How to Build a Successful Social Media Strategy

It seems like everyone these days is on social media. The pressure to post and be everywhere is real. Should you be on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? What about TikTok? Or have you heard of BeReal yet? But isn’t Twitter on its way out, and now it’s all about Mastodon, right? Whatever happened to Clubhouse? Social media can make your head spin, to say the least.

So I’ve put together ten tips to help you build a successful social media strategy for your business. Whether you’re a contractor, builder, or sports talk show podcaster, these social media strategies will help you reach your goals and grow your business.

1. Define Your Goals

First and foremost, decide what you need social media to do for you. Here are a few goals to pick from:

• Increase website traffic.
• Generate leads.
• Educate your audience and create brand awareness.
• Showcase your experience working on projects.
• Boost engagement.

2. Get to Know Your People

Next, you need to define your target audience. Get to know them. Ask yourself these questions:

• What are their interests? 
• Demographics? Age, income, education, location, and family life?
• What problem are you solving for them?
• What do they struggle with?

The more detailed you get, the better you can build your content around your customers and speak to them in a language they can relate to. Still, wondering how you can get to know your customers better? Try some of these tactics.

3. Be Where Your People Are

Sorry Kevin Costner, if you build it, they will come won’t work. 

Focus on the platforms where your customers already are. If your audience isn’t on TikTok, don’t be on TikTok. Click here for a breakdown of demographics on social media platforms to figure out which one is best for you.

4. Buck the Cookie Cutter Content Trend

Share content that educates, informs, and entertains your customers. If you’re a contractor or in the building industry steal these ideas for your next post or use them for inspiration

Before & After Transformations

Share photos or videos showing how you restored a neglected log home from start to finish. Show them from start to finish the process of restoring a log home. Mtn. Acres Log Home Restoration in Washington consistently highlights these posts.

Project Spotlights

Showcase a completed log home project with high-quality photos. Highlight unique features, architectural details, and any challenges you overcame during the project. Include client testimonials or quotes to add credibility. Sterling Builders a passive house builder based out of Colorado does a great job of this.

Share Your Expertise

You’ve been doing this a while now so why not share your tips and tricks about building the perfect log home and why log homes take extra care? Include tips for maintenance, choosing to log home materials, energy efficiency, design considerations, and more. Posting educational content positions you as an expert in your field, check out Randy from Northern Built Pro up in Minnesota for inspiration.

Go Behind the Scenes

Life the curtain and take your customers behind the scenes to show the construction process of log homes. This can include photos or videos of surface preparation, replacing rotten logs, your team having fun, your grandkids, photos of your crew, and more. Content like this offers insights into what goes into your craft, makes you human, and gives you personality beyond just what you do. I love seeing what Mark Nelson, from Nelson Log Restoration, and his clan are up to in Cody, Wyoming.

Go Live!

Host live Q&A sessions and answer frequently asked questions from your audience about restoring and maintaining log homes. It’ll help you build trust and position you as a resource.

Partner Up

Collaborate with people in adjacent fields, like interior designers or architects. Create joint content showcasing how your work ties together, it’ll inspire your audience and help them generate ideas. Plus, you’ll expand your reach into each other audiences you wouldn’t otherwise have engaged with.

Show the Dream

Share success stories and aspirational log home photos so your audience has something to aspire to and daydream about. For an extra punch, add testimonials from happy customers who’ve worked with you. Include their experiences, project photos, and overall satisfaction with the process and results. As a manufacturer of log home products, Sashco Inc. does this really well.

Share News & Trends

Share industry articles, blog posts, or research reports to demonstrate your industry knowledge and inform your audience.

5. Be Consistent

This is one of the biggest challenges in my business, and I bet it is for you too. I put client needs first, so when it comes to the end of the week or day, I tend to push off my social media posts. 

But do as I say and not as I do. Consistency and finding your frequency are important. You don’t have to post twice a day, but you do need to show up on a regular basis. 

If you’re just starting out, I suggest at least three times a week on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and 1–2 times per week on LinkedIn. I find post reach on LinkedIn is better if you let it simmer. Also, don’t be all about selling. Aim for a balance between educational and promotional content, and adjust the frequency based on analytics and your audience’s response. Learn more here about the best times to post here.

6. Time to Get Graphic

A picture is worth 1,000 words, or so they say. Log home restoration and construction project stories are best told visually. Leverage photos across your social media platforms to highlight your work through photos and videos, showcasing your expertise and craftsmanship.

7. Don’t Ghost Your Audience

Engage with your audience. Respond to comments, messages, and mentions in a timely manner. You can set up auto-responses during off hours saying you’re out on the job or answers to Frequently Asked Questions. 

Turn Negatives Into Positives

In a recent online survey by ReviewTrackers, 45% of consumers say they’re more likely to visit a business that responds to their negative reviews. Instead, turn your negatives into a positive by trying out these five tips.

8. Partner Up

User-Generated Content

Encourage your best customers to generate content by asking for reviews, testimonials, and project photos. 

• Ask them to share stories and tag you or use a specific hashtag.
• Curate content from users. Highlight user content (with permission, of course) to inspire your audience.
• Offer incentives through contests, giveaways, or exclusive discounts.

Influencers

An influencer posts content on social media focused on a particular industry, like Travis Brungardt from Catalyst Built, or Randy Williams from Northern Built Pro. They have influence over consumer purchases and you can hire them to promote your product or service. 

Partnering up with influencers or industry experts boosts your reach and credibility. Seek influencers who align with your brand, post relevant content, and can help promote your services to their followers.  However they should always give helpful, honest reviews to their audience.

9. What’s the Next Step? Calls to Action

Including a CTA or a call to action is a must. You’ve already defined your goal. So don’t forget to tell your audience what action you want them to take. Think of it as helping them define the next step on their journey.

CTAs should be specific, clear, and aligned with your goals. Use action verbs, create a sense of urgency or exclusivity when appropriate, and make it easy for your audience to take the next step. Here are a few examples of CTAs for your social media posts.

Learn More

Encourage your audience to learn more about your log home services by directing them to a specific landing page on your website. For example, “Interested in building your dream log home? Learn more about our services here: [Link].”

Share Your Story

Encourage your audience to share their log home stories, photos, or testimonials with your brand and community. For instance, “Have you built your dream log home with us? We’d love to hear your story! Share your log home journey and inspire others.”

Contact Us

Prompt your audience to get in touch with you if they have a question, need advice, or request a quote. 

10. Keep Learning

Algorithms, behavior, and preferences can evolve. So it’s important to regularly review your analytics, experiment with different tactics, and adapt your strategy based on the insights you gather. By monitoring your audience’s engagement patterns and adjusting your posting schedule accordingly, you can maximize the impact of your social media efforts.

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