Staff Writer 
Did you know that 75% of B2B buyers use social media to help with their purchasing decisions?
B2C companies have seen immense success with social media, while many B2B companies struggle to understand it or refuse to incorporate it into their marketing strategy. B2C brands typically use social media to drive traffic, sales, and awareness. On the other hand, B2B social channels have seen great success in focusing on brand development and lead generation.
Social media can be an incredible way to grab the attention of potential customers, build brand loyalty, and highlight expertise in your niche for customers and potential employees alike. Here are some tips to get started.
Create a Personality
The apprehension of being too edgy keeps B2B marketers from getting creative with their content, but creative content that incorporates your brand will help build brand recognition in a unique way.
At the end of the day, being mundane on social media is an easy way for any company to fail. Because many B2B companies assume social media won’t do much in terms of conversions, their posts tend to lack personality — and a human element that’s relatable and approachable.
Look outside the box
And by box, we mean LinkedIn — a platform that has consistently received the title for being the top B2B social media platform for these B2B companies. As a result, their marketers feel they need to be on LinkedIn and nothing else.
The reason behind this is they’re looking at social media strictly as a way to generate leads, which makes LinkedIn the most attractive choice. However, a large part of B2B marketing on social media is brand recognition and credibility. Look at Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, to showcase your content to new audiences.
Hire a social media manager, strategist, or content creator
Social media is an on-going job, not something team members can participate in when they have spare time. When hiring someone, it’s important to prioritize someone with social media experience, not just someone who has knowledge of your businesses’ industry. The right person will learn about your brand, its competitors, target demographic, and how to develop the right content for your business.
Post compelling content for your employees to reshare
The notion of employee advocacy has been around for a long time. It means building a workspace that generates positive exposure to raise awareness for a brand. The internet and social media has revolutionized this concept and added new possibilities. With all these changes, brands have to rethink the way they approach advocacy and how employees fit into the company.
Showcasing your culture not only gives your employees an opportunity to share your content, but it humanizes your company as a whole — building up trust and rapport for potential clients to work with.
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone, as long as you stay true to your brand voice, values, and strive to be a valuable resource for your audience. Social media has changed the game for many B2B businesses, and you also have the chance to become closer to your audience, more than ever before.
