Can Social Media Work for B2B?

We’ve all heard that social media is an instrumental tool for marketing your brand in today’s ever-changing communication industry. Some companies, such as Zappos and Starbucks, will go down in history as the epitome of successful social media marketing - and for good reason. These brands utilize tools such as Twitter and Facebook to engage with their customers, facilitating two-way conversation in a space their audience is comfortable in.

While social media marketing is most commonly associated with consumer brands (such as Starbucks and Zappos), there are plenty of opportunities for B-to-B brands to play in this realm as well. Actually, let’s make this even easier and just say that many of the same principles of B-to-C marketing apply to B-to-B when it comes to social media.

So let’s break it down:

Listening – For both B-to-C and B-to-B, there is probably someone out there searching for your brand or already talking about it on a social media platform. Whether this is a customer, employee or member of the media, you want to be out there so you can monitor what is being said and address any positive or negative comments.

Followers – This is where I see the roads of B-to-C and B-to-B diverging. While both could possibly attract members of the media looking for interesting story leads, B-to-C followers will come primarily from loyal customers looking to get in on limited-time offers, coupons, and other promotions.

With B-to-B, your following may also come from customers, but since the purchase cycle of B-to-B products is usually much longer and the cost usually much higher, with more people involved in the purchase decision, these followers are not interested in a $1.00-off coupon. Instead, they want information and advice on how your product can make their company better. They want your social media accounts to be an extension of your customer service desk, another way to contact you for their business needs. For both industries, the main thing is to look at your follower base and tailor your content to their needs.

Engagement – In the end, everyone who has a Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social media account just wants to know that someone out there is listening to them. This is why no matter what industry you are in, you must engage with your followers. If they ask you a question, respond. If they post something on their profile about why they love or hate your brand, address it. If you do things right and follow a clear strategy, social media could give your B-to-B company the opportunity to create new relationships and engage with your customers on a more personal level.

Still not convinced social media is right for your B-to-B business? Check out Online Marketing’s blog on 5 B-to-B social media winners or HubSpots’ post on 8 common mistakes to avoid in B-to-B social media marketing.

Tags: B-to-B social media, B-to-B vs B-to-C social media, StoryTeller Media & Communications

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