{"id":16577,"date":"2022-10-17T16:01:50","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T08:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsbites.hktdc.com\/?p=16577"},"modified":"2022-12-02T14:15:18","modified_gmt":"2022-12-02T06:15:18","slug":"b2b-social","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsbites.hktdc.com\/tips\/b2b-social\/","title":{"rendered":"A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media for B2B"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Social media isn\u2019t just a powerful outreach and engagement tool \u2014 it is also at the\u00a0forefront\u00a0of product research, peer recommendations, and brand discovery for B2B decision-makers. As such, it is imperative that B2B marketers get cracking on their social media strategies.\u00a0<\/p>

In this article originally published by Meltwater<\/a>, we break down the essentials of B2B social media marketing, showing you how to utilize your social media accounts to their fullest potential.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Getting on the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Business<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Tip 1: Choosing the right platforms for your brand<\/h4>

If you\u2019re not already on social media, the first step that you should take is to decide which platforms to use. Find the balance between being present on several social media networks without spreading yourself too thin.<\/strong><\/p>

As a starting point, get yourself on LinkedIn and Twitter. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are also beneficial because they help build brand awareness and allow you to direct traffic to your website. Most B2B companies are on 4 or 5 different networks.<\/span><\/p>

One way to decide which social networks to use is to take a look at the social pages of the competitors<\/strong> in your industry. Never assume that a certain platform won\u2019t work for you just because your competitors may not be on it. Have a look at your target audience and decide if your content can be reworked to reach out to new bases on these platforms.<\/p>

Tip 2: Creating your business profile<\/h4>

Make sure that your social media profiles are consistent with your brand<\/strong>. This involves using the same profile image (preferably your logo), a straightforward username, and strong bio copy.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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To begin with, choose the right social platforms for your brand.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Creating the Right Content<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Just like B2C marketing, great content lies at the heart of B2B social media marketing. This content can include relevant graphics that provide audiences with top tips or articles that help them address common pain points<\/strong>.<\/p>

Tip 3: Humanizing your feed<\/h4>

Many brands strike a chord with their audiences by being funny online. Be sure to establish\u00a0clear guidelines\u00a0for the use of humor<\/strong> on social media. There is a fine line between the humor that will please your audience and that which may offend.<\/p>

Tip 4: Deciding when and how often to post<\/h4>

The key to success is to test your posts during various time periods and observe where you obtain the most engagement. Use your social accounts when your audience is most active<\/strong>, which is often outside of the usual work hours (9 p.m.-11 p.m.).\u00a0<\/p>

One of the\u00a0common social media mistakes\u00a0that B2B marketers make is to post too much content, too often<\/strong>. In fact, those are the top reasons why users unfollow a brand. However, the reverse may also be dangerous \u2014 brands that almost never post on social media tire their audiences out.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Interacting With Your Audience<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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In order to gain followers, B2B social media accounts should aim to increase post engagement, retain their following, and ensure that they’re part of the conversation around your brand. Use a\u00a0<\/span>Social Listening Tool<\/strong> to monitor<\/strong> posts about the products and services you offer to identify opportunities for further discussion. Look out for posts asking for recommendations or complaints about your competitors.<\/span><\/p>

Tip 5: Comment management<\/h4>

Often, dissatisfied customers will take to social media to complain. Here are three things you should always strive to do:<\/p>

  1. Keep your tone polite and professional<\/li>
  2. Acknowledge their dissatisfaction and find a solution<\/li>
  3. Try to take the conversation offline\u00a0<\/li><\/ol>

    However, do not under any circumstances:<\/p>

    1. Publicly accuse the client of lying or being wrong<\/li>
    2. Ignore legitimate comments\u00a0<\/li><\/ol>

      Tip 6: Grow your audience<\/h4>

      Whilst having a high audience reach is important, you should aim to reach the right people<\/strong>, not lots of people.<\/p>

      One approach that B2B marketers can take is by identifying relevant influencers<\/strong> in your industry. These are users with a large, engaged community of followers. You can build relationships with influencers and interact with their community to help grow your base, and further position yourself as an expert in your field. In addition, follow users who follow these influencers as well as your competitors.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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      It is crucial to properly manage the comments on social media.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Optimizing Your Advertising Budget for Social Media<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Understanding the top-down social media spending approach: TOFU to BOFU<\/h4>

      Every B2B marketer should be familiar with the marketing funnel:<\/p>