Having a professional presence on social media is almost a necessity these days, and while most often we hear about B2C companies engaging with their customers on social media, more and more business professionals look towards these platforms as a source for news, recommendations, and networking. So even a B2B focused company can reap great rewards by setting up a social media strategy.
Research has been done investigating B2B companies and their social media usage for branding purposes as well as acquiring new customers.The biggest barrier found for companies in deciding whether to participate or not was “the lack of perceived relevance for particular sectors”, however the majority of these were also not attempting to assess the effectiveness of social media. Nearly half of the studied companies that were using social media were planning on increasing their market spending on it.
As you begin to brainstorm where your company could go with this, here are some helpful first steps to get you moving in the right direction…
B2B Social Media Tips
Do not be salesy
To put it bluntly, people always and will always only care about themselves, not you or your company. So, if you can successfully send a message that tells people what’s in it for them loud and clear, you’ll be rewarded. “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” – Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Think “thought leader”
Take your favorite niche part of your business and position yourself as a thought leader in that niche, build relationships with “influencers” – people who have built up a following who have similar interests to what your business does.
Showcase Employees
Besides being a great way to show how much you care for your employees, this also humanizes your business, improving internal morale and giving your customers a positive image of your brand.
Spy on Competitors
Seeing what your competitors are doing on social media is a great way to help shape your strategy and learn from other’s mistakes without wasting valuable time.
B2B Content Ideas
Pick a content theme
Choose a few relevant topics you want to be known for that relate to your business and your customers, and find informational articles to share on your social channels (just don’t share articles written by competitors!). Popular content types for business people include things like trends, quotes, stats, infographics, and how-to’s.
Write a blog
If you already do this, more SEO power to you! Make sure to share these on all your social platforms. If you have many frequently asked questions, write them out and answer them, or take a few and expand them into full articles.
Share your events
Do you attend networking or educational events? Tweet about them on Twitter and tell your network new things that you’re learning while you learn them. Even throw in an Instagram video/story if you find value for your company with that platform. This shows dedication and that your business strives to be on the cutting edge of knowledge in your industry. You can also share the event on a company LinkedIn page and describe it in more detail. Don’t forget photos!
Engage in your online community
Ask people for their opinions on hot or trending topics in your industry, and when someone participates, publicly recognize it as a reward for them.
If you’re curious about what kind of advantages you might be missing out on in the B2B social media marketing world with your company, please contact us anytime and we’ll be glad to answer your questions!
If you’re interested in B2B marketing services or brand building for your company, we specialize in the B2B sector and will gladly build a custom strategy based on your unique needs.
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