Social media can be a huge asset to those trying to win a government contract.
In the world of government contracting, many are beginning to realize the necessity of social media in getting the attention of and building relationships with decision makers. While social media is slowly beginning to be adapted by contractors, many are still unaware of what the best practices are when taking advantage of the numerous platforms available. If you haven’t already adopted a social media focused-approach in trying to win contracts, now is the time to start. Having an active presence on social media can help establish your business as an industry influencer and can generate interest in your products or services. With that in mind, social media use for government contract purposes can be nuanced and difficult, so we want to take the time to look at some best practices.
Getting Started
To develop your social media marketing process, you will first want to develop a keyword strategy. These are phrases most often associated with your industry that should be included in most of your social posts if applicable. Optimizing your website—and having a section dedicated to government contract work—is also a critical step and should implement these keywords. The goal is to convert potential buyers who see your social posts on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook and get them to engage with your business.
Social media is significantly easier if you have access to original content, though for some contractors, time is the most valuable resource and creating original content like blog posts, videos, and whitepapers can be difficult. Even if you are not able to push out original content regularly, social media offers the perfect opportunity to advertise any events you may be hosting or attending as well as the chance to communicate directly with potential decision-makers.
Social Media for Partnering
Larger contractors often seek out partners who have professional social media programs. This is an indication of how your company is managed—it shows a better level of innovation and poses you as a company that is prepared and has done their homework. If you are interested in finding potential teaming partners, having a professional social media program is a fantastic indicator that your company is ready to grow.
Consistency Matters
If you’re serious about winning contracts, social media takes some time to show its effectiveness. It is not a process you see immediate results from. It takes time for search engines to index your website, realize that you are regularly updating content, and to take account of what keywords you use. On the other hand, it takes time for users to notice your newfound visibility and developing an audience can take a while. On average, you should see some noticeable bump in your leads after six to twelve months, but search engine algorithms are tricky so you may need to adjust your approach along the way.
Staying Up-to-Date
Use your social media platforms to convey news about any products or services you may have coming along the way. You can also take advantage of the platform in letting your audience know about any new hires you may have and what skills they bring along with them. Providing the most up-to-date news and information makes it easier for potential buyers to find the info they’re looking for and can help to win contracts.
Find the Right Social Media Marketer
If you end up opting for a professional approach towards social media, it is important that you find the right person to manage your accounts. Effective social media marketing is all about results-driven approaches that are meant to drive traffic to your website and generate leads. Find someone who can demonstrate how they have effectively done this in the past. Whether you take care of social media internally or outsource it to a specialized marketing company, you want to make sure that there are hard numbers to show the fruits of your labors.
Measuring Success
Speaking of numbers, you have to understand how to accurately measure success as well. Getting leads is a sign that whatever you’re doing is working, but that may not shed light on the whole story. Measure the metrics that really matter, such as how many unique website visitors you’re getting or how many likes or shares your social posts have accrued. You may realize that some posts are much more effective than others and that other outlets just aren’t worth your time.
Government Contract Proposal Assistance With TargetGov
If you want to increase your revenue, fine tune proposals, create powerful capability statements or see results from your business development contact TargetGov today. Our clients have won over $4 billion in contracts—just in the last 6 years alone. If you need expert consulting services and business development products to put your business on the map, look no further than TargetGov, a trusted expert capable of helping you increase your revenues and profits In the government marketplace.
To find out more information, contact us today or call us directly at 866-579-1346 x 325. For future updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.