The Role of Social Media in Industrial Marketing

Social media may not be the first tactic industrial businesses think of when building a marketing strategy—but it should be. As digital platforms evolve, social media has become a powerful tool for manufacturers, OEMs, distributors, and engineering firms to build brand credibility, share thought leadership, and connect with technical buyers at every stage of the sales journey.

At Lillian Group Marketing, we help industrial brands harness social media to not only engage their target audience but to drive measurable business results. This article explores how social media is reshaping industrial marketing, why it matters, and how your business can implement a strategy that supports long-term growth.

Why Social Media Now Matters in the Industrial Sector

1. Shifting Buyer Behavior

Today’s B2B buyers—yes, even in industrial and technical industries—are online. Research from Gartner shows that 83% of B2B buyers prefer to engage with content online before speaking with a sales rep. This includes reviewing LinkedIn content, watching product demos on YouTube, and browsing company pages.

In manufacturing, procurement and engineering professionals now spend hours weekly consuming digital content. According to IEEE GlobalSpec, 72% of engineers use social media for work-related research, and 60% say LinkedIn is a top resource for industry news and product updates.

2. Trust Building Through Content

Discover the advantages of partnering with a local leader in B2B marketing. Our proximity allows us to understand your market environment intimately and deliver swift and effective marketing solutions.

Trust is a cornerstone of industrial sales, and social media provides a direct channel to build it. Unlike static brochures or spec sheets, social platforms allow brands to consistently share insights, behind-the-scenes stories, product videos, and customer wins.

At Lillian Group, we help clients use content-driven storytelling to humanize their brand. From showcasing factory processes and new equipment installations to posting day-in-the-life content from engineers, this level of transparency creates confidence in your capabilities.

In fact, companies that post consistently on LinkedIn generate 2x more trust than those that don’t, according to LinkedIn’s B2B Benchmark Report.

3. Reaching Decision-Makers More Directly

Social media helps you reach the entire buying committee—from engineers and procurement managers to CFOs and plant directors. Unlike email or cold calls that may be filtered or ignored, social platforms offer a more natural and ongoing method of exposure. We’ve seen clients significantly increase visibility with their target accounts simply by sharing:

Technical blog snippets

Customer testimonials

Employee highlights

Industry trend commentary

These small touchpoints accumulate into brand familiarity and trust over time—a crucial factor in complex B2B sales.

Platform Priorities for Industrial Marketing

Not every social platform works the same. Here’s how we prioritize platforms at Lillian Group when developing social media strategies for manufacturers and industrial clients:

Platform Priorities for Industrial Marketing

Not every social platform works the same. Here’s how we prioritize platforms at Lillian Group when developing social media strategies for manufacturers and industrial clients:

LinkedIn: The Industrial Powerhouse

Best for: Thought leadership, lead generation, company culture, employee advocacy
Why it works: LinkedIn is the most trusted platform among B2B professionals and decision-makers.
Stats: 80% of B2B leads from social media come from LinkedIn.

We recommend combining both organic posts and paid LinkedIn campaigns for highest reach and conversion.

YouTube: Video as a Conversion Tool

Best for: Product demos, facility tours, customer success stories, how-tos
Why it works: Buyers often prefer video before requesting quotes or consultations.
Stats: According to Wyzowl, 78% of B2B buyers say video influenced a purchase decision.

Industrial brands with strong video content stand out as more trustworthy and capable.

Facebook & Instagram: Community and Culture

Best for: Local brand engagement, recruiting, and behind-the-scenes content
Why it works: While not always top-of-funnel, these platforms humanize your brand and showcase team culture.
Stats: Over 2.9 billion monthly active users on Facebook; industrial talent often uses Facebook and Instagram to research potential employers or vendors.

Tactics That Work for Industrial Brands

1. Employee Advocacy

Encouraging team members—from engineers to executives—to share content builds credibility and reach. Audiences trust employees 3x more than branded posts, according to Edelman.

We create pre-approved content templates and train teams to become active social ambassadors.

2. Repurposed Content Strategy

Not every piece of content needs to start from scratch. We repurpose:

White papers → LinkedIn carousels
Webinars → YouTube video clips
Case studies → Testimonial graphics
Blogs → Industry insights posts

This multiplies the value of your existing assets while ensuring your social feed stays active.

3. Hashtag & Audience Targeting

We use industry-specific hashtags like #industrialautomation, #oemsolutions, or #b2bmanufacturing to increase discoverability and community engagement

4. Social Selling & Account-Based Targeting

We align your sales and marketing teams to identify, follow, and engage key accounts. By commenting on posts, sharing relevant insights, and tracking activity, we nurture cold accounts into warm leads.

Measurement: Proving ROI from Social Media

Social media isn’t just a brand play—it’s a performance channel. At Lillian Group, every campaign is tracked against KPIs such as:

Engagement rate per post
Click-through rate (CTR) to website
Conversion to leads or demo requests
Follower growth among target accounts

Platform-assisted conversions in the sales pipeline

Using platforms like HubSpot, Google Analytics, and LinkedIn Campaign Manager, we close the loop between social activity and revenue impact.

Social Media: Not Just for Visibility—For Growth

Companies still hesitant about social media often cite concerns like audience fit or low engagement. But those that embrace it gain first-mover advantages: better brand recall, higher inbound lead quality, and greater buyer trust.

The reality is: your competitors are already building a presence—and your buyers are paying attention.

How Lillian Group Marketing Supports Social Strategy

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to scale your current efforts, Lillian Group offers end-to-end support for social media success, including:

Platform setup & optimization
Strategy development
Social media content calendars
Paid LinkedIn ad campaigns
Video production & repurposing
Social selling alignment
Monthly reporting & insights

We bring industry context, technical know-how, and creative storytelling to every campaign.

Ready to Elevate Your Social Media Presence?

👉 Schedule a free consultation to discuss how Lillian Group can help you reach more qualified buyers, build brand authority, and stay top of mind across social channels.