There is no doubt that social media can help many companies reach out to their customers and increase sales. However, there is a misconception that social media is not suitable for every industry. And that’s wrong!
Using social media for success can happen in most industries.
As one of the most challenging industries for social media presence, the IT industry can actually benefit greatly from social media. As the market isn’t saturated yet, these tactics can be very beneficial to the IT sector.
What benefits do we have in mind? You can find out for yourself that social media can be a massive jackpot for the IT industry – if you read our article.
Benefits of social media for the IT industry
1. Social media can be used to connect with potential customers and partners
Where would you rather do business – with a company that you’ve never heard of, or one that you’ve been following on social media for years? The answer is probably the latter, and this is why social media is so important for businesses in the IT industry.
Social media provides you with the opportunity to get in touch with potential customers and partners that you may never have had the chance to reach otherwise. It’s the perfect way to connect with people who are interested in what you do, and it gives you a chance to build relationships that can lead to business opportunities down the road.
It works like a charm for networking – and that’s something that the IT industry is all about.
2. Social media can be used to generate leads and sales
We’re all familiar with the term “lead generation“, and social media is a splendid way to generate leads for your business. By using social media to create valuable content, you can attract people who are interested in what you do, and get them to visit your website or contact you for more information.
This is especially true if you’re selling products or services that can be purchased online – in terms of the IT industry, these could be e.g. consulting sessions. And, on top of that, you can use social media to close sales directly.
For example, if you’re a web designer, you could use Twitter or LinkedIn to showcase your work and attract potential clients. Once they’ve seen what you can do, they can contact you directly to discuss their project. It’s that simple!
3. Social media can be used to build relationships with customers and partners
It’s not only potential customers and partners that you can connect with on social media – it’s also existing ones. By using social media to interact with your customers and partners, you can build stronger relationships, and turn them into long-term business deals.
For example, if you provide IT support to a client, you could use Twitter or Facebook to keep them updated on new features and services that you offer, and answer any questions they may have. This way, you’re not only providing them with excellent customer service, but you’re also building a stronger relationship that could lead to more business down the road.
4. Social media can be used to create brand awareness and equity
Whether you’re a small startup or an established IT corporation, you can use social media to build brand awareness. By using social media to share your company’s story, you can reach a larger audience and get people interested in what you do.
And, as we all know, the more people are aware of your brand, the more likely they are to do business with you. It’s simple – but it works.
On top of that, social media can also be used to create brand equity. This means that people will not only be aware of your brand, but they will also have a positive association with it. And, as we all know, people are more likely to do business with companies that they like and trust.
5. Social media can be used to build thought leadership and credibility
If you want to be seen as a thought leader in the IT industry, social media is the way to go. By using social media to share your expert insights and knowledge, you can position yourself as an authority in your field, and gain the trust of potential customers and partners.
Look at the example below – Mustard IT, an IT support company in London, decided to share the latest news on their Facebook page. By doing so, they demonstrate their knowledge of current trends and technologies to their current and potential clients.
In addition, you can use social media to build credibility for your business. By sharing positive customer reviews and testimonials, you can show potential clients that you’re a company that can be trusted, and that you provide excellent products and services. And that’s what each and every business wants, right?
6. Social media can be used to drive traffic to company websites and other online properties
Let’s assume that you have a website or an online store. How can social media help you drive traffic to it? Well, it’s quite simple. By using social media to share your company’s latest news, products, and services, you can attract people who are interested in what you do.
And, once they’ve visited your website or online store, you can convert them into customers by providing excellent customer service and offering great deals. It really is that simple, and can bring you a lot of success.
7. Social media can be used to increase search engine ranking and visibility
Have you ever heard of social signals? They’re basically social media interactions that search engines take into account when ranking websites in their search results. This means that, if you want to increase your website’s ranking and visibility, you need to be active on social media. While it’s not the only factor that search engines take into account, it’s definitely one that you shouldn’t ignore.
The thing is – social media can be used to drive lots of traffic to your website, which is why it’s so important for businesses in the IT industry. And if it can contribute to better SEO metrics, then, what’s not to like?
8. Social media can be used to monitor and track customer sentiment
Social media give you amazing insights into what your clients or potential clients say, feel, and think about your business. And, as a savvy IT professional, you need to be aware of what people are saying online in order to provide them with excellent customer service and respond quickly to any issues or complaints.
So if you’re not using social media for monitoring and tracking customer sentiment – then you need to start doing so right away.
Social media monitoring can also help you tap into conversations of your potential clients. For example, if you see that lots of people are talking about a certain product or service, you can create something similar to tap into the demand. And who knows – it might just be your next big hit!
9. Social media can be used to provide customer service and support
Trying hard to solve customer problems and provide great customer service is a must for any business, but it can be especially challenging in the IT industry. After all, things often go wrong when using technology – and this can lead to people having questions or needing support.
Fortunately, social media can be used as an incredible tool for providing customer service and support too. With the right social media management tools, you can quickly get in touch with potential IT customers, as well as track them in order to improve your service over time.
Proactive IT companies have higher chances of success in today’s fast-paced, competitive business environment. And with the power of social media at your fingertips, there’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.
10. Social media can be used for market research and competitive intelligence gathering
Social media is one big online conversation – and this gives you the perfect opportunity to learn from your competitors as well as gather valuable market research data. The amount of data available on social media is simply staggering, and if you know how to use it correctly, you can gain valuable insights into what your target market wants and needs.
So don’t underestimate the power of social media when it comes to market research and competitive intelligence gathering. If anything – make sure that you’re taking full advantage of all the data that’s out there, and you’ll be well on your path to success in the IT industry.
11. Social media can be used for recruiting new employees
IT companies often struggle with hiring the right talent, which is why it’s so important to stay up-to-date with the latest recruitment trends. One of these trends that you should be paying attention to is social media recruiting – because it can help you find and connect with top candidates much faster than traditional methods.
The great thing about social media for recruitment is that it allows you to reach a much larger audience. So if you’re looking for ways to find new talent and build your team, then don’t be afraid to explore the power of social media! With the right strategy in place, you can rest assured that you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.
How to run social media in the IT industry
Saying it’s easy to run social media in the IT industry would be a massive understatement – because it requires careful planning, strategy, and ongoing maintenance. But with the right approach, you can leverage the power of social media to build brand awareness, reach new customers, and boost sales.
While this point deserves a separate article, here are some of the key things you need to focus on when running social media in the IT industry:
1. Prepare a long term strategy
Any clue what’s the first step to running social media successfully? That’s right – having a solid strategy in place. You need to set clear goals, identify your target audience, and create a content plan that will help you achieve those goals over time.
So whether you’re focused on building brand awareness, reaching new customers, or driving more sales – this should be the starting point for all your social media efforts. With a clear strategy in place, you’ll have a much easier time executing your campaigns and making meaningful changes along the way.
2. Design a short term plan
Filling in the gaps of your long term strategy, a short term plan will help you lay out the specific goals and actions that you need to take in order to achieve those long term goals. For example, if one of your main objectives is to increase sales through social media – then your short term plan might include things like running ad campaigns on Facebook or LinkedIn, or hosting webinars and other events to drive engagement.
So whatever your long term goals are, make sure that you also have a detailed short term plan in place – this will help guide all your social media efforts and ensure that they’re always moving in the right direction.
3. Divide responsibilities
Who does what? When it comes to social media, this is a crucial question that you need to answer if you want your campaigns to be successful. You need to make sure that there’s clear division of responsibilities between team members, so that everyone knows what their role is and can focus on doing their part well.
4. Work on content ideas
To keep your followers engaged and interested, you need to consistently publish high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience. And the possibilities are endless! The key here is to always stay on top of what’s happening in your industry and come up with creative ways to present this information through your content.
Over to you, IT specialist
It’s not every day that you come across a trend that has the potential to transform an entire industry completely – but social media is definitely one of those trends. Hence, if you want to boost your recruitment efforts, connect with new customers, and grow your IT business in general – then don’t hesitate to explore all that social media has to offer! Good luck!