B2B social media marketing (business to business) is similar to marketing to consumers in many respects, but different in strategic ways. Let’s take a look at how to maximize the return of your B2B social media marketing.
B2B Social Media Marketing – Similarities
In B2B social media marketing you’re trying to reach other businesses rather than consumers. But, you’ll still need to create a strategy which considers who you’re talking to, establishing SMART goals, and determining how to reach those goals.
You’ll also have to work hard to engage your target audience with relevant, valuable content. A focus on creating interesting, informative, or entertaining content brings traffic to your site and spreads your reputation much more effectively than using social networks as a means of spreading PR about your firm.
Just as with B2C social media marketing (business to consumer), you’ll need strategies to bring traffic to your website. These B2B social media marketing strategies include:
- Sharing your content and engaging your target audience on social networks and social bookmarking sites
- Using sound SEO (search engine optimization) strategies to make your content findable in organic search
- Integrating your website, social media marketing, and email marketing strategies
- Monitoring analytics to track and improve your social media marketing strategies
Despite these similarities, B2B social media marketing often has differences, too.
B2B Social Media Marketing – Differences
Looking at this great infographic from Marketo suggests some major differences in successful B2B social media marketing strategy.
1. Importance of your blog
I’m a huge believer in a blog as the cornerstone of your social media marketing strategy for almost any business, but, in B2B social media marketing, a blog is even more important. That’s because a blog gives you a platform for building your brand and creating your online reputation, which are necessary to sell more sophisticated B2B buyers.
2. More diverse social media platforms
While Facebook and Twitter dominate in B2C marketing, LinkedIn holds a big share of marketing mind share in B2B social media marketing. And, Google+ is breaking into the B2B social media marketing world since they introduced business pages. Pinterest, Slideshare, and local review sites such as Google Local and Foursquare are also important in the B2B social media marketing scene.
3. CRM integration
Because B2B social media marketing efforts are often driven by a search for leads rather than online sales, integrating your B2B social media marketing efforts with CRM software such as Salesforce.com is an important consideration.
About Angela Hausman, Ph. D.
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Nice article Angela
On my todo list this fall is an empirical project on use of computers by professional buyers. Think it may have changed a bit since I published my last piece on that in 91 DO ya think? Anyway the Brits may be a bit futher ahead of us, but as they say that is an empirical question and I will incorporate their annual survey into mine. Of interest is you comments on blogs. As you are aware White papers, webinars and now blogs are becoming the cornerstone of B2B practice, especially in services. The first two have been around for awhile, using blogs is a bit newer. White papers can be crafted and lots of interesting things can be done. Webinars can have some degree of control much like a focus group. How in the hell do you control word of mouth on the blog. As an example I had a little fun with challenger selling; Good package, but not really new, just positioned a bit different as a sales model. I did not want to spoil their party, but I did comment on the fact it was not really new and while I did not use terms like hype, fluff, and such, the promotional aspects of that struck me as just that. Same old differentiation problem. This led me to ask what is to stop anyone on an open blog to skewer you. How much control do you want to exert and how do you do it. I don’t know enough about the nuts and bolts of blogging as I have never attempted to start one up; I am aware of some controls. Would like you input on what you see as you know more than I do.
Thanks
Thanks, Dick. Haven’t heard from you for a while on my blog or our Facebook group — https://www.facebook.com/groups/195314797207023/, for those of you not already in the tribe.
As you’ll have noticed when your comment didn’t appear, I use a plugin that prevents anyone from posting to my blog without prior approval. I do this not so much to exert control over people disagreeing with me, but to keep spammers from posting links to buy viagra or penis enlargement pills. Some bloggers, even some really BIG bloggers, don’t do this. I guess they figure the good comments will wash out the bad. Plus, they’d rather not bother approving a large number of comments every day. I don’t have that problem, unfortunately.
As an additional layer of control, I can delete any comment at any time. I don’t usually do this and NEVER to silence discord.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.