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Has any industry adopted social media marketing slower than the trucking industry? Surprisingly, drivers love social media as it helps them stay connected with loved ones while on the road. Yet, many carriers hesitate to implement social media campaigns targeting these drivers. Here’s how to start social media marketing for trucking companies, ensuring you reach and engage with your audience effectively.
Before we delve into the how-to, it’s crucial to understand the importance of social media for the trucking industry and truckers. Today, almost every trucker, before applying for a position, searches for social proof about the company. This means having good social proof, reviews, and an engaging online presence is vital. Social media not only helps in maintaining this presence but also in building trust and reliability among potential drivers.
“Fish where the fish are.” This age-old advice is particularly relevant for trucking companies beginning their social media journey. If your trucking company is starting social media marketing, it may feel overwhelming, especially when considering that numerous social media platforms boast hundreds of millions of users. How do you tackle them all at once? You don’t. To start, focus on the platforms that drivers use the most. Once you master these, you can expand to other platforms.
Considering this, you need to start with Facebook. 96% percent of truck drivers have a Facebook account, and 7/10 of those drivers use the platform for over 34 minutes daily. The second most popular platform with truck drivers is YouTube. Over 64% of drivers frequently used YouTube as a source of entertainment while on the road.
While Facebook and YouTube should be your starting points, don’t completely ignore other platforms. Instagram, for instance, is growing in popularity among younger drivers. LinkedIn can be useful for connecting with other businesses and potential recruits. Twitter is excellent for quick updates and engaging with industry news. Additionally, from our expertise, short reels on Instagram and Facebook have far more views and resonate well with drivers, capturing their attention with quick, impactful content.
Each time you begin marketing on a social media platform, first set up a business account for your company. Do not set up a personal account with your business name. Doing so, comes across as unprofessional and limits your marketing capabilities. Business accounts provide you with more tools, like insights into how many people your posts are reaching. Also, if you ever decide to hire an agency to manage your social media marketing, you need a business account to give them access to your page. This setup makes it easier to track performance and adjust strategies accordingly.
At some point in your social media marketing campaign, you will need to invest in paid ads. Organic reach will only get you so far. It’s unfortunate, but paid ads are how these platforms make their money. Before launching any paid ad campaign, first determine your budget, campaign goals, and target audience. Your advertising campaign can get drivers to apply to your open positions, follow your page, and engage with your content. A combination of defined goals, well-built audiences, and quality content is necessary for advertising success.
For some clients, such as Duka Transportation and 777 Freight Haul, we don’t run paid ads at all. They recognize the value of organic social media engagement and concentrate on building a strong online presence through regular posts and interactions. You might be wondering what type of content we post. Well, the answer is straightforward: content that truckers can relate to.
For instance, Duka Transport focuses exclusively on industry news. On the other hand, 777 Freight prefers a variety of content, including job offer postings, reels, videos, and interesting “Did You Know” facts. LIV Enterprises takes a different approach by emphasizing broader content such as driver testimonials and the best load of the week.
It’s also important not to forget the national holidays and and safety initiatives related to drivers, such as National Truckers Week and Brake Safety Week. Highlighting these events through special posts can significantly boost engagement and show appreciation for the hard work of truckers. Additionally, sharing content about various safety initiatives, like targeted inspections during International Roadcheck or educational campaigns during Operation Safe Driver Week, can enhance your presence on social media.
Whatever your focus, remember that building a genuine connection with your audience through engaging and relatable content is key to successful social media marketing. This strategy not only attracts potential drivers but also fosters loyalty and trust, ensuring long-term success for your trucking company.
The quickest and most effective way to launch social media marketing for trucking companies is to hire a professional team. This team, ensures your company implements best practices from the start, saving you time and money. Embracing social media marketing can significantly benefit trucking companies by connecting with drivers, enhancing social proof, and attracting potential candidates. By focusing on the right platforms, setting up professional accounts, creating engaging content, and leveraging paid ads when necessary, you can effectively market your trucking company.
Fill out the form below to speak with a Truckers Flow specialist today and start your social media journey to see the difference it can make.
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