Social media has revolutionised marketing for many industries, but can it deliver the same value for engineering and manufacturing companies? Do platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube and even Instagram genuinely help B2B businesses generate leads, or are they simply not worth the effort?
For many engineering businesses, the idea of using social media to win work might seem counterintuitive. After all, complex machinery or highly technical services aren’t typically what you’d expect to find trending on Instagram. Yet, in the right context, social media can act as a powerful gateway to generate interest, educate potential clients and even convert leads into business opportunities.
The key with social media is understanding that it isn’t necessarily the end goal. It’s part of a process. When used as part of a wider strategy that includes a well-optimised website and marketing funnel, it becomes an effective way to attract the right people, engage them with valuable content, and nurture them into a sales funnel.
So, how do you determine whether social media will be effective for your business?
It’s important to first consider your audience and goals. Engineering companies rarely need to reach mass audiences. Instead, the focus should be on targeting specific decision-makers, such as MDs, procurement teams and technical managers.
When done well, social media enables you to build awareness of your brand and expertise, share insights and updates that educate your audience, engage directly with potential clients and build trust over time. But the success of any strategy depends on how well you understand your audience, set clear objectives and create content that aligns with both.
Three-Step Process for Social Media Success
To achieve the best possible results, a three-step process is recommended:
1. Know your audience
Who are your ideal clients? Identify their roles (MDs, buyers, or engineers, for instance) and the challenges they face. Where do they spend their time online? LinkedIn, for instance, is widely used by B2B professionals.
2. Define your goals
Are you looking to generate leads, improve brand awareness, or establish thought leadership? Clear goals will guide your approach. Use measurable outcomes, such as numbers of enquiries or website visits, to track progress.
3. Create relevant content
Share insights your audience will value. For example, give practical advice on how to reduce downtime with preventative maintenance. Use case studies and project stories to showcase your expertise in real-world applications.
Choosing the Right Platforms
Not all platforms are created equal, and different social media channels serve different purposes. For the engineering sector, the three with most potential are LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B. It allows you to share industry insights, connect with decision-makers, and build credibility. Paid tools, such as LinkedIn Sponsored Content, enable highly targeted campaigns, ensuring your posts reach specific roles or companies.
YouTube is a powerful medium for visual content, such as factory tours, product demos, or step-by-step tutorials. You can include links to your website or landing pages in video descriptions to guide viewers further into your marketing funnel.
Instagram is a less traditional channel for engineering, but it can be effective for showcasing high-quality visuals of precision manufacturing or unique projects, for instance. Use it to humanise your business by featuring your team or company culture.
Measuring Success
One of the biggest challenges for engineering companies is ensuring that social media efforts lead to tangible results. This is where integrating social media with your website and marketing funnel becomes critical.
Social media works best as the attraction – drawing attention and generating interest. Your website then takes over, educating potential clients with detailed content, nurturing them through gated resources like whitepapers, and guiding them to make an enquiry or purchase.
To achieve this, your website must provide clear calls to action – encouraging visitors to download guides, request a demo or contact you. It needs to be optimised for mobile use, since many users access social media on their phones. Importantly, its content should reinforce trust, through testimonials, certifications and case studies.
If you’re going to invest in social media, it’s important to measure its success. Three key metrics to monitor are engagement, click-through rate and conversions.
Engagement can be measured in terms of likes, comments, and shares, indicating how well your content resonates with your audience. Click-through rate (CTR) shows how many people are clicking from your social media posts to your website.
Conversions are a measure of how many leads, enquiries or sales come directly from your social media efforts. By regularly reviewing these metrics, you can refine your strategy to focus on what’s working.
For engineering companies, social media is unlikely to replace traditional marketing methods such as trade shows or direct sales. However, it can play a valuable supporting role when used strategically. By building awareness, educating potential clients and guiding them into a well-constructed marketing funnel, social media can become a powerful tool for generating high-quality leads.
About the Author
Richard Stinson is director and co-founder of technical marketing agency Brookstone Creative
Richard’s journey began on the shop floor and progressed through various engineering positions, including CAD/CAM, design engineering, project management and technical sales. Today, Richard leads a team offering comprehensive digital marketing solutions for engineering firms. Their experience covers industries such as plastics, tooling, fabrication, and machine tools. Richard's passion lies in helping manufacturing companies achieve marketing success by leveraging his technical knowledge and marketing expertise.
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