Do service-based companies need a different social media strategy from others? At Alter Endeavors, we do not apply a one-size fits all approach to social media marketing. A brand’s social media strategy should be as unique as its selling points. A brand’s online presence should convey to its audience who they are, what they do and why they should be the customer’s first choice. While the aforementioned applies to every brand, there are some special rules for service-based companies.

Each social media platform serves a purpose. It may not be listed outright in the app’s description or homepage, but users have collectively defined what platform to turn to for which reason. Service-based companies may choose to have a presence on Pinterest, but it should not be used in the same fashion that a clothing brand would choose to use it. Users look to Pinterest as a source for inspiration, whether it’s to put together the perfect fall outfit or how to remodel their home on a budget. A service based company has to play along and showcase its best project photos in order for a Pinterest user to say “I want to hire that company to make my vision a reality.” It’s a tougher challenge than simply providing a link to purchase a clothing item, but it’s worth it. If one avid Pinterest user with clout re-pins a project photo… there is a chance for a domino effect. A percentage of Pinterest users who see the project photo will convert to sales.

Service-based companies are tasked to think outside of the box because photo opportunities are harder to come by compared to brand’s who have shelves of product to showcase.  At Alter Endeavors, our Instagram feed is a collection of screenshots of the website design projects we have completed. A potential client scrolling through our pictures will notice the sleek design of our sites, as well as the wide array of industries we have worked in.

It is not necessary to have a presence on every emerging social media platform, but it is key to think through where your potential customers are and how you can serve them. Brands must incentivize social media users to connect and interact with them by offering either information and/or entertainment. For customers a brand has served in the past, this may mean sharing information on upkeep or why they should stay in contact for the future. In order to convert social media users to customers, a brand must highlight why to choose them over their competitors. 

Instead of writing off social media as a marketing approach reserved for product-based companies, find a way to communicate to your customers why they should keep an eye on your feed. Use social media as a way to establish your brand as an expert in the field, connect with the community you belong to and establish a level of customer service that is second to none.