B2Bs And Using Social Media The Right Way!

B2B buyers take their time researching, consulting and getting approvals before making any decisions. As a result, it’s unlikely that a decision-maker would see an ad and make an impulse purchase the way a consumer might. Rather than using social media to drive direct sales, B2Bs should leverage it to share valuable content and position themselves as subject matter experts throughout the buyer journey.
LinkedIn automatically comes to mind when discussing social media for B2Bs but there’s plenty of untapped potential on other networks as well. For example, Twitter is a better platform for driving conversation. Facebook can be a powerful tool for B2Bs. Facebook helps us drive registration to events, whereas on LinkedIn, we focus more on thought leadership,
Consumer brand marketers advocate developing fresh content for each social platform whenever possible, but because of the investment B2Bs make in producing white papers and customer case studies, it doesn’t make sense not to reuse content. The key is to present it in a way that resonates with each social platform’s unique audience.

B2Cs often use social media to participate in live conversations surrounding current events. B2Bs have a similar opportunity at industry conferences and trade shows. Companies can share contextual information and drive meaningful conversations with a leaned-in audience.
Though B2B companies may often have more modest social reach than consumer brands, B2Bs can build niche decision-maker communities where questions are answered and industry-specific matters are discussed. The reach may be smaller, but with more room for one-to-one conversation, the impact could be greater.
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Roy Garton
FDMC Social and Digital Media
www.floridadudemarketingconcepts.com