Pillars of a B2B Social Media Strategy

It’s almost impossible to talk about marketing and not mention social media marketing. Every firm, big or small, feels pressure to have a social media presence. In a recent blog, we pinpointed a few companies doing outstanding jobs with their social media, Can B2B Social Media Marketing Really Increase ROI? 

The blog verified the value of social media.

87% of small-to-medium sized businesses say that social media has helped increase their ROI 

 

74% of marketers saw an increase in website traffic after investing just 6 hours per week in social networking  

    (Source: New Breed Marketing)  

This blog looks at four strategies that companies can use for B2B social media success.

The competition out there is fierce. It might feel that you are fighting a losing battle. If you are still wondering about investing your resources in social media marketing with all the existing competition, read on and pay attention to the quote by Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, at the end of this blog. Hopefully, it will inspire you as it did me.

4 pillars for B2B social media marketing success

#1 –  Decide your B2B social media strategy goals

Your goal for social media will reflect your company and industry. Resist thinking of short-term goals and commit to building your brand and authority.

The idea of working on social media is quite fascinating for beginners. The notification bar full of likes, comments and shares can be addicting. But before responses can flood your inbox, first decide a goal and channelize your energy accordingly.

‘If you have a goal, you can plan. If you have a plan, you can execute it. And if you execute it, you will achieve your goal!’

#2 –  Spend resources on your B2B social media strategy

Now that you know your goal, you need to draft a strategic implementation roadmap to achieve the goal. Whether you aim to build brand awareness, generate leads or increase ROI, it will not be possible without a proper strategy.

And for a proper strategy, you need to dedicate resources and spend money. Consider hiring a social media manager or a freelancer to help. You also can consult with experts. Regardless of your budget or approach, make sure you get the right goal-centric strategy.

#3   Know your market and target audience

Not knowing your market is like leaping into the dark. As a B2B company, you already have a limited audience and missing out on them is a considerable risk. So, identify your target audience, know where they are interacting on social media. Align your strategy and goals with the right social media platform.  Then optimize your posts to suit that particular social networking platform.

Define your posting schedule by each particular social media platform. Hubspot published a timing guideline that we found helpful.

LinkedIn

The best time to post is during the middle of the week between 5 pm to 6 pm

LinkedIn is new newspaper for business people; they to read it with their morning coffee

Twitter

Post between 8 am to 6 pm for 16% better B2B performance Twitter users are 181% more active when they travel

Facebook

For more clicks post at 3 pm

For more shares, post on weekdays at 1 pm 

Weekend posts attract 32% higher engagement

Google+

For more engagement post during midday 

Wednesday is the best day for Google+ and posts usually get the most likes 

Instagram

To boost engagement, post between 8 am to 9 am

Avoid posting between 3 pm and 4pm

For 34% more interactions, post a video on Instagram at 9 pm

Learn and understand the behavior of your followers. Be patient and appreciate all the interactions. You are building a quality, long-term relationship with your followers.

#4 – Experiment with your social media posts

Every business is different, and what works for them on social media is also different. So, do not refrain yourself from experimenting. Try various methods of brand-promotions. Try presenting offers and discounts for your products and services. With social media, you get immediate feedback. If you try something and don’t get the response you anticipated, change it. Be flexible and open-minded.

Also, make sure you follow the 80-20 thumb rule when sharing on social media. When creating your social media profiles, maintain a balance between being a social page and a corporate page. Give your followers a reason to come back.

B2B social media strategy and marketing can be overwhelming. Start with one platform and get your feet wet. Be patient and work to connect with your target audience.

And now to that promise I made at the start of this blog, here is the quote by Larry Page to motivate you-

‘When we began the searches, they all told us: boys, it’s going to fail, there are already five search engines. We replied: we’re a search engine company, but we’re doing something different.’

And today, we know that after all the competition Larry faced in the market, Google is the most popular search engine in the world. So, if you wish to be the most popular B2B company present on social media, read this blog again!