When you think of the most popular social media influencers, what comes to mind? More than likely it's video game streamers, beauty gurus, and artists. But there are actually influencers for every industry, including building materials. By partnering up with these influential figures, you can maximize the success of your marketing program, increasing brand recognition, sales, and so much more. Here’s what you need to know to make that happen.
How to Find Building Materials Marketing Influencers
The influencers you bring in to help with your building materials marketing program largely depends on your product lineup. You want to leverage the knowledge of leading experts and other influential figures in highlighting the purpose and benefits of your products.
Influencers for your products are often the types of people and companies you work with. For example, if you sell flooring, influencers might be interior designers, installers, and design consultants. If you manufacture structural wall panels, you might partner with architects, engineers, or code officials.
You can find some of these experts by cruising through major social media platforms, including Instagram—you might be surprised how many interior designers, contractors, and others in your industry have a following on these networks. Look for high follower numbers, high engagement (likes and comments), and relevancy and alignment with your brand. They should also post content on a consistent schedule to keep their audience coming back to see what’s new on a regular cadence.
If it’s in the budget, consider joining forces with many different types of social media influencers. You can have one influencer create original content featuring your brand and partner with another who largely acts as a signal booster.
Influencers don't always come as someone you'll need to collaborate with directly—oftentimes, influencers can be people who've had excellent experiences with your company and your products and recommend them without being asked. Since these individuals aren't sponsored, others may find their reviews and insight more trustworthy.
Contractors especially will often shout out on social media for their favorite brands and products. When they have products and tools that help them get the job done, they look good to homeowners, and they'll promote what works and what they stand behind. So by being a great brand partner, you can earn these vital ambassadors, and make sure to encourage contractors to share their experience.
Top Ways to Win Over Each Target Audience
If you’re like most building materials manufacturers, you likely have multiple target audiences, like homeowners and contractors. To ensure your influencer marketing efforts hit the mark, you need to roll out content that speaks to each of these entities. Trying to cover all at once will likely backfire, as each audience has their own interests, pain points, and preferences.
When creating content for homeowners, you might want to share intriguing project ideas that help boost the beauty, function, and value of residences of all kinds. If your building materials land in commercial structures instead, you may want to share projects that introduce more natural light, improve air circulation, or make their workplace safer and more desirable.
Contractors, on the other hand, likely want to hear about the ease of installation and benefits of your building materials to their reputation. Influencers who can demonstrate these properties of your products or offer additional tips can inspire contractors to do more research on your products and make the switch.
To figure out what your target audiences need, think first about their pain points. Then, figure out the best solution to each dilemma and dream up the ideal types of content you want your social media influencers to create and share. After that, it’s just a matter of matching your content to influencers that align with your products and goals.
Use Influencers' Creative Freedom to Support Your Marketing Efforts
Although you know your building materials marketing program best, your influencers are also experts in their realm. So, while providing direction on what your goals are, let them use their creative freedom to help your campaigns soar.
You can collaborate with your influencers on a regular basis to see what ideas they have. With that info in hand, you can craft effective marketing campaigns that center around their proposed content.
As you do that, you’ll see your marketing efforts achieve the results you seek, giving a measurable boost to your brand. Then, you can do it all over again with the other building materials in your catalog.
Focus on Initial Wins & Long Term Results
To really make the big time in the influencer marketing world, you need to celebrate both your initial wins and long-term results. Your initial wins might look like engagement with your one-time deals, new sales leads, and a jump in views on your product pages.
In addition to looking at the initial results from each campaign, plan to view metrics for the long term. While measuring all the key influencer marketing metrics, look at continued engagement rates plus how the content impacted your sales figures for the given period of time. You might be surprised at how often content goes viral long after it landed on the web. Content often needs a catalyst before people start sharing, commenting, and engaging en masse.
As you see signs of success, jot down the key focus and features of the marketing campaigns that generated them. That way, you can emulate the winning formula time and time again. Just don’t forget to think outside the box just in case your renewed efforts can inspire even more success down the line.
Ready to Bring Influencers Into Your Building Materials Marketing Program?
Through their unique methods of engagement, social media influencers have changed the way building materials suppliers interact with their customers. Much like other internet marketing methods, influencers allow you to directly respond to your customers’ needs and present ideal solutions in a quick and engaging manner.
