Social media has transformed selling in the digital age.
But there are still lots of misconceptions about where, exactly, social media fits in the B2B marketing mix. Many business leaders believe there is no place for them in the social sphere.
Done correctly, a B2B social media strategy has clear advantages:
- It helps you establish your brand’s thought leadership credentials.
- It amplifies digital marketing efforts, especially lead generation.
- It empowers you to clarify and evangelize your corporate values.
Social media can be challenging for B2B at first – your audience won’t respond to motivational platitudes or cute cat pictures. Done right, however, social can be central to your marketing toolkit.
Here are the three keys to B2B social media strategy:
1.B2B Must Emphasize the Right Social Channel
When it comes to social media marketing, LinkedIn stands head and shoulders above the rest. It is crucial to have a completed LinkedIn business page, to share updates regularly, and to connect with decision makers on the platform. Some brands go even further by creating their own LinkedIn Groups where they can nurture leads and share thought leadership materials.
2.B2B Must Have the Right Social Media Goals
Brand awareness and community engagement – essential to B2C – fail to move the needle for most B2B firms. Instead, it’s critical to tie your social media marketing to your lead generation efforts. Use each platform’s integrated analytics to see how much traffic your shared content captures for your website. Ensure your popular content drives leads to your email list or a discovery session.
3.B2B Must Use the Right Content to Attract and Convert
It’s true you can share just about any content from your website onto your social media feed. To cut through the clutter and attract attention from busy buyers, though, it’s often best to focus on social proof. Deeply researched white papers and case studies are essential. Infographics that give users a fresh take on a familiar topic are also widely shared among the B2B social audience.
Accelerate “Time to First Value” by Partnering With Social Media Professionals
Modern, effective B2B brands need social media. For many firms, that means choosing experienced experts whose strategy and campaign management skills clarify your value.
For more insight on how social media can benefit your B2B marketing efforts, you may want to read The Differences Between B2C and B2B Social Media Marketing.