Social media continues to be an essential way for B2B companies to engage with their audience to share their expertise, and to sell their wares. But knowing what kinds of content to produce, how to promote it, and how to keep tabs on what’s working can be tricky. We’ve written before about how to plan specific B2B campaigns, but read on for our tips to ensure that your social media platforms are working hard for you.
Choose your platform(s)
Stressed about trying to create content for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and more? Make you life easier by choosing one or two platforms to focus on – there is no rule that dictates that you must have a presence on every single one. Different channels are useful for different facets of your business – one might be more appropriate for product launches, news, and more sales-focused content, while another could be a key part of your customer service offer or recruitment drive.
For example, at Isoline we recently decided to stop using Twitter to focus on LinkedIn and TikTok:
- LinkedIn is our most effective channel for bringing in new business, engaging our current customers, and driving traffic to our site
- TikTok has proven itself to be effective during our recruitment drives and is our experimental sandbox.
Make analytics work for you
Make sure you use the analytics available on each platform to choose which ones work best for you. What are your social media goals? Which platforms are fulfilling those for you? Is TikTok bringing in new business? Is LinkedIn boosting your reputation are experts in your field? Does Twitter generate leads for your sales team? You should have a social media strategy that identifies your goals and keeps track of which platforms are performing for you.
You can use baseline analytics to set goals and KPIs for the year ahead, and to measure how you’re doing month by month. This allows you to track what content is performing best, and to adjust your content plan and strategy accordingly. Higher numbers of followers are not necessarily better; what you’re really looking for is high engagement. Analytics should also help you work out the best times of the day/week to post, and which demographics are responding to different posts.
Be strategic
How does social media fit into your wider content marketing strategy? It needs to align with the overall goals and be working to fulfil them. The top three goals for content marketers in 2022 were: create brand awareness (83%), build/grow credibility/trust (77%), and educate audiences (72%). Ensure that the content you’re creating for each platform is working to achieve these goals, or other targets if they are more relevant to your business.
Make sure you know which point in the sales funnel your content is aimed at, and choose your platform accordingly. Most social media strategy will be geared towards lead generation, building brand awareness, and showcasing your expertise.
Cherry-pick your content
If you’re using social media just to shout about how great your company and products are, you can expect to garner few followers and even less interaction and engagement. Rather than seeing these channels as another sales platform, view them as a place to set the agenda for your sector. By sharing carefully curated content you can cement your reputation as experts in your field, building branding recognition and trust, and boosting your prospects.
Thought leadership content is particularly relevant here, allowing you to really highlight your company’s strengths and talents. Host longer pieces on your website, and repackage for each social platform to entice the reader to click through. Remember, too, that video boasts the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy. Keep videos short and sweet for social platforms, though – attention spans are short – and don’t forget to include subtitles.
Adopt the right tone
Social media is generally more informal and playful than other platforms, and your posts need to reflect this. While you want to maintain your brand’s general tone and style for consistency, consider being less serious or formal on your social channels. 48% of B2B buyers reported being bored by marketing, so make sure your content sparkles to stand out from the competition. People want to see some personality – don’t be afraid to experiment with a lighter tone, emojis, or memes.
Conclusion
With an estimated 4.83 billion users in 2023, you can’t afford to ignore social media. Avoid shouting onto the void and ensure that your content is working hard for you by following these tips, experimenting with what works for your business in terms of content and platforms, and keeping track of your analytics.
If you’d like help with your social media or wider content marketing strategy, get in touch with hello@isolinecomms.com
