Oftentimes many B2B businesses write off social media marketing based on the consideration that it’s too boring or not effective enough to be worth their while. But this isn’t necessarily the case. While it is true that the top brands that dominate social media are largely B2C brands, social media should be a part of every successful marketing strategy.
B2B businesses that have shied away from social media marketing are missing out on a huge opportunity. Why? We’re breaking the myth associated with the reluctance to pursue social in B2B industries.
Why should you use social media marketing?
There are a multitude of reasons why B2B companies should be utilizing social media marketing to build their brands. We’re sharing the secret sauce as to why your business can benefit from implementing it today!
Your competitors are already on it
If your direct competitors are already on social media, it means you’re missing out on an existing segment of your target market. Willingly choosing not to participate in this method of outreach is like handing over a piece of your pie to the very people you’re trying to get more from.
Customers are turning to social media for service
It’s becoming more common for customers to turn to social media to get support and answers from companies rather than opting to go through their traditional customer service lines. Social media creates a simpler platform that customers are comfortable and familiar with. It’s significantly easier for a customer to tag, tweet, or comment on a company’s latest post than it is to sit on hold with the customer service line for hours on end.
Social media has turned into your new communication line. Customers want to see the companies they love engaging with them on a more personable level through social media. Brands that engage and respond to their customers on social media have overall higher customer satisfaction ratings.
It’s 2021, your customers are on social and your competitors are too, it’s becoming more expected for brands to have a social presence. Giving your customers an additional outlet to contact you offers them the support and guidance they need. Your product or service already serves to solve a problem that they’re facing. Why not fix another one by making yourself more accessible?
You may be missing lead generation opportunities
Not only is social media an excellent platform to interact with your existing clientele and customers, but it’s also a great way to identify new qualified leads. Social media serves as an outlet for customers to find helpful information when making their purchasing decisions.
As such, identifying relevant search and engagement patterns across social channels can help businesses identify customers within their target market. Once they have been identified, businesses can target these customers and point them in the direction of their own pages for interaction and sales down the line.
Social Insights
As mentioned above, the use of social media provides significant insights into the behaviors and buying decisions of customers and clientele. Customers often turn to social media to conduct some of their pre-purchase research. In fact, a survey found that nearly 75% of B2B buyers and 84% of executives use social media to make purchasing decisions.
Engaging in conversations and interacting with customers through social media provide a comfortable platform for you to get to know your clientele. It’s the best of both worlds, you get to identify the valuable information needed to close sales, and customers get to have interactions with your business and have their questions answered in a situation where they feel comfortable and in control.
If your B2B business isn’t already utilizing social media marketing tactics, you’re likely doing your business a significant disservice. While you might be wondering if social media is worth the investment for your business, we’re here to answer that question for you … IT IS!
If you’re looking to find out where to start, our team at Digital Storyteller has your back. Our content specialists create unique custom content to share to social channels that match your brand voice and work towards your goals. Meanwhile, our social media experts invest time in engaging with your followers and encouraging social growth.
Want to learn more? Schedule a BrandScape session with us today!
