How Social Media Revolutionized the Marketing of 3D Visualization Business
In the early days of the Internet and social media, a lot of excitement was sparked about the possibilities for easily generating computer graphics sales. Here was a new way to reach out to potential clients for free.
Not only could an artist reach their friends and followers; if they shared your visual art service posts, your business could reach all of their connections as well. It was a great way to achieve exposure without spending thousands on advertising or marketing commissions.
Well, the days of “free marketing” excitement have faded.
As with most revolutions, the reality became less nostalgic than many imagined. Gaining exposure through social media takes a lot more time and effort for artists. Multiple studio owners have found that sales don’t come quite as easy as hoped. Facebook soon began charging for boosting posts, meaning that wide dissemination of artwork was no longer going to be free.
The 3D Studio Advantage
Howbeit, a new evolution of social media marketing has opened doors for small 3D studios and 3D artists who don’t have a lot of resources or dedicated marketing staff.
In a recent study conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, 81 percent of survey respondents say that interactive content grabs their attention more effectively than static content. According to Forbes, “1 in 4 users are following brands on social media from which they will make a purchase.”
As an example, Facebook now supports higher quality 3D models. Notably, the Facebook algorithms promote and prioritize content that encourages active and meaningful interaction among users, rather than passive scrolling.
It’s becoming a win-win marketing opportunity for 3D studio owners, in particular.
So, how can you truly take advantage of social media marketing as a 3D studio owner?
We’re always eager to learn ways to gain the attention of 3D leads with good visualization services and perfect renders. However, let’s first turn our own attention towards:
- Recognizing the 3 C’s of social media marketing for our studios
- The importance of changing our mind state about social media marketing
- Social networks that other successful studios and artists have found less influential or more impactful in the ‘revolution’ beyond mere 3D design/render promotion
The Three C’s of Social Media Marketing for 3D Studios
Aside from the obvious “C” of “Creative Presentation and Approach”, 3D studio owners must move beyond portfolio obsession and recognize the most important three C’s of social media marketing: Connections, Content, and Consistency.
Social media marketing for 3D studios refers to the process of:
- Gaining attention through social media sites
- Gaining traffic
- Marketing a 3D service or product
Focus on how these attributes fit within each and every social media post you will make.
Connections
Stay tuned in with your 3D leads and potential 3D partners. Having a Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter account keeps you educated about your customer base and helps drive traffic to your website or 3D studio. When you use your social connections and the data they generate to become better acquainted with your audience, you can use what you learn to polish your 3D posts and content strategy.
Content
Don’t limit your social media posts to portfolio links and new 3D models. Blogging or having a knowledge base resource, whitepapers, and case-studies are the key to driving traffic to your website while displaying your thought leadership within the industry.
As a 3D studio, content will help you:
- Build authority
- Enhance your social media page
- Humanize your 3D studio brand
Each social media platform also has its own context. Take the time learn the context of the platforms you deliver content in.
Remember, “clear trumps clever”. Were you clear, or were you too busy trying to be clever? Prioritize your communications. Context comes down to the audience, timing, and how your information is being delivered.
Consistency
Once you have established a 3D studio identity on social media, it’s important to maintain it. Remaining consistent means posting with a steady tone and frequency (instead of posting three things one day and then nothing for a month).
Consistent social media posts allow you to:
- Track clicks that lead to your website
- Instantly communicate with real-time responses
- Measure marketing results from content posted
First, set aside a specific time each week to plan what and when you are going to post. Next, use social media tools to schedule out your posts in advance.
Being consistent can be a great way to build trust with your 3D audience, which is why we must change our misconceptions and habits towards social media use for our 3D studios’ success.
Changing Our Mind State About Social Media
Promoting More Than Designs and Renders
As 3D studio owners, let’s begin to view social media as an easily-managed platform that will optimize our lead generation abilities to increase authority within our industry.
With the help of scheduled content sharing applications and curating, we can gain insight on our audience, leverage global traffic visits, and (most importantly) build the trust of our potential clients.
Two Simple Ways to Optimize Your Social Media Strategies
Managing your studio’s social media accounts do not have to be complicated and time-consuming. Here are some important and very simple ways your 3D studio can improve your social media marketing strategy.
1. Manage All Social Networks From One Place
There are numerous applications that will empower you to stay organized, view conversations, reply with a single click, track performance, and grow your 3D audience from one convenient dashboard.
Most importantly as a 3D studio, be sure to select an application that allows you to connect any social media platform and automatically share your posts for you. SocialChamp.io is a preferred example used by our 3D studio for an all-in-one social media management solution.
2. Using Social Media to Collaborate, Create, and Design
Various studios and artists are using social media’s new technologies to create designs and art, such as collaborative projects and resources. One example is the Creators Project, a collaborative art installation that appears at events internationally.
Collaboration strategies that incorporate social networks allow participants to contribute pictures and videos of the events through a variety of apps and other social media tools. This method enables studio owners or artists to tweet, post, or otherwise communicate the project to potential 3D leads, partners, and 3D art enthusiasts everywhere.
Stay tuned for the “Top Social Media Networks for 3D Studios”
Let’s take your added confidence to simplify your social media strategy. In the next article, we will examine the most successful social networks that are recommended and used by others who provide 3D visualization services.