Social Media Data Shows Detroit Marketers Need to Quit Hogging the Conversation

Posted Apr. 14th 2016

TROY, Mich., April 14, 2016 – “Stop hogging the social media conversation. It’s not all about you.”

That was one key message for some 50 marketers who attended today’s special social media presentation hosted by the Society for Marketing Professional Services – Michigan Chapter (SMPS) in Southfield at Harley Ellis Devereaux.

At the educational event, Bianchi Public Relations shared the results of its proprietary study of top Detroit firms – “Social Media Use by Professional Services” (SMUPS™) – and identified several ways professional service and other business-to-business enterprises can boost the effectiveness of their social media efforts.

“It’s clear that most Detroit-area professional service organizations have embraced social media, but some are making mistakes that may be limiting the effectiveness of this business development tool,” said James A. Bianchi, PR firm president. “And while there is a lot of generic advice from so-called social media gurus, until now, there has not been hard data that is specific to Detroit-area professional service firms.”

Bianchi PR’s SMUPS study analyzed social media usage by 25 of the top metro Detroit professional service organizations (as ranked by Crain’s Detroit Business magazine) – including law, accounting, engineering, architectural and staffing firms – on their four most popular social platforms: Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn; and YouTube.

According to the study, more than ¾ of the 8,300 posts reviewed that were shared across the four most popular platforms by the firms were focused on the firms’ – rather than their audiences’ – interests.

“Social media is about having conversations and building relationships,” said Adriana Van Duyn, Bianchi PR account supervisor and study director. “If you’re doing all the talking and only talking about yourself, that’s not a conversation, it’s a lecture; and it’s not going to win you friends.”

Among the top tips Bianchi PR had for the professional service firm marketers regarding social media were:

• Use LinkedIn, the social media platform where firms typically have the largest following, more often to leverage that larger audience and to also activate their employees’ networks;

• Share more of the firm’s positive media coverage across its social media channels to add the credibility of trusted media sources and build goodwill with reporters who are increasingly being evaluated by the online engagement of their stories; and

• Post more content that is not about the firm but is useful, interesting or engaging to the audience. Work to share one self-promotional post for every three that is not about the firm.

Completed in 2015, Bianchi PR’s SMUPS study was designed to identify trends and opportunities, and provide real-world, market-specific data to help Detroit-area professional service firms to enhance their social media marketing efforts.

For more information on this study, visit: http://www.bianchipr.com/article/study-reveals-top-five-social-media-mistakes-professional-services-firms/.

Bianchi PR has also conducted a similar annual study for the automotive supply chain, called SMaASH2.0™ – “Social Media and Automotive Supplier Habits 2.0” – to provide insight for the top North American automotive OEM suppliers.

About SMPS-Michigan
The Michigan Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS-Michigan) is a community of marketing and business development professionals working to secure profitable business relationships for their architectural, engineering and construction companies. SMPS’ mission is to advocate for, educate and connect leaders in the building industry. The organization offers members professional development, leadership opportunities and marketing resources to advance their careers.

Created in 1973, SMPS now represents a dynamic network of 6,000+ marketing and business development professionals from architectural, engineering, planning, interior design, construction and specialty consulting firms located throughout the United States and Canada. The Society and its chapters benefit from the support of 3,700 design and building firms, encompassing 80 percent of the Engineering News–Record Top 500 Design Firms and Top 400 Contractors.

About Bianchi PR
With experience in assisting professional service firms with media relations and related digital/social content needs, Bianchi PR has earned recognition as a “go-to” PR firm local and global companies looking for market knowledge, local connections and PR expertise. For more information, visit www.bianchipr.com or call 248-269-1122.

Bianchi PR is a member of the Public Relations Global Network – “The World’s Local Agency” – one of the world’s largest international public relations networks. PRGN harnesses the resources of nearly 50 independent public relations firms and more than 800 communications professionals to connect international companies and organizations with individual and culturally diverse markets globally. Visit PRGN online at www.prgn.com or on Twitter at @PRGN.

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Contact:
Adriana Van Duyn
248.269.1122
avanduyn@bianchipr.com