I recently read someone post a number of reasons why aerospace marketing doesn’t include social media, and while it was a sarcastic post that was poking fun of the manufacturers that haven’t been able to adapt to modern tools, it really made me think about how the top aerospace manufacturers utilize social media. I did a little research and found that the aerospace marketers running the top aerospace manufacturers actually do use social media, and they use it in very interesting (and even in some examples, surprising) ways that one might not expect from that industry.

With this bit of context and background in mind, I wanted to share a few ways that aerospace marketers should be using social media, using examples from the top companies who are doing it the right way.

News Center

One of the most common refrains from people about social media these days is that it is their go-to source for news. If you want to know what is happening in real-time, you can check your twitter feed and you’ll be fully caught up in minutes. Want to know what a company is up to, if they are using social media right, you’ll be able to know all about their latest news, partnerships, products, etc. While this is a classic use of social media, it can often be overlooked. A brand’s social media pages need to be interactive and engaging, but they also need to be a hub for the latest news and statements from the company.

For example,  when President Trump announced a partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lockheed Martin, who played a part in the deal, tweeted out the announcement with a statement from their CEO almost instantaneously.

 

Provide A Behind The Scenes Of The Company

There are many industries that are considered to be “outdated dinosaur” industries that take themselves too seriously, and aerospace manufacturing is definitely one of them. However, social media is helping to defy that misconception and Northrop Grumman is leading the charge on this with their fantastic Instagram account.

Northrop Grumman’s Instagram account started growing in popularity due to their #TBT posts that showcased some of their most beloved classic airplanes, however, they quickly found that these posts were also hurting their public image since they weren’t being seen as modern or innovative. Thus Northrop Grumman started utilizing their Instagram page to show that they weren’t just a stale old company. For example, Northrop Grumman started posting behind the scenes look at the company, showing things that they were working on and also highlighting their community service and outreach activities.

These posts show a completely different side of an aerospace manufacturer than most people are used to seeing. This is the power of social media, as it can be used to give an honest look at your company and help change your brand’s perception, no matter what industry you are in.

Important Causes To The Company

Every company in every industry, including aerospace manufacturers, have causes that matter to their brand. Quite often these causes also matter to the brand’s audience, or to the world overall. One of the biggest issues and causes that aerospace marketers are being tasked with and keep in mind, is the environment. With the increase in awareness and concern over issues like global warming, air quality, and overall pollution, it is crucial that aerospace manufacturers do what it takes to lower the carbon emissions and environmental impact of all of their planes and other innovations, and it is up to aerospace marketers to let people know.

As I mentioned earlier, social media provides a place where someone can go to an aerospace manufacturer’s social platform and learn about everything that they are working on. This is why using social media to showcase what is being done to help the environment and assist in the battle against climate change. Leading aerospace manufacturer Bombardier is doing just that:

 


Posts like this one from Bombardier are a very welcome bit of information for anyone who wants to know what green innovations the aerospace marketer is promoting.

There are obviously many more ways that social media can be used by aerospace marketers, however, this list is a great start to show how important social media should be to every aerospace marketer, especially those that want to compete with the top brands in the industry. If you want to learn more about how your brand should be using social media, feel free to reach out for a demo.