Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift took the internet by storm with their engagement news. What can manufacturers learn about their own social media plans?
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When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, the internet didn’t just notice—it erupted. Fourteen million likes in an hour. Countless brands scrambling to join the conversation. But the lesson for manufacturers isn’t about pop culture. It’s about attention: in today’s world, it scales instantly, and those who harness it win.
Manufacturing executives might be tempted to dismiss that kind of frenzy as irrelevant—after all, they’re not in the business of creating viral moments. But visibility is the new currency, and it amplifies in real time. If you’re not showing up online, you’re invisible to the next generation of workers and partners.
To capture the opportunity, manufacturers don’t have to choreograph viral dance videos or turn their production into the next trending meme. The real opportunity is authentic storytelling tied to your people, products, and impact.
Even with limited resources, manufacturers can use social media strategically—and the payoff is real. The companies that do it well aren’t just marketing, they’re recruiting talent, showcasing innovation, and proving they can compete in a digital-first marketplace. In fact, we’ve seen small firms in Ohio attract both new hires and new customers from nothing more than a simple LinkedIn clip. Here are a few ways manufacturers can start building that kind of presence.
1. Spotlight your people
We know manufacturers need younger workers. Baby Boomers and the decades of institutional knowledge they carry are retiring, and overcoming our ongoing talent gap will require courting Gen Z. There’s no better way to do so than showing them the people that make up your business, and social media provides a perfect stage. Highlighting the people behind the machines—through short video clips, quick interviews, or even photos with captions—helps put a human face on your company and gives younger workers a glimpse at your authentic workplace culture.
2. Tell the story of your products
Even the most technical products have stories that can resonate. A quick “before and after” video, a behind-the-scenes look at production, or a simple infographic can showcase the product’s impact. Young people aren’t just after work-life balance—9 out of 10 Gen Zs and Millennials say sense of purpose is important to their job satisfaction and well-being, Deloitte found. That means even a small component maker can win attention by showing how its part powers an electric vehicle or keeps medical devices running.
3. Repurpose what you already have
One way you can overcome time and resource constraints? Working smarter, not harder, and that means repurposing content you already make for social channels. Things like customer case studies, white papers, and executive keynotes can be easily sliced into short videos, graphics, and quick-hit narrative posts. That technical PowerPoint you showed a customer? Trim three slides into a graphic and post it. Repurposing ensures you’re not stuck reinventing the wheel every week.
4. Show the shop floor in action
Don’t underestimate how compelling your day-to-day operations can be to folks outside your four walls. How It’s Made has lasted 32 seasons for a reason—people are fascinated by the production process. Short clips of CNC machines at work or 3D printers in motion can be surprisingly engaging. They also signal to your audience a sense of pride and craftsmanship, building trust with prospective customers and excitement with prospective employees.
5. Stay consistent, not constant
Consistency builds trust with customers and recruits—if they see you regularly, you’ll stay top of mind. To stand out in an industry where social media is largely neglected, manufacturers don’t need to post daily. One or two well-thought-out posts per week can be enough to keep your company visible without draining resources. The trick is systematizing content creation into quick, scheduled working sessions, so it doesn’t feel like a constant burden.
6. Focus on one platform first
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of social platforms and wind up not participating at all. For manufacturers, LinkedIn can be a valuable starting point. It’s like the industry’s town square: your customers, suppliers, and future employees are already there. It’s also largely text-based, making the barrier to entry feel lower. Write a few strong posts a month—exploring customer reviews, new capabilities, company milestones, etc.—and you may start to establish regular content cadences and see the value in expanding.
7. Tap into younger talent
Chances are, some of your employees already have a good idea of how to use platforms like Instagram or TikTok effectively, and some may even have side projects or aspirations to grow on social. Finding interested workers and encouraging creativity can go a long way. A welding apprentice running a ‘day in the life’ TikTok can reach more peers than any traditional HR ad campaign.
Creating A Worthwhile Social Presence
For manufacturers, the goal isn’t to go viral—it’s to show up with a clear story about who you are and what you make—spotlighting your people, showing some personality, and providing a glimpse into your operations and products. You may not set the internet on fire like Taylor and Travis, but in a world where attention shapes opportunity, it can make you competitive. And that’s a trade no manufacturer should ignore.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ethankarp/2025/09/10/manufacturers-wont-go-taylor-travis-viral-but-heres-how-they-can-win-on-social-media/
