Elite Eight: Social Showdown – Eight Winning Plays for AEC Social Media Success

The Marketing Madness tournament is moving into the Elite Eight, and this round features a social media showdown between two powerful platforms:

LinkedIn—The professional networking powerhouse for business development, thought leadership, and industry connections.

Instagram—The visually driven platform for showcasing projects, company culture, and brand personality.

Which platform is the better investment for AEC firms? The answer depends on your goals. To help you make the right play, here are eight winning social media strategies—four for LinkedIn and four for Instagram.

Four Game-Changing Strategies for LinkedIn

1. Position Your Firm as a Thought Leader
   
   
   • Regularly share industry insights, trends, and expert perspectives.
     
     
   • Publish LinkedIn articles or repurpose blog content to establish authority.
     
     
     
2. Leverage Employee Networks
   
   
   • Encourage team members to engage with company posts to expand reach.
     
     
   • Showcase leadership expertise through personal LinkedIn posts.
     
     
     
3. Engage in Industry Conversations
   
   
   • Join LinkedIn groups related to AEC business development and marketing.
     
     
   • Comment on posts from industry leaders, partners, and clients.
     
     
     
4. Use LinkedIn for Business Development
   
   
   • Connect with decision-makers and potential clients.
     
     
   • Send personalized messages with valuable content or insights instead of direct sales pitches.

Four Winning Strategies for Instagram

1. Showcase Your Best Projects with High-Quality Visuals
   
   
   • Share completed projects, work-in-progress shots, and behind-the-scenes content.
     
     
   • Use carousel posts to tell a project’s story from concept to completion.
     
     
     
2. Highlight Company Culture and Team Engagement
   
   
   • Feature employee spotlights, office events, and team celebrations.
     
     
   • Use Instagram Stories to share candid, real-time moments.
     
     
     
3. Use Hashtags and Location Tags Strategically
   
   
   • Research and use relevant industry hashtags to improve discoverability.
     
     
   • Tag project locations to attract local clients and partners.
     
     
     
4. Create Video Content with Reels and Stories
   
   
   • Share time-lapse videos of construction projects.
     
     
   • Post quick tips or insights from firm leaders to engage your audience.

The Winning Play: A Platform for Every Goal

The best social media strategy isn’t either/or—it’s about using LinkedIn and Instagram strategically based on your firm’s marketing objectives.

• Use LinkedIn if your goal is thought leadership, networking, and business development.
  
  
• Use Instagram if your goal is brand storytelling, project showcases, and culture-building.

Is Your Firm’s Social Strategy Ready to Win?

Which platform does your firm use most—LinkedIn or Instagram? Are you making the most of both? If you’re looking to refine your social media game plan, let’s connect!

Next up: The Final Four, where we’ll put blogging and speaking engagements head-to-head in the ultimate thought leadership throwdown!