Benefits of Social Media for Tech Companies and Tips for Success

In today's digital world, it’s more important than ever for tech companies to have an active social media presence. Whether you're a biotech or climate tech company or in SaaS or AI, social media presents a unique opportunity to promote your brand, showcase your innovative ideas and products, and grow your network. Social media is no longer a nice to have; it should be an integral part of your marketing mix, helping to drive the RIGHT traffic to your website. 

Read on to find out three reasons why you need to be using social media to promote your business to your target audience. We’ll give you some helpful tips about how to get started, and look at which social media platform is best for your business, as well as what types of content you should be posting.

Social media helps establish thought leadership credentials

The tech industry is currently experiencing a dynamic period of innovation and growth, presenting endless opportunities for learning and development. Whether you're advancing cutting-edge software solutions to enhance user experiences, achieving breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, or pioneering sustainable tech to address climate change, social media offers an ideal platform to disseminate your insights to customers, peers, and the broader sector. By sharing articles, blog posts, and other relevant content on social media, you can enlighten your audience about your company's contributions and establish yourselves as leaders in the technological realm. This approach is an excellent strategy to attract new customers and clients who are seeking trusted experts in the technology field.

keep your Tech Company front of mind 

Even if someone isn't currently seeking the technological solutions you provide, that doesn't mean they won't be in search of innovative tech partners or consultants in the future. By maintaining an active presence on social media, you ensure that your company remains top of mind when potential clients are ready to explore new technology ventures or projects. People prefer to engage with businesses they are familiar with, appreciate, and trust. A robust social media presence allows you to foster relationships and shape the narrative surrounding your company. Ultimately, this positions you advantageously, enabling you to present your best offerings when the opportunity arises.

Expand your network Within the B2B Tech Industry

For those looking to forge connections within the B2B tech space, particularly in areas like sustainable tech or AI, social media platforms like LinkedIn offer invaluable opportunities. Engaging with industry leaders and participating in relevant online discussions can swiftly broaden your professional network and foster meaningful connections.

Consider the real-world example of Plan A, a company committed to leveraging technology for environmental sustainability, and its founder, Lubomila Jordanova. Plan A has made significant strides in using data-driven solutions to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their sustainability efforts. Through active engagement on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, sharing insightful content and breakthroughs in sustainability tech, Plan A and Lubomila have established themselves as authoritative voices in the field of sustainable technology. At the time of writing, PlanA has almost 48,000 followers on LinkedIn and Lubomila herself has over 130,000 followers.

Their journey illustrates the effectiveness of using social media platforms to share expertise and innovations, thereby growing a network of professionals and organisations interested in sustainable solutions. How can other tech companies replicate this approach? We recommend that you begin by actively engaging in conversations on social media platforms like LinkedIn, focus in on your niche in B2B sustainable tech or AI, for example. Share your tech company’s achievements, insights, and vision. This will not only increase your visibility but also position you as a thought leader, attracting potential clients and collaborators who prioritise sustainability and technological advancement.

Starting out on social media for Tech Companies

It can be difficult to know where to begin. However, there are a few key tips we can offer that will help get you started. The first thing to do is to consider what platforms your audience of customers and clients are using. You'll want to be where they are so you can reach them directly. 

Once you have set up your accounts on social media, don't forget to interact with your followers. Respond to their comments and questions as much as possible. This will help create a connection and encourage community and conversation with your followers who will then keep coming back for more.

Top social media platforms For Tech companies 

Each technology company is unique, and therefore, there's no universal solution when it comes to selecting social media platforms. Yet, certain strategies can guide you in making an informed decision that aligns with your business objectives.

The initial step is to identify where your intended audience spends their time online. If your goal, for example, is to engage with eco-conscious businesses looking for sustainable solutions, platforms like LinkedIn and X might be more beneficial. LinkedIn, in particular, offers an excellent environment for B2B engagement, ideal for companies innovating in sustainable building technologies or those providing AI solutions for energy efficiency.

Additionally, Instagram and Facebook are powerful channels for visually showcasing your projects and innovations, particularly if you are looking to attract a more consumer led audience.

Remember, spreading your efforts across too many platforms without a clear strategy can dilute your message and impact. Focus on the channels that best represent your brand values and where your target audience is most active. You can also cross promote posts across different platforms, so you don't necessarily need to create completely bespoke content for each channel. However, the level of effort you’re willing to invest in maintaining your social media platforms is crucial. Consistent, high-quality content is especially key for engaging your audience and building a community around your brand.

The benefits of regular social media activity are manifold. Posting even a few times per week will keep your audience informed and engaged. This helps establish a strong brand relationship, and significantly enhances your online presence. Each post is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, share insights, and highlight your contributions to the tech space.

How Tech companies can use LinkedIn

As a professional B2B networking site, LinkedIn offers many ways for tech companies to connect with peers, and potential clients, to grow their businesses. By creating a company profile and connecting with other tech professionals, businesses can share ideas, promote collaborations, and find new opportunities from social media marketing.

LinkedIn Groups can provide multiple benefits for tech businesses. For example, one large LinkedIn group focused on tech companies is 'Software/Technology AI, Marketing, Social Media, Startups, Blockchain, Human Resources & Metaverse,' which boasts an impressive membership of almost 3 million. This group attracts a wide range of participants, including business executives, sales and marketing professionals, covering discussions on a global scale and across various languages. Its vast membership base and diversity of topics make it an invaluable resource for anyone in the tech industry looking to network, share ideas, and discover new opportunities. Smaller more niche groups can also be filled with opportunities for networking and business growth. For example, 'We Build Climate Startups by 4WARD.VC - For Founders & VC Investors Focused on Sustainable Business,' has almost 3,000 members who are looking to network with the other impact and sustainability entrepreneurs, founders, investors, B Corps and sustainability professionals.

Be sure to fill out your profile - both for yourself and your business. Sitting by without doing so is missing out on an opportunity to put your best foot forward. Think of LinkedIn as an extension of your resume or website - a place where you can really demonstrate your skills, experience, and professional achievements. A well-rounded personal and business profile can really make you stand out from your competitors who haven't completed their social media profiles.

If you want to turn your LinkedIn presence into a true new business lead generation machine delivering the best ROI, you could also set up LinkedIn Sales Navigator. This paid-for tool enables companies and professionals to find and connect with relevant potential clients on LinkedIn. With Sales Navigator, you can search for leads by specific criteria, such as location, industry, or company size. Once you've found a quality lead that you're interested in, you can reach out and connect with them to start a conversation.

Tech Industry tip: if you need to keep abreast of generative AI, cloud computing, and all things frontend, you might also like to check out Dev.to - an online network of 1.3 million + developers and coders. This is a community for software developers to write articles, participate in discussions, and share updates about their projects or technologies they are passionate about. It's an inclusive platform for learning and growing together as a tech community.

X for technology Community Engagement

X (formerly Twitter) is a social media channel that allows users to communicate with each other in short messages. X holds significant importance for the tech industry as a platform that facilitates real-time communication and the rapid dissemination of information. It enables tech companies and startups to share updates, launch products, and engage with a global audience instantly. This immediacy and reach make X a vital tool for tech news, thought leadership, and community building. It serves as a dynamic forum where companies can monitor industry trends, participate in conversations, and respond to customer feedback quickly, enhancing their visibility and influence in the tech ecosystem. Through its ability to connect users across different sectors of the tech industry, X fosters collaboration and innovation, cementing its role as a key player in digital communication and marketing strategies for tech companies. You may also want to check out Meta's Threads, which launched in July 2023 and with over 130 million users has cut into some of X's market share since it was controversially taken over by Elon Musk.

X lists are also a great way to organise the people you follow. You can create different lists for different topics, or for different groups of people. For example, you could set up a list for your competitors to learn about their latest developments or create a list of key influencers in the tech space you're trying to engage with. Lists can be public or private, so you can control who sees them. Creating and using lists is a great way to get the most out of the X platform.

Should Tech Companies use a social media site like Instagram?

Instagram's visually driven platform is ideal for showcasing the innovative aspects of technology products and services, whether through engaging images, videos, stories, or reels. It offers a unique opportunity to highlight the design, functionality, and application of tech offerings in a way that is easily accessible and attractive to a wide audience. Additionally, Instagram allows tech companies to humanise their brand by sharing behind-the-scenes content, employee spotlights, and corporate social responsibility initiatives, fostering a deeper connection with their followers.

Moreover, Instagram's diverse user base enables tech companies to reach a broad spectrum of potential customers, from tech enthusiasts and industry professionals to the general public interested in technology trends and innovations. The platform's features, such as hashtags, allow companies to increase their discoverability and engage with niche communities related to specific technology interests or sectors.

At the time of writing one thing to note is that, Deep Tech companies haven't really taken to Instagram to promote their offerings, so companies in this space would have more success on the more traditional B2B platforms of LI and X.

Is Facebook Useful for Tech Companies?

Facebook remains a valuable platform for tech companies due to its extensive global user base and sophisticated advertising tools. It offers a broad range of features, including pages, groups, events, and live broadcasts, that can be used to build and engage with a diverse audience. Through Facebook, tech companies can share in-depth content such as articles, product updates, tutorials, and industry insights, facilitating a deeper understanding of their technology and services.

The platform's targeted advertising capabilities allow tech companies to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviours, making it possible to tailor marketing efforts to the most relevant audience segments. This precision helps in efficiently driving awareness, lead generation, and conversions.

Furthermore, Facebook's community features, such as groups and events, provide tech companies with opportunities to foster community engagement and facilitate discussions, as well as gather feedback directly from users through the use of polls. These interactions can offer valuable insights into customer preferences and trends, aiding in product development and customer service strategies.

Facebook also serves as a platform for customer service, allowing companies to respond to enquiries, address concerns, and build trust with their audience through prompt and transparent communication. The platform's analytics tools give tech companies the ability to track the performance of their content and advertisements, enabling continuous optimisation of their social media marketing strategy.

In summary, Facebook's comprehensive features and vast audience make it an important platform for tech companies looking to expand their reach, engage with their audience on a deeper level, and achieve their marketing and communication objectives.

Posting to Pinterest, TikTok, and especially YouTube… 

Tech companies leverage Pinterest in diverse ways, from marketing and brand promotion to in-depth market research. Specifically, design teams within these companies often use Pinterest as a treasure trove for inspiration, exploring the latest trends in web design, user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design, and more, to fuel their creative processes and ensure their projects are at the forefront of design innovation. Additionally, Pinterest serves as an effective platform for these companies to share educational content, infographics, and thought leadership articles. This not only positions them as industry authorities but also engages a broader audience interested in technology and design trends, making Pinterest a valuable component of their overall digital engagement strategy.

TikTok, with its surge to over 1 billion monthly active users, has emerged as a pivotal marketing arena, particularly resonant within the B2C domain but increasingly relevant for B2B engagement as well. Distinct from platforms that prioritise follower metrics, TikTok champions creative short-form content, ranging from musical vignettes to concise, engaging tutorials, thereby democratising viral potential; even accounts with minimal followers can achieve significant visibility. This model of content delivery has proven effective for fostering a space where ingenuity thrives over traditional metrics of social media success. Notably, B2B giants like Adobe and Microsoft have adeptly navigated this landscape, leveraging TikTok to resonate with and expand their audience base. Their success underscores TikTok's utility as a dynamic channel for tech brands aiming to connect authentically with a broader, digitally savvy audience.

Note, with TikTok's recent expansion to longer-form video content - at the end of 2023 - and their admission that people are now spending half of their time watching videos longer than 60 seconds, there's a whole new opportunity for tech innovators to engage.

As the premier video-based platform and the second-largest search engine behind Google, YouTube represents a vital component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, especially for the tech industry. Its prowess in driving organic traffic through SEO is unmatched, given the platform's deep integration with Google's search algorithms. For tech firms, strategically enhancing their YouTube presence—through the optimisation of profiles, channels, and video content with targeted, keyword-rich descriptions—can significantly amplify their visibility to potential customers. A prime example of a tech firm leveraging YouTube effectively is Autodesk, which boasts nearly half a million subscribers. Their channel, rich in engaging and informative content, shows how to harness YouTube's potential. Autodesk's success on the platform demonstrates the value of YouTube not just for broad visibility, but as a tool for establishing authority and thought leadership in the tech domain.

What content should Tech firms post on social channels? 

After selecting your ideal platform, it's crucial to strategise the type of content you aim to share on social media. For tech companies, this could range from showcasing innovative projects and products to disseminating insightful, long-form articles that reflect thought leadership in your sector. Platforms that cater to a B2B audience, like LinkedIn, are particularly suited for these purposes. Conversely, if your goal is to unveil the process behind your technology, foster community engagement, or humanise your brand through behind-the-scenes glimpses and interactive content, more broad-based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok might offer the dynamic environment you need. This approach allows tech firms to connect with their audience on a more personal and relatable level, potentially broadening their customer base and enhancing brand loyalty.

The best Tech social media platform is the one you commit to

If you're not using social media to promote your tech company, you're missing out on a valuable opportunity to grow your business. Social media is essential for establishing yourself as a thought leader, staying top of mind with potential customers, and expanding your professional network. Don't wait any longer, start using social media to promote your own blog posts and share links today! Ultimately though, whatever your reason for using social media, committing to posting regularly will ensure you get the most out of it.

Not sure where to start? We can help you create a social media strategy that fits your business goals and objectives. Visit our social media services page to find out more about how we can help you navigate social media marketing for technology companies.

Contact us today to get started!