Companies in the B2B industry that haven’t started investing in social media platforms are losing out. These communication channels have been vital for consumer brands, both as a way to reach target audiences and to build stronger and more engaging relationships with their consumers. In general, B2B brands have been slower than consumer brands to adopt these platforms, and now the world is at a point where it’s no longer enough for a company to have a social media presence. Consumers on social media expect transparency from brands, more value from the content that they share, and a higher level of responsiveness to their questions and queries. It’s important for companies in the B2B industry to know that they can achieve all that and more, but in a different way compared to consumer brands.
The importance of well-defined goals
The first thing that every B2B business needs to do before joining a social media platform is to define the goal. Companies in the B2B industry tend to want to educate their target audience, build more trust and credibility, or generate more brand awareness. This approach is more focused on long-term goals and lead generation as opposed to driving sales like consumer brand content does.
Use the analytics
Most social media platforms provide useful data about target audiences based on how the audience interacts with the content posted. Audience analytics generates information that can help companies make data-driven business decisions. While which analytics a company focuses on and what they do with it will differ, monitoring the data is important for both B2B and consumer companies. If content isn’t working, it is important to know this rather than keep investing in an approach that isn’t driving the results the business is seeking. Audience insights allow businesses to learn more about their customers and figure out different ways to cater to their needs.
Knowing the customer
Finally, one of the best ways that B2B companies can use social media platforms is to create posts that speak to their target audience. To do that, companies need to flesh out who they want to reach, the kind of content that the audience finds engaging, and how to deliver it. Successful B2B social media campaigns share valuable content and generate engaging discussions. For example, demonstrating thought leadership has a positive impact on B2B audiences because it promotes confidence and trust.
Audiences also respond positively to a “different” approach. Unlike consumer campaigns, B2B posts are often viewed as dry or boring. To avoid this, consider having employees create content that will speak to the audience in a unique and more “human” way.