Being present on social media networks should be a must have for businesses, and for the construction industry, LinkedIn can be one of the most important platforms. Like we stated in our previous blog, ‘social media use in the construction industry’ “of the 15 million members in the UK there are now over 370,000 engineers using the platform, with construction the second most represented industry”.

The site is a great way to help you connect and network with your existing clients and find new ones, share your news with the industry and PR people, and even source potential new employees.

In this blog we discuss why you should incorporate LinkedIn into your specification marketing strategy.

1) It’s a free opportunity to network and promote your brand

LinkedIn is a platform for professionals looking to network, giving you the opportunity to showcase your building products and services – there are thousands of people you can market to.

Probably the most compelling reason why you should have a personal LinkedIn profile and company page is that it doesn’t cost you anything to set up and update them. There is a pro option, but this is by no means necessary in order to make LinkedIn work for you.

When you go to a construction event to promote your business and introduce yourself to someone, that person will probably then look you up online. Having a LinkedIn profile allows you to connect to your contacts, and keep up to date with what they are up to. Think of it as a compelling presentation of your professional self that encourages other professionals to connect with you, or indeed your company.

A personal LinkedIn page can help you connect directly with the people you want to reach, but taking that one step further and creating a Company Page can help others learn more about your business, brand, products and services, and job opportunities.

2) It’s an extension to your sales and marketing strategy

By following company pages and connecting with the people you work with, industry contacts and the people you meet along the way at events, your LinkedIn network could aid your next sale.

Whenever you post an update to your company page or personal profile, it will be seen by all of your connections. Your contacts may like or share your posts too, and this will then put them in front of their connections, and people you aren’t even connected with yet. It’s not only about who you know; it’s about who they know. That’s the real power of LinkedIn: the ability to tap into that connection and grow your brand through word-of-mouth.

Whatever you would normally post on your company’s website or send to a PR agency, e.g. a new product launch, case study, or new hire, would also be relevant to post on LinkedIn, helping your brand awareness and supporting your sales and marketing strategy. You can even track how many impressions the posts get, and see who likes and comments, to gain marketing insights. This can inform your strategy moving forwards, as you gain an insight into what has worked well, and there may be content you wish to re-promote.

3) It’s a community

LinkedIn isn’t just about your personal or company feed. You can network with people who aren’t in your contacts by utilising the Groups. There are thousands of Construction related groups which are easy to find and join – and sharing your content here can increase your own credibility as well as spreading the word like wildfire.

As well as sharing your own content, you can also join in with existing discussions. Pondering about BIM? There are several BIM related groups you can take your questions or comments to, where likeminded professionals are more than happy to debate the matter. Is sustainable construction or interior design more your area of interest? Whatever your industry sector or niche, you’ll be able to find a group of interested people to connect with.

4) It’s also a recruitment tool

LinkedIn is a social platform for professionals, and as part of your profile you can showcase your CV and add skills. If you’re looking for your next role, you can browse job posts and connect to recruiters, who will then be able to see your profile and potentially get in touch if they have a suitable role available.

So then if you have a position to fill at your company, posting a job advert on LinkedIn will bring candidates to you rather than you chasing after them, and don’t forget the word-of-mouth principle works here too: your next top talent may well be in your contacts, or is connected with someone you know.

What do you think? Are you making the most of LinkedIn for your own marketing strategy?