Marketing for Architects

Marketing for Architects
Lucy works exclusively with for architects

Tuesday 4 December 2012

The power of social networking

Architects are beginning to wake up to the power of 'social networking' - LinkedIn, twitter, facebook, tumblr, pinterest, flickr, google +  ... 


Here are a few guidelines for making the most of the opportunities on-line to raise your practice's profile.


1       Be clear about your objectives
  • why are you talking on twitter?  
  • why are you posting updates on facebook?
  • what is your message? 
  • who is it for?
2      Use the appropriate 'social media'
  • who are your followers and where are they on-line? 
  • with whom are you hoping to connect?
  • which social media are your potential clients following?
  • is it the press you are hoping to develop a relationship with? 
3       Keep it short and snappy
  • blogs and updates should be 'tasters' - inspiring the reader to want to know more about you
  • tone should appropriate (beware of whingeing)
  • beware of posting updates late at night, after drinking or when you are upset
4       Be consistent
  • your image on the internet should be a true reflection of your 'brand values'
  • decide whether you are posting as yourself or your practice - don't mix them up
  • keep to the point 
  • have fun and experiment to find out what works for you



    Tips


    • I recommend setting aside a short time each day or week to maintain your on-line presence - 30 minutes at lunch-time, or Friday afternoons for example - try to remain focused so you don't end up frittering time away
    • Creating company pages on LinkedIn and facebook does not take long - and can increase traffic to your own website - try to update them a least once a month
    • Understand that LinkedIn works best for business-to-business relationships - great for connecting with other construction professionals and if you work in the commercial sectors.  Look for shared interest groups like hotels or MIPIM.
    • Facebook can be most powerful if you work in the private sector for domestic clients - however respect your clients' privacy and get permission before talking about their homes on the internet or posting photographs
    • Twitter can be very effective for developing relationship with the press - Anna Winston of BD on-line said recently that twitter was the best way to make contact with her
    • Understand that everything you post becomes part of the public domain - if you join in a discussion in the AJ LinkedIn group for example, your comments may be edited and published in the print edition





2 comments:

  1. I forgot to say - choose your profile photo carefully. It's worth having a professional photo taken. You don't want to scare people off.

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  2. Yes, it has been proven by the recent research that social media field is very roomy. There are a lot positive effects always have on your online business. So don’t ignore it. Nowadays, Buy Soundcloud Plays is much in vogue and mostly people are using this trend for getting effective results.

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