Social Media or Web Presence?
As sales managers, general managers, and marketing managers of crane companies, you understand the significance of maintaining a strong online presence to attract new customers and drive business growth.
However, the question arises: Should you focus on improving your web presence or allocate resources to social media marketing?
In this blog post, we will delve into the pros and cons of each approach to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and maximizes your return on investment.
But first, let us understand the two options.
What is a Web Presence & What is Social Media?
Web presence refers to the overall online visibility and representation of a business or individual on the internet. It encompasses various elements, including:
- company's website
- search engine rankings
- online directories
- reviews
- other online platforms where the business has a presence
A strong web presence involves optimizing these online assets to increase visibility, attract relevant traffic, and engage with potential customers. It focuses on reaching customers who are actively searching for specific products or services.
Social media refers to online platforms and websites that allow users to create and share content, participate in social networking, and engage in online communities. These platforms include popular sites such as:
- Twitter,
- YouTube.
Social media provides an avenue for businesses to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, share content, and foster engagement. It is a space for communication, interaction, and relationship-building with customers, but it may not always directly capture customers who are actively searching for specific products or services.
What is the difference?
Purpose: A web presence captures active customers searching for you on Google and other search engines. Social media takes time to build an audience.
Search intent: A web presence such as search engines are used primarily to find solutions to their problems. Social media is used as leisure or entertainment.
Channel functionality: A web presence's core is the company's website that explains who is this company, why this company and where is this company. Social media is used to stimulate 1 on 1 conversations or interactions between a company or person.
Targetting: Your web presence can capture leads within the areas you say you serve or in markets you want to enter. Social media can provide the same aspects, however social media is used to create a following so interactions are kept up to date with people that already follow you.
Measurable outcomes: In summary you want phone calls, new customers and increased profits. If you are not tracking either of these solutions, then your time and budget may not see proof of what is working or not working.
So What Should You Choose?
Here are the benefits to each solution. Remember, while both web presence and social media play a role in a comprehensive marketing strategy, it's important to align your efforts with your business goals, target audience, and available resources. In other words, do you want leads now? Do you want to book your cranes out as soon as possible? Do you want more HVAC jobs next month? Does your company want to expand in another city? How much time do we have to allocate towards marketing? These are questions to ask your team before making a decision.
In Summary
When it comes to owning market share, booking out cranes ASAP, and achieving long-term success, both web presence and social media play important roles in a comprehensive marketing strategy. However, if you are seeking immediate wins and long-term success, prioritizing web presence is highly recommended.
A strong web presence enables you to target warm customers actively searching for crane services, increasing your visibility on search engine results pages and establishing authority in the industry. By optimizing your website, employing strategic SEO techniques, and showcasing your expertise, you can capture high-intent prospects and drive targeted traffic to your business.
While social media platforms provide opportunities for brand exposure, engagement, and community building, they may have limited reach when it comes to customers actively searching for specific services. Social media efforts require consistent nurturing, content creation, and community management, which may not yield immediate results in terms of booking out cranes ASAP.
For general managers, a solid web presence enhances the overall brand reputation and market positioning of the crane company. It establishes your company as a leader in the industry, showcasing expertise, unique value propositions, and success stories. This not only attracts customers but also instills confidence in potential clients, giving them peace of mind when choosing your services over competitors. The trust and credibility built through an effective web presence contribute to long-term customer loyalty, repeat business, and a stronger market share.
For sales managers a strong web presence can provide a flow of qualified leads, allowing them to focus their efforts on nurturing and closing deals rather than chasing leads that may not be as interested or ready to make a purchase.
Marketing managers can benefit from a web presence that compliments their social media efforts by employing strategic SEO techniques. Increasing visibility among your target audience, ensuring that your marketing campaigns reach the right people at the right time. This improves the efficiency of marketing initiatives, maximizes return on investment, and allows marketing managers to allocate resources more effectively. Additionally, a strong web presence provides valuable data and analytics insights, enabling marketing managers to refine strategies, measure success, and make data-driven decisions.
3 ways we can help.
- We can provide a free audit.
- Provide you with a free marketing plan.
- We provide a 2 month trial to see if this is a good fit for you.
