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When building the best b2b marketing strategy for your business, social media may not be an idea that readily comes to mind. It’s a common myth that social media isn’t relevant to b2b marketers. With many of your prospects regularly sharing content through social media, there are plenty of opportunities for marketers to attract prospects with their own content. Here are some reasons why social media can make a difference for your b2b marketing and sales teams.
Social media can increase your b2b brand awareness
In the growing age of social media, prospects are more likely than ever to use social sharing platforms to find relevant content. In order to develop your b2b brand, you’ll need to be sure prospects are aware of your business’s message and content offerings. Social media will allow you to target a specific audience or demographic, similar to how you develop your buyer personas.
Last year’s Content Marketing Institute report showed that 83% of B2B marketers listed social media as their most frequently used strategy. Many marketers are finding that Facebook and Linkedin work just as effectively for advertising their brand as Google. Social media platforms are providing businesses with another opportunity to extend brand awareness with daily video updates, article shares, and webinars.
Social media influences decision makers in the b2b sales cycle
Decision makers often use social media to seek meaningful information from their industry, much in the same way they would through online blogs and news articles. They want content that’s easily accessible and relevant to their industry. Since the b2b sales cycle is often long and complex, there are several opportunities to connect with your audience, and different platforms to reach them.
With social media, your marketing team can share content that will establish your business as a thought leader to decision makers. While blogs let you know how many people are finding and reading your content, there are more analytics offered with social media. Your sales team can look for likes, shares, and follows on your social media posts to get a stronger idea of which content is attracting potential leads.
Social media drives traffic from sources other than organic
Organic reach isn’t enough to drive traffic to your site, especially as Google’s search algorithms continue to change. If you’re only aiming for organic reach through search engines, your competitors will gain a significant advantage by targeting multiple sources to drive traffic. Your social media content lets prospects develop an initial interest in your brand, before seeking additional information through your website.
Social media can be used to display your content as a helpful, educational lesson for your prospects. While it won’t immediately drive sales, it lets prospects make a connection between their needs and the value your brand can provide. Here are some ways you can increase your web traffic by linking from social media.
- Blog previews, with links to the full post on your website
- Brief statistics and infographics with additional results via a link
- Shared articles that are relevant to your industry
- Webinar offerings
Social media continues to show results as a useful asset for b2b marketers, while helping to increase brand awareness and influence. With Thinkdm2’s ebook, you can learn to use one of the most successful social media platforms, LinkedIn, for your b2b business. Download the free ebook and start building your b2b marketing and sales success in social media.
