Age is essential for successful targeting of installers

Social media are on the rise, while traditional media are slowly losing their audience. That is a general trend that is more or less visible throughout the construction and installation sectors. The same is shown by European electrical installers, for instance. For manufacturers, this makes social media channels increasingly attractive to reach installers. However, as shown in a previous article, usage of social media is not growing as much or as rapidly in every area.

This means that the effectiveness of media sources as marketing channels depends on where you want to reach installers. Location is not the only factor at play here, however, as is shown by the results of USP Marketing Consultancy’s European Electrical Installation Monitor. For instance, the usage of different media sources is very much influenced by the age of the installers.

Younger installers are easier to reach through social media

As mentioned, European installers’ usage of traditional sources like printed magazines, trade journals, and brochures has steadily declined over the past years. Meanwhile, the share that uses social media has grown quite rapidly, making social media an increasingly effective channel to reach installers. However, chances are high that you will mainly reach the younger generations of installers.

When we split up installers in a younger group of below 50 years of age, and an older group of above 50, their media orientation behaviour differs a lot. That is especially the case for social media usage. Not only are younger installers more likely to use social media, they spend more time on them and are more likely to use them to promote their company as well.

Older installers are more traditional in their media orientation

Installers 50 and older, on the other hand, are less likely to use social media. That means that they are also less likely to be reached by a media campaign that relies on social media channels. If you want to reach that older generation, for instance, because they are more often in higher positions and have more decision-making power than their younger colleagues, it is best to use other channels.

Interestingly, the traditional channels, which are steadily losing their audience, may be a better option here. Older installers more often use traditional media like magazines and find printed sources more important. This goes to show that knowledge of the general trends of media usage and orientation behaviour in the installation sector cannot guarantee successful marketing. Knowing the finer details of the audience you aim to reach is essential.

Do not forget to make it personal

Essential though these finer details may be, they are still based on averages. Aside from social media, the older generations are also less likely to use digital media. But that does not mean they never use them. Similarly, the younger generation may be using social media more and more often, but that does not mean they place no value on personal sources of information.

Digital and personal sources are used by nearly all installers as sources of professional information. Especially personal sources are highly valued and often used. To find out which personal sources installers value most and which information they expect to gather there, we refer you to USP Marketing Consultancy’s Q1 2023 European Electrical Installation Monitor.