Personally, my next step would be to sit down with the boss & have an in depth discussion around who the target customer should be, what your differentiators are, what type of work you are looking for etc etc. Whilst quietly pushing them away from the idea that more followers = better marketing

Ok, I understand what you're saying, but he is pretty set on brand awareness and isn't 100% set on gaining new clients and sales at the moment. I have sat down with him and said about the social media, and how our clients are on LinkedIn etc. but he wants to see more engagement on our socials. I just need some ideas for what to do with the companies social medias, and how i can get more engagement.

I'm not sure what I should be doing, I would like to get to the point that WS Transportation are at, but don't have any clue how they got there.

I haven't developed the website, this was done by a woman they hired outside the company before i got here, she has developed it on a not very well known web developer and I'm not very confident when editing it etc. i can edit the photos, text and newsletters but thats about it. her company are the only ones who know how to edit things such as layout etc.

 

[NickGrogan]

Look at who follows WS transportation and follow them, reply to posts by WS transportation and interact with the people who have replied - in a nice way
Do something interesting with your Trucks and talk about it.

 

[alice.baxters]

Look at who follows WS transportation and follow them, reply to posts by WS transportation and interact with the people who have replied - in a nice way
Do something interesting with your Trucks and talk about it.

WS Transportation aren't following anyone

 

[HFE Signs]

Have you done any paid adds or like & share competitions?

 

[alice.baxters]

Have you done any paid adds or like & share competitions?

i have done a google Ad. i have not done like & share competitions, do you have any idea what i could use for these competitions e.g. what i could give people?

 

[HFE Signs]

i have done a google Ad. i have not done like & share competitions, do you have any idea what i could use for these competitions e.g. what i could give people?

What is the business? Remember you only want followers that are interested in your products or services

 

[alice.baxters]

What is the business? Remember you only want followers that are interested in your products or services

its AW Baxter, we are a logistics company

 

[Mark T Jones]

Post fun pictures of shiny trucks doing stuff on sites/media aimed at 12 year old boys.

You'll get lots of followers and interaction. But zero business.

TBH you're on a no-win here .
I can guarantee that whatever they are saying now, the finger will point at you when customers don't materialise

 

[alice.baxters]

Post fun pictures of shiny trucks doing stuff on sites/media aimed at 12 year old boys.

You'll get lots of followers and interaction. But zero business.

TBH you're on a no-win here .
I can guarantee that whatever they are saying now, the finger will point at you when customers don't materialise

so what do you suggest I should do?

 

[HFE Signs]

its AW Baxter, we are a logistics company

We generally give away a roller banner, we currently have one running on our facebook page. For you guys it could be anything that your customers might like

 

[Shopclicks]

I just need some ideas for what to do with the companies social medias, and how i can get more engagement.

If that's all the boss wants, then the answer is reels on Facebook & Instagram, long-form video on LinkedIn, shorts on YouTube and a budget. You need engaging content and you need to interact with people who take the time to interact with your posts.

You're wasting your time doing what you're doing at the moment. For example, each time you post on Facebook, you'll be lucky if 30 people see the post. Boosted posts and Ads are how Facebook make their money.

You don't need followers you need engagement. People see your posts in their own feed, not on your page.

Looking at your most recent Facebook post, your hashtags aren't linked. And always link posts to a relevant page on your website. Never to another social media page.

 

[HFE Signs]

We've followed you in FB & Insta

 

[alice.baxters]

We've followed you in FB & Insta

thank you!

 

[fisicx]

Ok, I understand what you're saying, but he is pretty set on brand awareness and isn't 100% set on gaining new clients and sales at the moment. I have sat down with him and said about the social media, and how our clients are on LinkedIn etc. but he wants to see more engagement on our socials. I just need some ideas for what to do with the companies social medias, and how i can get more engagement.

It's not going to happen. Doesn't matter how hard you try there isn't going to be engagement. Forget WS Transportation, for all you know they are paying for likes. You could do the same but it's pointless.

If you want brand awareness you need to pay for it. Billboards on motorways, adverts in mining and shipping magazines, articles in national newspapers. Sponsor a football team.

I haven't developed the website, this was done by a woman they hired outside the company before i got here, she has developed it on a not very well known web developer and I'm not very confident when editing it etc. i can edit the photos, text and newsletters but thats about it. her company are the only ones who know how to edit things such as layout etc.

In which case tell your boss to invest in a new website. Everything about the site is wrong.

If you want brand-awareness and more engagement and eventually more business you need to fix the site as all your marketing will lead to the site.

To give a simple example of where it's wrong: you have links to your SM channels. You don't want people to go to facebook, you want the to come from FB to the site.

Had a look at your FB page. It's so boring. It's all adverts and endless hashtags. Anything that does look interesting doesn't go anywhere. You have a picture about the quarry screen but where is the link to the story? This could be a great blog post with lots of pictures about the loading and unloading (and copied to instragram). It could also be an article in Linkedin.

And you need to start collecting and responding to reviews on Google.

But...

Engagement isn't going to happen on SM. Your Boss needs to understand this.

 

[alice.baxters]

It's not going to happen. Doesn't matter how hard you try there isn't going to be engagement. Forget WS Transportation, for all you know they are paying for likes. You could do the same but it's pointless.

If you want brand awareness you need to pay for it. Billboards on motorways, adverts in mining and shipping magazines, articles in national newspapers. Sponsor a football team.


In which case tell your boss to invest in a new website. Everything about the site is wrong.

If you want brand-awareness and more engagement and eventually more business you need to fix the site as all your marketing will lead to the site.

To give a simple example of where it's wrong: you have links to your SM channels. You don't want people to go to facebook, you want the to come from FB to the site.

Had a look at your FB page. It's so boring. It's all adverts and endless hashtags. Anything that does look interesting doesn't go anywhere. You have a picture about the quarry screen but where is the link to the story? This could be a great blog post with lots of pictures about the loading and unloading (and copied to instragram). It could also be an article in Linkedin.

And you need to start collecting and responding to reviews on Google.

But...

Engagement isn't going to happen on SM. Your Boss needs to understand this.

I don't think that having our SM on our website is bad? i think its good everyone in our industry does this.. Apart from our Social Media being on our website, whats wrong with it? I can't see a lot of faults with it?

So, if you are so against brand awareness, what do you think I should be doing instead? do you think i should be doing more blog posts, about case studies? I have also told my boss about the google reviews, and how we should get people who have used us to leave a review after they have, but this hasnt been implemented, how can i get people to review? would I have to contact these people myself?

 

[Shopclicks]

Apart from our Social Media being on our website, whats wrong with it? I can't see a lot of faults with it?

Request a Quotation​

If you have a particular project which you would like a quotation for, please use contact details below to send us the information and we’ll get back to you with a quotation.

This is what forms are for. If you want people to request a quote, you need to tell them what information you need with a form.

 

[fisicx]

I don't think that having our SM on our website is bad? i think its good everyone in our industry does this.. Apart from our Social Media being on our website, whats wrong with it? I can't see a lot of faults with it?

Upgrade your membership and get a website reviews. There is a whole long list of things need sorting. Website reviews are only permitted for business members. You might even pick up some new clients.

So, if you are so against brand awareness, what do you think I should be doing instead? do you think i should be doing more blog posts, about case studies? I have also told my boss about the google reviews, and how we should get people who have used us to leave a review after they have, but this hasnt been implemented, how can i get people to review? would I have to contact these people myself?

Im not against brand awareness. I’m just saying that posting on SM is pointless.

Case studies can work really well. So can LinkedIn. You get reviews by asking for them. You use your GBP to as a sales funnel to the website which if sorted would pull in all sorts of enquiries.

If you want engagement use the website.

 

[fisicx]

@alice.baxters - you really need to engage a marketing expert. All the ideas and suggestions here are just scratching at the surface. Someone like @Paul Carmen can do a full analysis and come up with a strategy that will give you such a boost you won’t know what to do with all the new business.

 

[alice.baxters]

to support what @fisicx says, marketing isn't about reaching as many people as possible - it's about reaching & resonating with the right people (at the right time).

There is a small irony that your employer has probably built the business to a certain size by accidentally doing this (leveraging their existing network of connections), but believe that in employing you their market should be 'everyone'.

Personally, my next step would be to sit down with the boss & have an in depth discussion around who the target customer should be, what your differentiators are, what type of work you are looking for etc etc. Whilst quietly pushing them away from the idea that more followers = better marketing

what do you mean by differentiators?

 

[fisicx]

what do you mean by differentiators?

What makes you different to all the other haulage and transportation businesses.

 

[Mark T Jones]

what do you mean by differentiators?

Why would they come to you rather than WS Transportation?

Given that your employer is a company with some substance and history, there may well be clues amongst the existing customer base.

It's still rather unclear whether your role is that of marketing, or simply to manage social media under their own parameters - it's kind of important.

 

[fantheflames]

When you're the only one in the marketing team, I'd recommend that you document everything you do. What works? What doesn't work? That type of thing. It's important that you know all ends of the ship. Take the lead!

Make cases based on what you're trying and testing. You might not even have to be on several social media channels if it's not working or not a right fit for the business. If resources are limited, why be active on multiple channels when you could also focus on CRM?

Find out more about the business goals from the owner and take it from there.

 

[alice.baxters]

When you're the only one in the marketing team, I'd recommend that you document everything you do. What works? What doesn't work? That type of thing. It's important that you know all ends of the ship. Take the lead!

Make cases based on what you're trying and testing. You might not even have to be on several social media channels if it's not working or not a right fit for the business. If resources are limited, why be active on multiple channels when you could also focus on CRM?

Find out more about the business goals from the owner and take it from there.

Thank you! this is actually some good advice without being unnecessarily critical!

 

[fisicx]

Apologies if you think we are being unnecessarily critical.

The key thing to take away is that your boss has giving you a task that just can't be fulfilled.

You can continue to do what you are doing but it's not going to result in any meaningful engagement nor is it going to improve brand awareness. This is not a criticism of you or what you are doing, it's a criticism of your boss - who just isn't listening.

But...

If you want increased brand awareness and engagement, blogging about case studies on the site will be a big help. You can also join linkedin groups and other fora related to your business. You can comment on blogs discussing mining and transportation. You can speak at events and exhibitions. You can lobby newspapers and other organisations to tell your good news stories.

There are many ways to achieve your goal. SM is not one of them.

You do however need to get that website sorted.

 

[fantheflames]

Thank you! this is actually some good advice without being unnecessarily critical!

You're welcome! Looking at the advice in this thread, there's a lot of good points. I can see how you may feel a little disheartened, but I promise you it's great advice with good intentions!

If the aim is actually brand awareness, there's plenty of ways you can go about this to ads to exhibitions. @fisicx has mentioned some great examples above that can really help, but it does all depend on the goals of the business and what fits/ doesn't fit.

You'll get there! Brand awareness is tricky because there's so many choices and decisions to make. Hopefully this goes without saying - feel free to ask anymore questions in UKBF, we're always here to help!

 

[Fagin2021]

If WS Transportation have a large number of social media followers whilst doing hardly any posting it's my guess they have bought these followers (ie bots) from one of the many companies offering this 'service'.

Of course, it won't do them the slightest good but it might make the statistics look impressive.

Perhaps you should mention this to the boss as a possibility ?

 

[Jimmy24]

its AW Baxter, we are a logistics company

i deffo think for certain businesses its easier to focus on a couple of social media accounts rather than all of them as some of them won't be applicable for the type of people/businesses you are trying to target

 

[ethical PR]

so what do you suggest I should do?

What's your background in marketing @alice.baxters ? The easiest way to grow your social channels is to invest in targeted advertising and develop a content plan across your socials to appeal to and engage those you've identified as target customers and influencers. Ask your boss what he wants to achieve by growing followers ?

@Fiscix is right about the website. If you don't know how to develop it your company should bring someone in with the right skills set to develop it.

 

[conferenceca]

Apologies if you think we are being unnecessarily critical.

The key thing to take away is that your boss has giving you a task that just can't be fulfilled.

You can continue to do what you are doing but it's not going to result in any meaningful engagement nor is it going to improve brand awareness. This is not a criticism of you or what you are doing, it's a criticism of your boss - who just isn't listening.

But...

If you want increased brand awareness and engagement, blogging about case studies on the site will be a big help. You can also join linkedin groups and other fora related to your business. You can comment on blogs discussing mining and transportation. You can speak at events and exhibitions. You can lobby newspapers and other organisations to tell your good news stories.

There are many ways to achieve your goal. SM is not one of them.

You do however need to get that website sorted.

What are some effective alternatives to social media for increasing brand awareness and engagement?

 

[fisicx]

What are some effective alternatives to social media for increasing brand awareness and engagement?

Advertising on TV. Billboards. Top ranking on all suitable searches. Sponsorships. Tradeshows. There are loads of ways but one has to ask the question: why do you want to do this?

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

UK Video Production here. We have a product called 'The Million' to get you a million views on YouTube. Here's how you can do it yourself.

1. Different tactics for different platforms. Tactics are the detail of each platform. Saying 'more on social' means different tactics for each platform.

Here's an example of something that works really well on Linkedin and it becomes really obvious why it wouldn't work on Insta:

Sign Up | LinkedIn

500 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

www.linkedin.com

2. Inspire, Educate and Entertain. And don't sell! This is really important. No-one jumps onto social to be sold to!

Sure, sales messages can be 'hidden in plain sight' but if you want real traction, you need those three elements in different amounts to create an audience.

3. Get traction fast

So initially, when you're creating stuff, you won't know what works. So you need to learn what works, fast. One solution is to create an absolute ton of content, blast it out and see what generates the best reactions. And then do more of those. You need to know what doesn't work as much as what does.

This approach will give you a really strong feel as to what works best, what you should do in the future and there'll be a lot of surprises.

If you look at every single one of YouTube's top 50 content creators, they all did this. Every single one. Without exception. I'm part of the Wolfpack which is an invitation-only group of top YT content creators. You have to create a YT vid with min 250,000 organic views in the UK and they contact you. There's no membership fee or anything, we just have calls and discuss what works best.

Every single one of them took this approach.

If you know another way, let me know!


4. Leverage your email list.

When some of your videos start to gain traction and are appropriate for your customers, put them in your newsletter or send them to prospects / customers. If they're funny / enjoyable, you'll give your customers a laugh. They'll love it and you'll get more views and you'll generate more business through social. It's a virtuous circle.


So this type of approach means creating a huge amount of content, quickly. We suggest you spend a few weeks designing and then creating 50 pieces or so and start pumping them out. In case you think that's a lot, we think that's nothing much because we create up to 50 pieces in a single day. And here's someone talking about it (one of our customers):

Customer Testimonials | FnX Media | Soho

FNX Media Customer Testimonials

www.fnxmedia.com

So hope this is useful. If you need any other info, just DM me. Happy to chat.