Some things have stayed the same since 2016, but a lot has certainly changed! Check out these 5 ways to get the most out of your social media efforts in 2017.
Visual and video-oriented social media platforms are becoming more popular lately, and 
Instagram is one such platform that tons of contractors are already taking advantage of. You can post pictures and short videos of your projects. Show off your work!
Getting exposure on Instagram is all about using the right hashtags––they should be location- and industry-specific. There are many people on Instagram who may contact you if they are impressed with what they see on your profile.
Make sure you set your profile up as an Instagram Business account to make it easier for people to contact you with inquiries.
Video
You don’t need too much fancy equipment to get started with videos––check out our tips for making videos for your contracting business. As a contractor, you can make videos geared towards your clients and potential clients. Some topics you could cover include how to properly care for their hardwood floors, how to select the right species for their specific needs, and how to protect them from damage in the long run.
You could also show people what happens behind the scenes as you’re installing or refinishing floors and doing other work.
You can just use your smartphone to make videos, as long as the audio quality is good. When you create videos, you should post them to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This leads us to the next point….
Repurposing content
You can extract more value out of every piece of content you produce by publishing that content across different social media networks. So if you take a picture for your Instagram page, you should also publish it on your Facebook business page too (you can even set up your Instagram profile so that your content is cross-published automatically.)
Be aware of the fact that you might have to tweak the content based on the specific platform you’re posting to. So you might want to pare down the hashtags when you repost something from Instagram to Facebook, for example.
But the bulk of the work––creating the content––is already done, so you can continue reaping the benefits. Repurposing your content across different social media networks makes it easier for you to publish content on a more regular basis, which translates into more consistent results for your business.
Facebook Live
Facebook Live is a powerful tool you can use to connect with both current customers and potential customers to show off your value or expertise.
W
henever you begin broadcasting a Facebook Live video from your business’s Facebook page, anyone who is following your page will get a notification. This makes your fans more likely to tune in. Your viewers can react to your video and type comments/questions in real time so you
can address them as they come up. This feature in particular gives you a great way to build value for your audience while positioning yourself as an industry leader.
Some ideas for Facebook Live videos include broadcasting live as you’re refinishing/installing a floor to show yourself behind the scenes, or just talking about a topic that homeowners would find interesting and useful.
Paid social media
As social media gets more crowded, it’s important to begin investing in social media marketing to actually see some results. Organic reach has declined over the past several years, specifically on Facebook, so it’s more important than ever to start investing in social media to get results.
Facebook Ads in particular are an effective and relatively inexpensive way to get more traction for your content. The cost per lead of Facebook Ads will probably increase over the next few years, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of this tool now and get acquainted with it.
You can use Facebook Ads to grow your email list, get people interested in your company, download coupons to save money on your services, etc.
Houzz is another social media platform that you should consider investing in. By signing up for a Houzz Pro account, you can boost your profile and put your work in front of local homeowners who need your services. Click here to read more about using Houzz to attract more attention to your contracting business.
Quite a bit has changed in the world of social media over the past year, but don’t be discouraged! With these tips in mind, you can easily adapt to these changes and continue using social media to gain exposure for your wood floor contracting business.
