Which social media platforms does your industrial company need?

In the world of industrial marketing, where direct contact with the customer and expert knowledge play a key role, social media is still often an underestimated channel. Do social media have a place in the industry? The answer is: yes! However, it’s not about having a profile just because "everyone" does. Social media, when used properly, can become a powerful tool to support sales processes, build brand image and educate customers.

In this article, we’ll show you why it’s worth investing in social media marketing for the industrial sector and how to do it effectively – based on data from the latest report "The Industrial Sector in Poland and Digital Marketing & Sales."

Social media in Polish industry

Our research shows that as many as 85.6% of Polish industrial companies use social media as one of their communication channels. The most popular medium, despite its more entertainment-focused character, remains Facebook, used by 78% of the analyzed companies. LinkedIn, crucial in the B2B sector, is used by 72% of companies. An increasing number of companies are also testing the potential of YouTube (67%). The Polish industrial sector uses Instagram (29%) and X (formerly Twitter) (10%) less frequently.

When we take a closer look at specific sets of communication channels, it turns out that the most popular one is Facebook+LinkedIn+YouTube (24.8%), and slightly less common is the same set with Instagram included (14.4%). However, most companies use other, less typical combinations that together account for the communication of 25.6% of enterprises.

The impact of social media on industrial marketing

Social media is not just a place for entertainment and socializing. It is also a platform where industrial companies can build business relationships, present their products and services, and educate customers. You can learn more about social media marketing in our knowledge base. But first, let’s answer the question: why are social media important for the industrial sector?

Brand awareness building

Regular publications on company profiles help build brand recognition and a positive image. Why is this so important?

A brand is a key, yet often underestimated, factor in B2B sales. Studies show that product-related content aimed at clients currently looking for a solution will only meet the needs of about 5% of your potential clients. Simply put, only a small portion of companies are in a purchasing process at any given moment. Meanwhile, 100% of your potential clients can be exposed to the value your brand offers. When a need arises and the search for a solution begins, the brand that is top-of-mind for decision-makers has a significantly higher chance of being chosen.

As Łukasz Kosuniak said for the Grow Poland report: "A strong brand can contribute to a 2-3x increase in the conversion of marketing and sales activities. So even if we allocate less budget to direct lead generation, the efficiency of the process will grow." Social media is an excellent place to maintain visibility and remain in the memory of potential customers.

Education and expertise

In the industrial sector, where purchasing decisions rely on knowledge and trust, social media is a great tool for sharing expert knowledge. Posts about technology, case studies, industry articles or webinars can attract the attention of potential clients and build the company’s image as a leader in its field.

Platforms such as LinkedIn are a perfect place to promote your experts and convince clients that their investment is in the hands of true professionals. Here you can also post information that helps customers better understand your solutions, submit accurate inquiries, and learn more about the implementation and usage processes. Regularly providing education saves time for your salespeople, who receive more informed and ready-to-buy leads.

Increasing content reach

Social media is a natural extension of content marketing activities. Posts inviting users to read, listen to or watch a resource, or attend a webinar or trade show, help reach potential recipients of these materials and events.

22% of Polish industrial companies have a knowledge base, 26% run a blog, and 21% publish case studies on their websites. For them, and for all those who will join content marketing activities, social media offer great potential. Content published on a company blog or website can gain much more reach thanks to social media. Linking to articles, sharing videos or graphics on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook allows you to reach a broader audience.

Remember that before a client takes action — for example, signing up for a meeting or sending you an inquiry — they usually need several or even a dozen interactions with the content you publish. Visit our knowledge base to learn more about effective content marketing actions.

Customer engagement

Social media enables direct interaction with clients. Many use chat features on social platforms just like contact forms or email.

Answering questions, participating in industry discussions or collecting product feedback are actions that build relationships and audience engagement. It’s also a great place to showcase collaborations, thank clients for attending events or announce new investments.

It’s worth keeping an ear to the ground and monitoring what clients are saying about your company in industry groups.

A source of insight

Social media is not only a channel for broadcasting information — over time, it becomes an important source of feedback. We’ve already talked about tracking customer opinions. Thanks to regular publications, you’ll also learn which topics interest your potential clients the most and what information they need about your product or service. You’ll quickly identify new people interested in your business and will be able to apply personalized marketing actions to reach them.

How to effectively use social media in industry?

Effective use of social media in industrial marketing requires a thoughtful strategy. Running a profile just for the sake of it is a sure way to waste your budget. Of course, your company should be findable on social media, but simply existing is not enough.

Here are a few steps that can help you succeed:

Choosing the right platforms

Not every social media platform is suitable for the industrial sector. The key medium in B2B communication is LinkedIn, known for its professional nature and focus on business relationships. However, it’s also worth considering presence on Twitter, YouTube, or even Facebook and Instagram depending on your target audience. The first question you should ask is: "Where are my customers?" The answer will determine your next steps.

In short: go for LinkedIn, but don’t close yourself off to other channels. The report shows that the best-performing companies in digital marketing use an average of 3-4 social media channels. Think about where your audience is — and build your presence there.

Regularity and content quality

Regularly publishing valuable content is key to maintaining audience interest.

Your content should match the needs and interests of potential customers — it can include articles, infographics, industry reports, how-to videos or expert interviews.

Multimedia quality is also important: professional graphics or videos create an image of a serious and credible company.

One of the worst scenarios is a "dead profile" with no posts for months. This may raise concerns about whether the company is still operational and capable of fulfilling orders. That’s why, if you decide to run a profile, make sure to have processes, time and resources in place that will allow you to publish regularly (which doesn’t mean daily — one post per week can be a good start).

Engaging experts

In the industrial sector, expert knowledge is invaluable. It's worth involving engineers, technologists and other specialists in content creation that answers specific client problems and questions.

Of course, your engineers don’t need to write social media posts themselves. A professional copywriter experienced in working with experts can collaborate with them and extract their knowledge without burdening them, turning it into high-quality content. Who knows, maybe you’ll even discover hidden talents for public speaking or on-camera appearances within your company?

Analysis and optimization

Monitoring the results of social media efforts allows you to continuously optimize your strategy. Analytical tools provided by social platforms help you understand which content gains the most interest and which actions deliver the best results. This way, you can identify the most effective posting frequency or time.

Integration with innovative technologies

Using marketing automation tools can significantly increase the efficiency of your social media activities. Automating posts, tracking engagement or personalizing messages are just some of the possibilities worth exploring. For example, with HubSpot, you can prepare posts for all your communication channels in one place, schedule them, and collect analytics.

Social media for industrial companies

Does your industrial company need social media? Absolutely. It’s not only a place to promote products but above all, a platform for building relationships, educating, and engaging clients. In the age of digitalization and growing competition, effective use of social media can bring measurable benefits — increasing reach, improving brand image, and supporting sales processes.

Looking for specific solutions? Contact us to find out how we can support your industrial company’s growth through digital marketing!