How to use social media for B2B marketing
We’ll be honest – if done poorly, your B2B marketing will stand out. In a bad way. Social media is about starting conversations and building relationships, so a strategy based on cold sales is not the way to create raving fans.
B2B marketing doesn’t need to be bland. By tailoring your marketing content and using the right networks, you can stand out in the right way. In this article, we’ll go over how to use social media for B2B marketing.
Use the best B2B social media platforms
B2B companies need to use their time wisely when marketing on social media. We recommend prioritizing one or two networks so you aren’t spread too thin. When your platforms are dialed in, you can spend the right amount of time and energy focused on marketing there. If you need guidance, MPP’s digital marketing team is here to offer suggestions and provide direction for your campaigns.
There is no one definitive place for B2B brands to advertise, but knowing what your options are will help determine where you should spend your time. Let’s break down the top social media for B2B marketing platforms:
- LinkedIn: Often considered the top B2B social network catered to business professionals, LinkedIn is known for thought leadership content, employee engagement, and their ad platform. Almost all B2B content marketers (96%) use LinkedIn and have rated it as the top-performing organic platform.
- Twitter: Short snippets of information help companies provide quick updates and information on Twitter. This is a great place to interact with customers and business influencers and can be an extension of the customer service experience.
- Facebook: Most Facebook B2B marketing centers around Facebook’s ad platform. Your ads can reach all types of audiences with goals like awareness, lead generation, remarketing, and more. Your Facebook page is also a great spot to share testimonials, build community, share content from other platforms, and engage with prospects.
- YouTube: The premier platform for video content. Think about taking an educational approach with YouTube – create how-to tutorials, interviews, presentations, and behind-the-scenes footage. YouTube videos have the potential for boosting your search rankings with relevant video results on Google SERP.
- Instagram: This storytelling platform is ideal for visuals (think snappy video reels) and culture-centric content. Users expect to see branded content on Instagram – 50% of people use it to discover new brands, products, or services. Show off what makes your work so great.
Social media for B2B marketing tip: Create full-funnel content
What content does your audience want to see? A wall of text is never the answer. Posts with visuals receive 98% more comments than text-only posts. Visuals can include photos, infographics, gif animations, or videos.
Get creative. Think about who they are and where they are in the marketing funnel. Self-promotional marketing about why you’re the best doesn’t provide value to your audience. Even if you are, in fact, the best, you’ll never convince prospective customers to trust you if they don’t know who you are. Check out our article on 4 common social media mistakes so you don’t commit a social faux pas.
Pieces of content aligning with different stages of the marketing funnel speak to different segments of your audience. B2B brands seeking awareness shouldn’t promote an FAQ about the company. A more valuable piece of content for boosting awareness is an eBook that addresses buyer pain points. For users near the bottom of the funnel, create an enticing offer like a product demo or free trial. Give your audience the content they need, wherever they are in their purchase journey.
Social media for B2B marketing tip: Be human
We get it – B2B has a reputation for being boring. Your industry can be as dry as the desert but that doesn’t mean your marketing needs to be. B2B brands need to be human and authentic. Again: social media is all about connecting with one another. Try humanizing your brand in a few ways:
- Establish thought leadership by creating shareable industry content
- Showcase what employees are doing in the community
- Celebrate your company culture and wins
- Elevate and promote customer stories and reviews
Social media for B2B marketing tip: Marketing works best when everyone tells it
Successful B2B marketing doesn’t happen in a void. To be successful, the entire organization needs to align around your value proposition. According to LinkedIn research about B2B purchase decisions, social proof and end user validation is essential for generating demand and building trust in your brand. Share real-life examples of problems you’ve solved, testimonials from raving fans – anything that shows why customers should do business with you rather than your competitors.
Social media for B2B marketing tip: Engage and educate your audience
Don’t use social media to talk at your audience. Instead, use it as a platform to foster conversation. From blog posts and eBooks to reports and how-to videos, every B2B social marketing strategy should feature useful, educational content. Respond to questions, comments, and mentions. You know your brand best – it’s your job to cement your credibility by educating and engaging.
Stick with social media for success
Does social media work for B2B marketers? We certainly think so. Before you start posting, remember that social media isn’t the place for hard sells or cold calls. Create interesting content, show how you solve problems, and engage with your audience.
B2B sales don’t happen overnight. For social media marketing to make a difference, you have to stick to your strategy long term. So, keep track of what works and what doesn’t. Figure out when paid promotions make sense and what content should remain organic. If you’re leaving social media marketing out of your strategy, you could be missing a huge opportunity to get in front of the right people.
Ready to incorporate B2B marketing on social media into your full-funnel strategy?