The Importance of Social Media for You and Your Business

It’s no longer new to say that social media is a part of our everyday lives. Whether someone uses online platforms consistently, or tries to stay away from them as much as possible, ultimately our reliance on technology, and especially mobile devices, means that social media influences many aspects of our modern lives.

In business, social media can have many important uses, especially within the world of signage and wide-format print, both of which are extremely visual and engaging sectors.

In this special article we take a look at how to best use platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to bolster your position in the industry, but also improve your company’s image online.

Understanding the Social Landscape

When it comes to driving sales to your company, many may think of email marketing, Google results, and sponsorship as the best drivers. By comparison, social media can appear as just “something you do in your spare time” or a trend of the early 2010s.

However, any marketing specialists would argue that different sales channels should be seen as part of the same goal and incorporated into an entire marketing plan, rather than picking and choosing certain parts.

Ecommerce platform, VB Media, which specialises in online solutions for the print and signage industries, is a big advocate for having a strong digital presence in order to drive sales to your business. In its “10 Ways to Drive Traffic” blog, the company describes a website as a platform or utility, which needs support in order to attract traffic.

VB advises using marketing methods such as paid advertising, printed marketing, email marketing, and video as ways to drive traffic to your website. One of the ten ways VB also suggests is social media, which the company describes as “an excellent tool both for generating leads and building brand awareness,” adding: “Most importantly, social media enables you to build a community by engaging with your audience.”

“At its heart, social media is about building social connections, so you cannot simply use it as a ‘free’ tool for distributing marketing content,” says VB, which emphasises that focusing on engagement, such as replying to comments, and liking and sharing other posts, is all part of a good social media strategy. VB advises a “4:1:1 rule”, in which businesses share four carefully curated pieces (created and shared by other users, with credit given) for each original and promotional piece it posts.

Furthermore, VB suggests identifying trending topics that are relevant to your products in order to keep up with social trends, which in turn will make you appear up-to-date and ‘in the loop’.

“Unless you have unlimited marketing resources, it is often best to choose one or two social media platforms and focus on using them as effectively as possible. Spreading your efforts too thinly can often result in having many profiles that look unused and lack engagement, which can be a worse look than no presence on a platform at all,” says VB Media.

YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, and Pinterest are all social media websites highlighted by marketing specialist, Hubspot, which details the different audiences each platform can attract.

Facebook and X are suggested for brand awareness and community building, whereas platforms like TikTok or Pinterest are largely seen as B2C hubs which are used by Gen Z and Millennial audiences. Similarly, Instagram is known for its high-quality photographs and videos which can be used for product discovery by users who enjoy the in-app shopping experience the site provides.

Instagram features advanced ecommerce tools for brands and includes a lot of user-generated content which can be perfect for wide-format printers and sign-makers showcasing their craft and attractive products (premium prints, lightboxes, and unique signs).

VB Media concludes: “Once you’ve established your presence on social media and begun to build and engage with your communities, social media advertising can be an effective way to boost your reach and drive further engagement.”

Getting Linked In

One of the platforms which has risen in popularity in recent years, especially for B2B business, is LinkedIn. Described as an employment-oriented social networking service, the platform is used largely for professional networking and career development, and in recent years, a social space for business owners and professionals.

For those looking to tap into more B2B sales but also increase brand visibility and gain new business insights, several professionals are available for advice regarding promotion on LinkedIn, and networking in general. In this very issue we have advice from Colin Sinclair McDermott, aka The Online Print Coach (check out page 30), who advises businesses on a daily basis about ways to generate leads and customers, including using social media like LinkedIn as a way to network and grow leads.

Matt Hanley, a recruitment specialist for the signage, packaging, and print industries, has used LinkedIn in the past four years to build up his own following, and the recognition of his MTWO (Matching Talent With Opportunity) brand. Today, Hanley has over 21,000 followers on LinkedIn, frequently posting and using the benefits of photos, polls, and video to engage with peers and businesses.

Speaking about his career and use of social media, Hanley says: “I’ve worked in and around this sector for over 15 years and know just how relationship-driven it is. Social media plays a big part in how I do things now. It wasn’t always this way: it took a while to get going. At first, I wasn’t sure what to post or if anyone would care. Over time, by being consistent and sticking to being myself, it started to click.”

Hanley adds: “These days, I’m fortunate that most people come to me. Whether it’s to help them hire, speak at an event, or find something new, that shift to mainly inbound work has been a game changer. People often know what I’m about before we’ve spoken. That level of familiarity means the trust is already there from the first conversation.”

For Hanley, the ability to be a go-to resource is crucial in the world of recruitment, but his success and methods can still be highly influential for those wanting to expand their business, especially as more and more businesses consolidate and join, in order to strengthen their business offerings.

Speaking about the importance of LinkedIn, Hanley says: “LinkedIn is where the industry is and where the best conversations happen. I regularly post a mix of personal and work-related content, and over time it’s built up a solid network. The number of followers isn’t the thing to focus on. It’s whether people actually trust what you say.

The number of followers isn’t the thing to focus on. It’s whether people actually trust what you say

“Most of the work I do now starts because someone has seen a post, tagged a colleague, or messaged me directly. It didn’t happen overnight. The consistency made the difference.”

Being an instantly recognisable figure within the industry may not be required like with Hanley, but the notion of being seen and recognised by your work and brand is crucially important for opening up new opportunities and understanding the appeal and outlook of your brand.

“People check you out online before they ever pick up the phone, whether they’re thinking of applying, buying, or partnering with you. If your social presence is missing or too generic, you’ll lose that chance and won’t even know it,” says Hanley who advises: “The right balance is a mix of insight and personality.

“Show people what you’re about. Share what matters to you. I’ve found that being real works far better than being slick. Once the trust builds, the work often finds you. That is when it starts to pay off properly, especially in industries like print and signage where reputation and relationships carry real weight.”

When it comes to common mistakes, Hanley says that he sees many businesses appear bland and “too professional” which puts up a wall with potential customers. Personality and beliefs are highly important for brands in 2025 and 2026, as buying habits can hinder a lot on elements like sustainability, community, and ethics.

When trying to avoid problems like speaking to an echo chamber, Hanley advocates for speaking to your industry. “Start with your own network. It’s where you’ve already got the most credibility. Helpful content will always travel if it’s useful or relevant. I’ve had people I’ve never met message me after months of following, asking about the family or referencing something I’d shared a while back. That is when you realise you’re building familiarity at scale.

“By the time someone picks up the phone, it often feels like they already know me. Whether it’s someone looking for a new role or a business that needs help hiring, that trust makes a real difference. It speeds everything up and makes the process feel easier for everyone.”

So, whether you’ve used social media for years, or it’s still an untapped part of the internet you’ve been putting off, online platforms are clearly a useful tool for communicating and selling in today’s market.
Social media can be as simple as sharing your thoughts or posting memes, or it can help you strengthen your brand and sell products, with the likes of Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn all available to boost your business’ visibility in the signage industry and beyond.