Using social media platforms

Published On: May 1, 2026Categories: Features

A central red figure connects with surrounding wooden figures through red lines, illustrating social media networking concepts. — *© Andrii Yalanskyi | Dreamstime.com*

People often use digital devices to work, communicate, entertain themselves, get directions, and shop for goods and services. While there are always exceptions to the rule, a business’s success and growth are now connected to reaching potential or existing clients on their smartphones, tablets, laptops or smartwatches.

“Ten years ago, I was just doing stupid Yellow Pages,” recalls Mike Boatman of Boatman Marine Canvas in Oklahoma City. “I say ‘stupid Yellow Pages,’ but actually, it was easier than all the crap that business owners have to do today. It’s more complicated today.”

Indeed, it is.

When users surf the internet, algorithms power search engines, social media feeds, video recommendations, ad targeting, spam filtering, product suggestions, news ranking, fraud detection and even what shows up in your email inbox.

A person cuts a piece of black fabric with a heated tool, while a smartphone is mounted on a stand nearby. — *While Mike Boatman, owner of Boatman Marine Canvas in Oklahoma City, doesn’t like to post too many how-to videos, he still highlights the high-quality work he does. Photo: Boatman Marine Canvas*

That’s the decision‑making tech behind most digital experiences: analyzing what you click, watch or search for, then predict what you’re most likely to engage with next — shaping what content appears in feeds and search results.

So when a boat owner in the Oklahoma City metro area goes looking to replace a boat cover, they likely start by searching for “Oklahoma City boat covers” on the internet and will find that the Boatman Marine Canvas website tops the search list. Second is Boatman’s Facebook page. Fourth is a video Boatman posted Dec. 31, 2025, that shows how to replace a loose snap base needed to help secure a boat cover.

“I was told several years ago by a friend of mine to ‘future-proof your company,’” explains Boatman. “Then he proceeded to drag me, kicking and screaming, to finally post and do all the stuff, because I think I’ve only been doing it for two years.”

A man in a navy shirt inspects a boat canopy, holding his phone while adjusting a metal frame, illuminated in a workshop setting. — *Photo: Boatman Marine Canvas*

The friend, who also helps Boatman run his website, encouraged him to post several times a week to build a stronger online presence. Boatman usually posts short videos five days a week to his Facebook and Instagram accounts (which parent company Meta allows users to connect) and his YouTube channel (Boatman OKC), and he also does a little bit on TikTok.

While the gold standard for getting business and building your brand is still word-of-mouth recommendations from a neighbor, family member or friend, fabricators serve their best interests by playing the search engine optimization (SEO) game.

Boatman takes a fun approach to selling products and services. His video posted Jan. 22 shows a close-up of him lying on the floor speaking to the camera, his face filling the screen as he rolls between stinky old boat carpet and a fresh snap-in boat carpet. Taking a deep breath of the new carpet, he tells the camera, “This will change your weekends, your dating life, everything.”

A person inside a cardboard box wearing a bear costume head, with a phone on a tripod capturing the moment in a workshop setting. — Boatman is not afraid to have a little fun and his sense of humor separates his videos from others. Photo: Boatman Marine Canvas

Do it yourself while being yourself

Authenticity is often essential when connecting online. With a background in Toastmasters, a humorous speech competition, Boatman also did talent shows and a bit of stand-up comedy when he was younger. He is a natural in front of the camera and often leans into making things funny.

“Natural” is the operative word — no one will connect with your content if you’re trying to be someone you’re not.

“In the beginning, I was trying to present a certain thing,” says Kevin Strate, owner of Tampa Bay Upholstery, about his own experience on social media. “And then it became obvious what people wanted to see is what we had to say. I think authenticity is the only thing that works. You can smell bulls*** from a mile away.”

Like Boatman, Strate has thrown himself into social media, taking a more-is-more approach. He has an online footprint of how-to videos, new product tie-ins and more, and sometimes his videos appear in other fabricators’ feeds.

Tampa Bay Upholstery’s Facebook page has 25,000 followers and he runs the Pasco Boat Tops page. He’s on LinkedIn to reach decision-makers, Quora and Reddit to build brand authority through SEO, and is exploring Bluesky as its number of users starts to rise. Strate also has two YouTube channels: Boat Canvas Gear and Tapicero, which just launched. On TikTok as @Kevin.strate2, he has 1.8 million views.

Strate now has content on nine platforms, with videos in English and Spanish; he honed his grasp on the latter to broaden his reach. His “How to Build a Hidden Zipper Pocket (No Extra Flap Needed)” long-form video has passed 10,000 views across platforms, while most others, such as “How to Sew a Bimini Boot Step-by-Step,” get a few hundred views in a month.

With a background in sales, Strate is often amped up and talking a mile a minute as he explains a technique or process. He projects the image of a regular guy who will talk to anyone about cutting canvas or vinyl.

He freely admits his social media journey has involved a lot of trial and error, but his personality shines through. This is another path of authentic branding: be willing to try something and have it not work, but keep trying and be yourself.

“I was trying to hire some kid to make YouTube videos, and nobody’s doing what I’m telling them to do,” he recalls. “So one Saturday, I’m there, and it’s just me and the guys, and we’re working all day. So I used my cell phone to make five little YouTube clips. I put them up there and got 55,000 views.”

A man in sunglasses works on a transparent bow rail aboard a sailboat, under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds. — *Angus Roberts, owner of Royal–Covers & Outfitting, is a consultant who worked on mega yachts and boats before focusing on marketing. Photo: Royal–Covers & Outfitting*

Tangible results

Hamming it up for the internet can be fun, but business is business, and there needs to be tangible benefits beyond likes and views. According to Boatman, his videos have prompted calls from across the region — not just in the Oklahoma City area. This is great for the flashy and specialized work he does.

Boatman complements his social media with an up-to-date, functional website for his business. It features testimonials, a list of services, and quality photos of past work and products — all of which search engines consider when ranking a website. The phone number is easy to find. These simple steps remove “the friction from the buying journey,” as they say in marketing.

“Everything feeds on itself,” says Boatman. “The website, the social media, all the SEO stuff, the Google, the AIs out there crawling around, and so you’re just trying to establish yourself on the internet through social media as the expert. Because when somebody types in ‘boat cover,’ the internet goes, ‘Oh. This guy.’ Boom. You pop up first. And you could be 10 states away, but you still pop up first, because you’re the internet expert in that niche.”

Purple upholstery lines a boat seating area with drinks and colorful beads scattered across a table, framed by water and sunlight. — *Keyston Bros. uses holidays (such as the above photo for Mardi Gras and the below photo for Christmas) to highlight products in social media posts, tying to the season’s theme. Photo: Keyston Bros.*

Wish list for Keyston Bros featuring items: General Adhesive, Staple Gun, Hog Rings, Automotive Thread, Contact Cement Glue and Staple Lifter. — *Photo: Keyston Bros.*

Think strategically about the digital brand

Getting to where Strate and Boatman are takes time, and there is a learning curve. Sometimes, cutters simply need to focus on cutting, and owners need to run the business.

In cases like this, companies may best serve their business needs by bringing in outside help, either full time or as consultants. While Strate didn’t have a great experience with the person he hired, the right partner can create content and update the website, or they can create a digital strategy the shop executes.

“Social media and online content are a hugely powerful marketing tool, but there can be hurdles to understanding how best to interact and leverage those platforms,” says Angus Roberts, owner of Royal–Covers & Outfitting, a consultant company for design and management. “A good outside consultant can use their skills to eliminate many of these entry barriers and also help focus efforts in the most effective places, depending on which market sector the fabricator is focused on.”

Craftsman at a workbench in a marine shop, surrounded by tools and materials, with a large boat in the background and signage nearby. — *Kevin Strate, owner of Tampa Bay Upholstery, goes all in on social media, focusing on building a brand while highlighting the work and products that support it. Photo: Tampa Bay Upholstery*

Roberts has managed social media for several brands in his career. One crucial thing he has learned throughout that time is the importance of leaning on existing business partnerships.

“The biggest thing that you could do to drive engagement is tag the manufacturers and distributors,” he points out. “They always need content. Include details of fabrics and hardware, and they’ll probably use it.”

Suppliers often have their own departments that focus on social media and digital marketing, but fabricators can learn from what they are doing. By following suppliers on social media and tagging them in content, fabricators will see what suppliers’ marketing teams are posting and may get inspiration.

Keyston Bros. relaunched its website in early 2026, marking the milestone with a 17-minute live rollout on Facebook, which had 8,000 views after one month. The site features video instead of still images, hover animations when users move their pointer over a menu item and a wealth of information alongside up-to-date product lines. It’s a particularly strong example of why digital media strategy needs to be complemented by a great website.

Another modern element for Keyston is AI-assisted branding. In one video, chief marketing officer Brooke Kahn and some staffers pose in bison costumes (mimicking the company’s logo). The staff members then turn and jog off, transforming from trick-or-treaters into a lifelike herd of bison galloping across the prairie. It’s a great example of the fun businesses can have with modern toys.

“I think we can help the industry kind of modernize and come into the times,” says Kahn. “I think that’s important, to be kind of a forward-thinking, industry-pushing leader that is more than just pushing our product.” It also provides an example of how the supplier sells and markets its products. “So I think it’s kind of a two-prong approach.”

Making it work for you

Keyston was founded in California in 1868 and still finds success with in-shop print materials. However, traditional and digital media don’t have to be an either/or strategy — often, they support each other by generating content that can be used in multiple spaces.

Many of Keyston’s customers work in a garage or shop with their dogs to keep them company, so for the past 10 years, the marketing department has encouraged customers to submit pictures of their shop with the dog and (ideally) Keyston products in the shot.

These images — even ones that did not make the calendar — often end up on the company’s Instagram feed and Facebook page, driving traffic to those accounts and getting owners to re-post or tag the images.

“Social’s such an impersonalized marketing tool,” Kahn points out. “Being able to personalize it, and having recognition and that messaging connectivity” is what makes businesses stand out.

While there are certain best practices for digital marketing and social media, each business should find what works for itself. That involves keeping customers satisfied, connecting with people and finding a way to authentically tell your company’s story, leaning into what makes it unique. With the right perspective, it can also be fun and engaging for the person doing it.

“I’m a small business just trying to keep up with the times, especially in a hardcore old-school business like mine,” says Boatman. “What I can do, though, to be relevant, is to be hardcore in the media. And then that kind of bridges that gap and makes me current. To me, that’s interesting.”

Tad Hendrickson is a freelance writer who lives in Minneapolis, Minn.

SIDEBAR: Popular types of videos

Fabricators are busy people who don’t have time to keep up with the latest social media trends. Luckily, there are some types of videos that tend to do better than others:

Behind the scenes: The shop owner can shoot footage of how they created an amazing new cover or top. If they’re already taking photos of a project to submit for Marine Fabricators Association (MFA) Fabrication Excellence Awards, they can take some video to use on social media, too.

Before and after: Highlight how that new upholstery looks so much better than the old faded and torn stuff.

Problem-solution: One of the most popular videos Mike Boatman, owner of Boatman Marine Canvas in Oklahoma City, has posted shows him fixing a loose snap base.

Story about the product: Brooke Kahn, chief marketing officer for Keyston Bros., regularly highlights products in videos.

Brand tie-ins: Kevin Strate, owner of Tampa Bay Upholstery, likes to work with a partner — such as a manufacturer, distributor or a fellow fabricator or cutter — to highlight a product or brand.

Among U.S. adults, as of November 2025.
YouTube 84%
Facebook 71%
Instagram 50%
TikTok 37%
Source: Pew Research Center