Social media has become an integral part of B2B marketing. It allows companies to connect with their target audience, build brand awareness, and generate leads. With more than 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide, it provides a massive potential audience for companies to engage with. Businesses can share valuable content, establish thought leadership, and engage with their customers and prospects on a more personal level. Social media platforms also offer various advertising options, allowing companies to target specific demographics and track their ROI.

The benefits of social media for B2B marketing

Social media has numerous benefits for B2B marketing, including:

Lead generation: Social media platforms provide a direct way for you to connect with your target audience and generate leads. According to HubSpot, companies that use social media for lead generation see a 24% increase in revenue compared to those that don't.

Brand awareness: By establishing a strong presence on social media, companies can increase their brand visibility and exposure to potential customers who may not have been aware of their brand otherwise.

Establishing thought leadership: When sharing valuable content and engaging with their audience, companies can establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. This can help build credibility and trust with potential customers.

Social media has revolutionized how B2B companies market themselves, offering a direct line of communication with potential customers and endless opportunities for growth.

Which key metrics should you track?

The three main key metrics to track on social media are the percentage of traffic, engagement rates, and lead conversion rates. Tracking the percentage of website traffic that comes from social media can provide insights into the effectiveness of social media marketing in driving traffic to your website. Engagement rates include likes, shares, comments, and clicks, and lead conversion rates are things such as form submissions, email signups, and demo requests. Tracking these metrics can provide insights into how well social media is generating leads and driving revenue.

How to hit target metrics

• Post regularly: Make sure to post regularly to keep your audience engaged and increase visibility. You can do this by using a social media content calendar to plan out your content and ensure you are posting consistently. 

• Optimize content for each platform: Each social media platform has its own unique audience and content format. Optimize your content for each platform to ensure that it resonates with your audience and performs well.

• Provide value over hard-sell content: Instead of constantly pushing sales messages, focus on providing value to your audience through informative and educational content.
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• ‍Monitor and adjust: Continuously monitor your metrics and adjust your social media strategy accordingly. Experiment with different types of content and posting schedules to see what works best for your audience.

Employee advocacy on social media

Employee advocacy is the promotion of a company's brand and messaging by its employees. This can bring many benefits, including increased brand reach, credibility, and employee engagement. When employees are encouraged to share company content on their personal social media accounts, a company can tap into a wider audience and reach potential customers that may not have been aware of the company otherwise. According to Hootsuite, content shared by employees on social media receives 8 times more engagement than content shared by brand channels.

Consider offering social media training and guidelines to help your employees get involved and understand best practices. It is important to create sharable content that is relevant to your employees' interests and industry. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and other types of content that employees can easily share on their social media channels. Make it easy for your employees by providing pre-written social media posts and hashtags that they can copy and paste into their own social media accounts.

What social selling is and why it matters

Social selling is the process of using social media platforms to identify, connect with, and nurture potential customers as part of the sales process. Unlike traditional selling, which involves cold calling, door-to-door sales, and other intrusive methods of reaching out to potential customers. Social selling takes advantage of the fact that many people now turn to social media for research and advice before making purchasing decisions.

Social selling is becoming an increasingly popular strategy in B2B marketing because it helps build relationships, provide value to potential customers, and increase trust. When potential customers trust a B2B marketer, they are more likely to consider their products or services when making purchasing decisions.

Want to build your social selling skills? Focus on providing value instead of pushing a hard sell by sharing content that is helpful and informative. Demonstrate your expertise and understanding of the customer's needs by tailoring your approach to each individual customer. Take the time to learn about their needs and interests, and use this information to create personalized content and messaging. Lastly, social selling requires a long-term, consistent effort. Make sure to post regularly and engage with your audience to help build trust over time. 

In today's digital age, social media has become a game-changer for B2B marketing, offering many benefits to companies looking to expand their reach and grow their business. Embracing social media and utilizing its power can increase revenue and build lasting relationships with your target audience. Social media is no longer an option but necessary for any B2B company looking to stay competitive and thrive in the digital marketplace.