Did you know… More than half of the world now uses social media. That means that just under a staggering four billion people are a part of a social network. With such a large potential audience available, businesses in 2020 are realising that a well-thought-out and targeted B2B social media strategy can outperform traditional forms of marketing, increasing their businesses lead generation potential and overall brand awareness.
So, what should you be including in your B2B social strategy so that you actually see results?
1) SMART goals
What is a SMART goal? HubSpot defines a SMART goal as:
Check the full resource out here.
Just like any other form of marketing strategy and campaign, it is vital that you create achievable goals. This allows you to determine whether the time you have invested into your B2B social media strategy has been a success.
SMART goals are excellent as they allow you to create targeted, achievable KPI’s to track your social efforts. To determine KPIs, you must decide what success means to your brand. This KPI’s can be focused on brand awareness or customer acquisition – whichever is the most important to your brand.
For instance, if your business is looking to increase brand awareness, metrics likes social followers, social shares and social interactions will be important to track. You can also monitor the direct website traffic that you are achieving each month.
2) A close eye on your competitors
Keep your friends close, but your enemy’s closer. OK, that may be a slight over statement, however keeping an eye on your competitor is a vital for your B2B social media strategy.
Your competitor’s social media activity will give you an excellent insight into their marketing campaign and activity. By keeping tabs on what they are posting, you can take inspiration on any content that may be performing well within your target market.
Keep tabs on your competitor also means that you can stay on top of any industry related topics. If there is something that is a hot talking point in your industry, you want to be posting about it.
3) Original content
Original content is essential for any social strategy. This may seem obvious however we cannot stress it enough.
Whether you are posting to LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter your followers want to see content that is original and well-thought-out. If you are posting re-used, copied content your audience will soon realise and lose interest in your platform.
If you strapped for resources or struggling to come up with original content every day, limit the amount of posts you are sending out. This also applies for the number of social platforms you are using. Focus on the platform where your target audience use most.
4) Multimedia
Social media platforms are always releasing new features that allow their users to share media in new, creative ways. Take Instagram; in August 2020 they released “Reels”. Reels allow the user to record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools.
Within your B2B social media strategy, you should utilise all the media options available. By varying your content, you help create interest in your branding, capturing more of an audience than ever before.
5) Employee profiles
Although you are targeting B2B sales, you should not be afraid of high lighting your employees and their personalities. It is 2020 and people love buying from people.
You can do this by including portraits, work experience and personal interests.
6) Multiple social media platforms
There are so many social media platforms on the internet, that it can seem the choices are sometimes limitless on what you should be using for your business. Check out below for what type of content works best for each platform:
Facebook: Videos and curated content
Instagram: High-res photos, quotes, Stories
Twitter: News, blog posts, and GIFs
LinkedIn: Jobs, company news, and professional content
Pinterest: Infographics and step-by-step photo guides
Through your strategy you should try to use as many platforms as possible to increase your potential reach. It is often the case that some users have preferred platforms in where they consume their content. It is important to consider where your target audience will spend most of their time. Find the platforms that benefit your business the most instead of stretching yourself to thin.
7) Engagement through replies and likes
Social media was invented with the purpose of allowing people to connect and interact with similar, like-minded individuals. Your B2B social media strategy should be filled with time for engagement with your audience.
Engagement means liking posts, replying to comments and messages, and generally getting involved with the wider community. By constantly and consistently interacting with your audience your brand awareness will skyrocket along with your following.
8) Customer Support
Customer support is vital to any social media strategy. This is because there is nothing more frustrating than having an issue with a company and having no way to resolve it.
Social media is brilliant for customer support as it allows a business to respond to issues in real time. They are also very public – do not worry this is a good thing. Although every company aspires to be perfect, unfortunately from time to time, mistakes happen. By showing your wider target audience that you are actively working to resolve customer issues, your brands reputation improves.
9) Consistency
One of the hardest parts of any marketing strategy is ensuring that you are consistent. Consistency is vitally important for social media. This includes:
- Posting content
- Responding to comments and messages
- Interacting with your community
You can achieve a consistent schedule by creating an Excel spreadsheet. Look at the layout we use:
You can make your schedule as complicated or simple as possible. It is about finding a formula that works for you and helps you keep on track.
10) Your brands voice
Through your B2B social media strategy you should definitely be including your brands voice. By creating a personality for your business, you help build a much a loyal audience that is more engaged and more likely to interact with your content.
As humans, we follow social media accounts that bring us joy, and we can relate to – make sure your brand is something someone likes.
For further insights and guidance, we invite you to explore our blog at 07hm.co.uk/blog. Here, you’ll find a wealth of information tailored to the needs and challenges of SMEs navigating the digital landscape. Additionally, if you have specific questions or need personalised advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at info@07hm.co.uk or telephone on 01702 410663.
