3 Important Ways B2Bs Should Use Social Media
Writing by Brick Marketing in B2B SEO Marketing
B2Bs are starting to come around, but there are still many B2Bs out there that are social media hold outs. Even if they have created Pages in social media (after being hounded to do so by their marketing advisors), those Pages tend to sit inactive because B2Bs are still confused by the medium. They see it more as a B2C way to market. Well, that’s just not true! B2Bs can experience success in social media too; they just need to better understand how to leverage the medium. Here are 3 important ways to do so:
To Boost Traditional Marketing Efforts
In the B2B sector, tradeshow marketing is huge. In fact, some companies spend the majority of their marketing budgets on tradeshows alone. Social media has become a huge component of these trade shows and if your business isn’t taking part, you’re missing out on the fun (and opportunities). Presenters at trade shows are encouraged to post and tweet social content using conference hashtags and many companies are live blogging/tweeting/posting throughout the event to their followers. Not every target audience member can attend the tradeshow, but using social media is a great way to promote your involvement to a wider audience.
To Build Relationships
The B2B sales cycle is typically much longer than the B2C sales cycle. There are business implications to decisions that are made so B2B decision makers need to do research and take the time to choose the right solution provider. Social media is a great place to establish relationships with these decision makers and gain their trust over time. However, social media connections shouldn’t be limited to current or potential customers. Use social media as a way to connect with many industry professionals. Think of social media in the B2B space as a way to network. You never know when these connections in social media can lead to new opportunities and new business.
To Promote Content
Content marketing should be a part of every B2B marketing strategy. Content is what gets you noticed by the search engines and (more importantly) by your target audience members that are looking for information. Any blog post, eBook, guide, white paper, etc. that you create should be shared with your target audience in social media. Content is only valuable if people see it. Hiding it away on an interior page of your website isn’t maximizing its potential. Use social media to promote the content of others as well, as long as it is relevant to do so. Social media sharing is a two way street. If you want people to Share, re-tweet, or post your content, you should be willing to return the favor every once in awhile.
