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Facebook Marketing: Does it Work for Construction Firms?

February 27, 2017 by Brian Fraley

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Will Facebook marketing get results for my construction firm? It’s a question that you’ve probably considered, and possibly struggled with, at some point.

I recently bit the bullet and created a business page for Fraley Construction Marketing on Facebook. You can see it here.

Fraley Construction Marketing Facebook Page

I’m no stranger to Facebook. I built a company page in 2014, actively maintained it, and deleted it in 2015, primarily because I was disappointed in the reach and convinced that this was an informal platform where users had no interest in hearing about business.

The decision to come back was strategic, ongoing, and required me to reevaluate my position. My research and thought process will help those of you that are on the fence about Facebook to make a decision since we share a common industry and target audience.

Let me be clear that I still have reservations about Facebook. There is, however, no denying that they hold the title among social media platforms. A recent Pew Research Center study revealed that 68% of U.S. adults use Facebook.

Too Big to Ignore

Facebook has gotten to the point that it’s simply too big to ignore. In case you haven’t noticed, a global technological oligarchy has been forming. It includes Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.

The trend is strong. Facebook’s user base has been expanding monthly as evidenced by the chart below.

Facebook Users GraphFacebook not only continues to grow its user base, but is also creeping into more areas of our lives. From live video, to publishing news, to hosting custom articles, its quest to keep users logged in for longer periods of time is working.

One of the unwritten rules of traditional advertising is to go where the eyeballs are. That applies to social media marketing as well. Facebook has control of many eyeballs, that’s likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

The B2B vs. B2C Disconnect

I’ve said more than once that most construction firms will never sell a piece of equipment or land a contract through Facebook. I maintain that position. Why? Because Facebook is a very informal platform where people generally don’t want to hear about business. That’s a stumbling block for construction and other B2B firms.

It plays well to B2C firms that sell products like peanut butter to consumers. Pictures of cute kids and puppy dogs is an effective marketing strategy for them. Not so much if you’re trying to move a piece of heavy iron.

The counterargument to my B2B versus B2C position is that even though Facebook is geared toward individual users, as opposed to business-focused platforms like LinkedIn, most of those people work somewhere. Some are even decision-makers. It’s hard to dispute this.

Stop Drinking the Kool-Aid. What’s Your Objective?

My ongoing research indicated that the construction industry was well represented on Facebook. I struggled with why that was the case. My opinion is that the industry, much like the general public, has been drinking the Kool-Aid.

The Construction Marketing Association (CMA) has a Social Media webinar each Fall. Year after year, Facebook was among the top three platforms construction firms were using. The 2016 forecast, for example, had LinkedIn at the top with 94% and Facebook trailing close behind at 89%.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter why so many construction firms engage in Facebook marketing. What really counts is whether they’re getting a Return on Investment (ROI).

The decision to invest time and money into any social media platform should be based on hard objectives. What are you looking to accomplish and can it be done there? Period.

Are you there to build an online brand, engage with customers, direct inbound traffic to your website, or are you there because a marketing consultant that doesn’t understand your industry talked you into it because they had a vested interest?

The Old School is in Session

We’re all guilty of generalizing from time to time. One of the generalities I held was that the old school segment of the construction industry was not on Facebook.

Perhaps I should have known better. One of the ongoing jokes was that young people were fleeing Facebook for trendier new platforms like Snapchat to escape the watchful eyes of their parents whom had begun using the platform.

The truth is that people of all ages are well represented on Facebook. The chart below shows a healthy balance between most age group segments.

Facebook Users by Age Graph

One of the things that really swayed me was the activity within construction-focused groups I belong to through my personal account. Let me give you some examples with hard numbers:

Historical Construction Equipment Association – 6,706 members

Historical Highway Heavy Association – 1,671 members

These groups are largely comprised of current and retired equipment operators. These aren’t ghost towns either; there is heavy engagement on a daily basis.

Based on the operators I’ve known over the years, I was surprised to see his kind of engagement. Most are admittedly not technology savvy and prefer hands-on activities.

The Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club (ACMOC), while not a group, has a page with a whopping 7,404 likes. It, too, has plenty of engagement.

You can see that the common thread here is antique construction equipment. Is it safe to say that if you appreciate old iron you might be a bit old school? Many in this group are, in fact, old school, but they still use Facebook. This is exactly why it’s dangerous to make assumptions without supporting data.

The Organic Reach Highway to Nowhere

One of the problems I have with Facebook is that the organic reach for a company page is rotten. In other words, when you post an update, you will only reach a small percentage of your audience.

This is by design. Facebook wants you to spend money on paid advertising. They facilitate that by setting up a stingy algorithm that determines which of your followers see your post.

We will continue to see social media platforms trying to monetize by playing games with reach. You have a choice: get in the game, or sit on the sideline.

Paid Advertising to Find Your Audience

The good news is that paid advertising is inexpensive on Facebook…for now. Assuming you already have a company page or decide to take the leap, it’s not a bad idea to spend some money to at least find the right audience. Let it be clear that I am NOT advocating for continuous paid advertising on Facebook.

One of the benefits of social media advertising is that you can target the exact demographic you’re looking to reach. One way is to boost a post. You can segment by gender, age, location, and interest. You might also create a specific ad to boost if you have the capabilities.

We’ve all gotten spoiled by the free access these social media platforms provide, but we must remember that these are businesses constantly looking to create new revenue streams.

Social media advertising allows us to target specific segments and measure the ROI in a way that traditional print advertising never could. That certainly helps to ease the pain when comes time to pay the piper.

Will Facebook Marketing Work for My Firm?

Now that we’ve laid out the pros and cons associated with Facebook, let’s revisit the original question: should my construction firm engage in Facebook marketing? It depends. That may seem like a cop out, but to give you a yes or no answer would be irresponsible.

The facts and opinions laid out in this article are only meant to support your decision and provide some ideas. The bottom line is that you as a firm must identify your objectives and evaluate the platform to make sure your specific audience is present and engaged.

You must also continue to measure your ROI and be prepared to pull the plug if you’re not meeting your objectives. Facebook is the king of the social media mountain for now, but that could change any day. Stay engaged.

Need help with social media marketing? Click here to learn more about Fraley Construction Marketing’s services.

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Categories: Branding, Construction Marketing, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing

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We found Brian and his team easy to work with and they did an outstanding job on our website. Brian offered editorial work when needed and his team put together a great layout and format for our site. Once we decided to get serious with the content, our site came together quickly and now we have a more professional representation of Earth Engineering on the Internet. I highly recommend Fraley Construction Marketing for anyone involved in the engineering or construction industry who wants someone… Read more
Ward McMasters, P.E.PresidentEarth Engineering Inc.
Brian was there for us when we had just a few days to put together a complex proposal for a P3 bridge replacement project we were bidding that involved detailed technical and financial plans. As a contractor, we had no experience in putting together the marketing and narrative pieces that the proposal required. Brian not only walked us through the process, he helped us put together a complete and professional looking proposal. His extensive experience and knowledge of construction and engineerin… Read more
Mark EckmanPresidentJ.D. Eckman Inc.
I’d like to thank you for the job you did redesigning our website. The site is more modern and MUCH easier to navigate. You listened and brought our ideas to life.
Bob HessPresidentFaddis Concrete Products
The services Fraley Construction Marketing provided to us were top notch.  We’ve hired photographers across the country to obtain photos of our equipment in use on various job sites, but Brian’s talent shined in this particular project.  He went above and beyond, was very informative and did a great job scheduling and coordinating with the jobsite.  We are very happy with the quality of his photos!  We would be more than willing to use his services again in the future.
Gretchen TremmierSecretaryPile Hammer Equipment
Fraley Construction Marketing has taken KB’s online presence to the next level. Brian utilizes multiple social media platforms to engage with our industry and drive traffic to our website. They also manage our e-mail marketing and we anticipate many long-term benefits. Fraley is a truly innovative online marketing firm.
Mark WaltersMarket ManagerKB International
We are extremely pleased with the work Fraley Construction Marketing has done. We had a massive amount of website content that needed to be edited and written within a tight schedule and it was all done in a timely manner. Brian is a great communicator and talked me through the entire process to make sure everything was exactly to our liking. 
Caitlin KitchensCommunications SpecialistSuperior Construction
We are very happy with Fraley Construction Marketing’s services. Brian helped us get into key industry trade publications and did a fantastic job writing the story of an unconventional project we performed. His experience and understanding of the construction industry is inherent. We continue to work with Brian, whose knowledge and hard work has raised our online presence!
Kay MiluskiPresidentCompaction Grouting Services
Fraley Construction Marketing has achieved incredible results in our company’s marketing efforts. Brian has taken our social media and press releases from zero to overwhelming. This is due to Brian’s industry knowledge and exemplary communication skills. His skill and guidance have led us beyond our expectations.
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I was looking for an effective and precise way to market my new Black Splitter log splitting products to potential customers and that’s exactly what I got with Fraley Construction Marketing. Brian exceeded my expectations by suggesting a project application story instead of a standard new product press release, and identifying and getting it published in at least six industry trade publications. I will be doing more marketing projects with Brian in the future.
Eric RansomeOwnerRansome Attachments
Brian Fraley is an asset to any business that desires a stronger emphasis on construction marketing. In the past year, Brian crafted two job stories, opening doors to more than 10 publications, including PileDriver, Piling Canada, Deep Foundations, Foundation Drilling and Pile Buck to name a few. His in-depth knowledge of the construction industry, writing and photography skills, and relationship with trade magazine editors makes collaborating on stories a pleasure and helps ECA promote the cap… Read more
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