Often the zoom screen flicks open and I find myself faced with a skeptical business owner. They aren’t looking to sell products to a young audience, they are trying to reach a niche service-based audience and they don’t understand how social media can be used for brand validation and relationship growth. So let’s review.
Here are a few reasons why your B2B service brand needs to have a social media presence:
1) Connect with vendors and partners
Social media marketing helps B2B companies reach and collaborate with their business partners. Facebook found business executives were 74% more likely to be on its platform, and they were two times more active on Facebook than other types of users.
LinkedIn, on the other hand, is built for business networking and works exceptionally well for B2B lead generation. According to one study, 97% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content marketing; 45% of LinkedIn members who read articles are in upper-level positions, including managers, VPs, Directors, and C-level positions; 49% of B2B buyers research vendors by looking at their LinkedIn profiles; and 44% have actually found potential vendors by looking at shared connections on LinkedIn. Indeed, social media platforms are important tools that can help you understand your partner’s interests, identify the latest trends in your business and make strategic decisions based on brand positioning.
2) Social media is where your local community hangs out
I am predicting the comments on this bullet point will be something along the lines of: “But my brand doesn’t sell to the average community member — why do I care what the local community says?” Now more than ever, companies and investors are considering the ethics of the brands with which they collaborate. Purchasing decisions are no longer solely based on expertise. Facebook or Twitter are frequently the primary platforms for branded local community messaging. A portion of the content posted to these platforms can answer questions like: “What charity events are sponsored by your brand? How does your business contribute to the overall good of the local area?”
Brands with a “good guy” reputation on sustainability or ethical issues, especially when those stances are shared by people in the local community, often enjoy more word-of-mouth referrals and higher engagement on social media. That’s a big deal to potential business partners. They will view that dynamic relationship with customers as validation of your brand’s online clout. Social media posts are a great way to affirm your support of local charities and showcase your brand’s good vibes. Bottom line: People want to see that your company offers more than expertise. They need to see posts confirming that your business is a positive space for employees and a responsible member of the community.
3) Strengthen employee relationships
We all know your best advocates are your employees, so empowering them and incorporating them into your social media strategy can help you build a strong brand on social media. But beyond their endorsements of branded campaigns and work initiatives, you can leverage social media to inform them about new training opportunities, celebrate their work successes and showcase the positive projects they contribute to outside of work. With so many more remote positions now, this is the space to chat with employees and foster positive conversations.
4) Using social media in recruitment is advantageous
Practically every ideal candidate you could consider for any position at your company uses social media. Most people on social media are tech-savvy, a fundamental requirement to land any job in today’s marketplace. Having a social media presence allows you to connect with future talent and engage in meaningful conversations with them.
5) Generate potential leads
Social media is one of the best ways to consistently connect and engage with potential clients. Think about it: More than half (53%) of B2B buyers report turning to social media to make buying decisions. LinkedIn is not the only network for B2B connections. Depending on the nature of your B2B business, Twitter, for instance, is where $Stock-type posts play well. If your investor-relations team has news to share, this is often the go-to platform of choice. Facebook, Instagram or even TikTok could also be the right fit for your brand. Instagram is the home of professional conference connections and niche bloggers. The point is that your brand doesn’t need a presence on all platforms. It does need to be strong where your audience is interacting. Simply, post where your audience is. Interacting with your customers on social platforms lets you get a clearer picture of what they value and engage with.
6) Interact with industry influencers and media
Social media provides the opportunity for experts to connect. Have you ever considered that podcasters, bloggers, industry news outlets scroll #hashtags that serve their specific industry to find content and experts to feature? A solid hashtag strategy and social media presence will increase your odds of connecting with the right media outlet. Earned media and digital coverage is brand elevating and great content for your social media channels!
7) Social media is a validation tool
Your ability to communicate using social media is essential to the long-term success of your B2B business. It is not simply about status updates. Social media is used most effectively as a lens — a way to shine a spotlight on your brand’s strengths, unique company culture and expertise. You can utilize information, sometimes in funny, entertaining ways, to connect with customers on a platform they enjoy and use regularly. B2B social media posts can be a very effective way to increase website traffic where it matters most.
Social media is also an important way to increase traffic to your website and send a targeted set of users to specific pages. Landing pages can feature content downloads or free demo sign-ups. Social media in B2B marketing is crucial to getting users to the places you want them to be.
If you want to organize your marketing efforts, aJuxt Media Group offers custom marketing plans. We’re excited to help you build your brand! Click here to contact us.
Written by Lynsie Slachetka || Chief Executive Juxtaposition Officer & Founder