#126: Savvy Social Media Strategies for AEC Firms
In this podcast episode, I had an inspiring conversation with Katie Meehan about her savvy social media strategy for her construction firm. Her strategic approach catapulted her firm’s social media following to new heights, with an impressive 71% growth in LinkedIn followers and a tenfold increase in Instagram followers.
Katie emphasizes that in the realm of social media, content is indeed king. But creating content isn’t just about posting whatever comes to mind – it requires careful thought and planning. According to Katie, it’s essential to devise content pillars and create content with clear intentions. This involves understanding your business’s core themes or values and ensuring your content aligns with them.
Consistency plays a crucial role here; frequent posting helps maintain engagement levels high while upholding brand visibility.
Another key aspect of a successful social media strategy lies within understanding your personas – knowing who your audience is, what they prefer, their behavior patterns, etc. can greatly influence your engagement rate. Diversifying post types can keep your audience interested as it adds variety to your feed.
Reflecting on these points led us to another vital component of successful online marketing: storytelling and personalization. Personalized marketing strategies have shown higher rates of consumer engagement as they create a direct connection between businesses and their customers.
Katie highlighted that stories can significantly enhance audience engagement levels compared to simple fact-listing posts about projects or services offered by a company. Using platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram effectively can help AEC firms reach out to larger audiences while maintaining a consistent brand image across different platforms.
The episode also sheds light on several technical aspects such as researching relevant hashtags for reaching target audiences more effectively using photos/videos featuring faces for better engagement rates, interviewing team members/executives for diverse content creation that highlights company culture, etc.
In summary, revamping an AEC business’s social media requires careful planning – from devising engaging content strategies anchored around core pillars/values of the business to effectively utilizing various platforms for reaching out to larger audiences while maintaining consistency in posting frequency.
As we continue navigating through digital trends shaping the online marketing landscape today – personalizing client experiences through storytelling-based approaches or leveraging popular platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram – it becomes increasingly important for firms operating within the AEC industry not only to stay updated but also to innovate constantly for optimal results
Remember: It’s not merely about ramping up numbers; it’s more about ensuring each interaction holds value for both parties involved – thereby forging stronger connections between businesses & their customers resulting in increased brand loyalty over time.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
Building your social media marketing strategy – 9:25
Techniques to build brand awareness – 11:04
Are hashtags dead? – 20:20
Does it have to be overwhelming? – 21:07
Leverage the platforms to engage potential clients – 23:51
How to stay up to date on social platform trends – 32:19
Katie Meehan, Director of Marketing, Lee & Associates
Katie Meehan is the Director of Marketing for the brand-new Western Pennsylvania office of Lee & Associates. Lee & Associates is the largest broker-owned commercial real estate firm in North America.
She simplifies marketing and focuses on brand awareness as well as the user experience – regardless of the medium. She stays on top of trends while remaining true to the fundamentals of marketing and how it relates to human psychology. This includes growing a strong and engaged social media presence for multiple organizations in the AEC & CRE communities.
Katie was originally a computer programming major but after getting a taste of marketing in CRE, she switched gears. She got her start in the industry in 2014 and quickly developed a love of marketing for all services in commercial real estate. She has worked independently as well as part of firms in commercial brokerage, construction, appraisal, and development. She currently sits on the board of CREW Pittsburgh as Communications Director and has found it to be an incredible support system.
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