As the first dedicated marketing manager for Valtech Group, Sara de Craemer stepped into a complex role overseeing social media for a diverse portfolio of 16 industrial automation and recycling technology companies. A total of 10 active LinkedIn channels required regular content and performance tracking. So, Sara faced the daunting task of building a marketing infrastructure from scratch while maintaining consistent reporting across all channels.
Industrial Innovation Meets Social Media Challenge
Valtech Group stands at the forefront of industrial automation and sustainable technology solutions. Operating from Belgium but serving customers worldwide, the group comprises 16 specialized companies with 450 employees, each contributing unique expertise to their industrial automation solutions.
Their work spans several critical sectors:
- Recycling Technology: Creating automated systems like FiberSort, which revolutionizes textile recycling by automatically sorting and categorizing used clothing for second-hand markets and recycling
- Agricultural Solutions: Developing specialized automation for agricultural processes
- Sustainable Technologies: Building custom machines that support environmental initiatives
- Industrial Automation: Designing everything from simple labeling systems to complex automated sorting facilities
“Some of our customers require really very niche machines that nobody else makes,” Sara explains. “Our systems are really tailored to the customer’s needs. For example, some machines can be as simple as putting labels on containers, while others are complex sorting systems that use machine vision and AI to process materials.”
The company’s evolution is particularly notable—starting in the 1960s with basic bailing systems, Valtech Group has grown through strategic acquisitions and innovations to become a comprehensive solution provider. In 2000, they unified under the Valtech Group banner, though marketing efforts remained decentralized until Sara joined three years ago.
From Spreadsheet Chaos to Reporting Clarity
Before implementing Agorapulse, Sara’s monthly reporting process was a time-consuming puzzle of multiple spreadsheets and manual data collection:
- 10 separate LinkedIn channels requiring individual login and data extraction
- Multiple spreadsheets tracking different metrics for each company
- 2 full hours spent compiling monthly performance reports
- No standardized way to track engagement across channels
- Difficulty measuring and comparing content performance
- Limited ability to provide strategic insights to stakeholders
“Instead of working with 10 different spreadsheets and a lot of different places where all the content is, it’s all just in one place,” Sara explained, highlighting the previous challenges of managing scattered data sources.
Finding the Right Reporting Solution
After three months of struggling with manual processes, Sara recognized the need for a more efficient system. Having previously used Agorapulse, she evaluated several tools but ultimately chose Agorapulse for its comprehensive reporting capabilities:
- Unified dashboard for all 10 social channels
- Automated data collection and report generation
- Customizable reporting options
- Easy-to-understand metrics and visualizations
- Ability to track engagement across all channels simultaneously
Today, Valtech Group’s social media presence includes:
- 1 channel posting twice weekly (~104 posts annually)
- 3 channels posting weekly (~156 posts annually)
- 6 channels posting ad hoc (~30 posts annually)
Total annual posts: 290
Beyond Time Savings: Turning Data into Strategy
The implementation of Agorapulse transformed Sara’s reporting process and delivered impressive results:
Reporting efficiency
- Reduced monthly report preparation from 2 hours to 30 minutes
- 75% time savings on reporting tasks
- Additional 2-3 hours saved weekly on planning and publishing
Performance metrics:
- Average engagement per post: 20-50 likes, 3-10 comments, 2-5 shares
- Top-performing account: 80 posts with 15% engagement rate
- 25% increase in engagement on specific campaigns
- Less active accounts contribute 10% of total engagement
Leveraging Data for Stakeholder Engagement
The streamlined reporting process has improved communications with various stakeholders across the organization:
“While some colleagues may not prioritize marketing insights, they take immense pride in their work and are eager to see its impact recognized.” (Sara de Craemer, marketing manager of Valtech Group)
The detailed analytics have helped:
- Demonstrate ROI to company leadership
- Engage technical teams in marketing efforts
- Guide content strategy across different companies
- Identify successful content patterns
- Support data-driven decision-making
From Tactical to Strategic: Evolution of a Marketing Role
The efficiency gained through automated reporting has allowed Sara to evolve her role significantly:
“Using tools like this frees up time to concentrate on the strategic aspects of marketing, enabling us to align our efforts more effectively with business goals.” (Sara de Craemer)
This transformation has enabled:
- Focus on brand development across all 16 companies
- Strategic planning for international market expansion
- Development of customer testimonial programs
- Enhanced content quality through data-driven insights
- Improved alignment between company stories and group identity
Expert Tips for Multi-Channel Social Media Management
For marketing professionals managing multiple social channels, Sara offers these insights:
1. Prioritize Overview: “The most important thing is having that overview of all channels in one place.”
2. Leverage Automated Reporting: “The monthly reports help identify what works and what doesn’t, allowing continuous content improvement.”
3. Focus on Tool Optimization: “Keep exploring new features as they’re released to further improve workflow.”
4. Maintain Consistent Monitoring: Regular performance tracking helps engage stakeholders and improve content strategy.
“I would definitely recommend it because it’s so easy to use, and it saves time,” Sara concludes. “Especially when you’re managing multiple accounts, it makes it way less stressful.”
Through strategic use of Agorapulse’s reporting features, Sara has transformed Valtech Group’s social media management from a time-consuming reporting challenge into a streamlined, data-driven operation that drives strategic value across the organization.