Eleanor Hecks August 3, 2021 There are a lot of social media networks out there. We’re long past the days where one or two big names ruled the nest. Yes, of course, there are still some big names in the business — we’re looking at you, the book — but people of all ages are spreading their time out between many different places.
It probably won’t come as any surprise, but during all the downtime with COVID, 72 percent of people report increasing their social media consumption. We are online now more than ever.
It means that businesses have an incredible opportunity to engage and interact with customers across many of those platforms. But which ones are the most important? Which platforms should businesses have a presence on?
10 Social Media Marketing Channels You Need to Use
1. LinkedIn
When it comes to B2B there is no equal, LinkedIn is the best network for it. From publishing regular content to establishing lead generation pages, there are plenty of ways to interact and engage with other professionals and other businesses. What’s more, Microsoft recently reported LinkedIn revenue saw a 21 percent boost, which means there are more users on the platform than ever.
2. Facebook
If there’s only one network you invest in, let it be Facebook. From community groups and business pages to targeted ads, the social giant has a lot to offer. Plus, Facebook has roughly 2.85 billion monthly active users as of 2021. B2B brands will feel right at home with options to seek out clients, engage with them, and more.
3. Instagram
Another powerhouse, Instagram has 1.2 billion monthly active users, many of which are younger generations shying away from Facebook. The platform is always adding new features, and it’s a great place to find influencers too.
What’s more, Twitter used to be the primary platform for customer service, but Instagram’s new messenger API allows brands to engage with customers through live chat, answer questions, find products, and much more.
4. SlideShare
About 19 percent of B2B marketers use SlideShare for content marketing strategies, and that number continues to grow. The platform is also owned by LinkedIn, which makes a lot of sense.
You can use the service to share infographics, documents, presentations, videos, and all manner of reports. It’s a professional-oriented service where users come together to share knowledge and experience.
5. Twitter
While Twitter isn’t necessarily the best platform for marketing, as most tweets have a short lifespan, it’s an excellent platform for customer service. In fact, many customers use Twitter as a major point of contact with businesses. An estimated 67 percent of consumers use social media networks, like Twitter, to seek resolution for issues they’re having.
6. YouTube
Admittedly, trying to navigate YouTube’s comments section under each video is, well, it’s troubling. However, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s one of the largest search engines since it’s from Google. If you want exposure for your brand or products, it’s an excellent place to be, and a solid strategy is to get other YouTubers talking about your brand.
7. Medium
Medium is an excellent place to publish loads of content, like product or news updates, editorials, thought leadership pieces, and much more. You should still have a company website and blog, as a Medium account is no substitution, but it’s a good side hustle to have.
8. TikTok
The relatively new sensation in the social game is TikTik, with over 700 million monthly active users worldwide. It’s growing in popularity too and is a favorite amongst younger social media users. The format is a bit different than other networks, as it involves making quick videos, but they can be a lot of fun and lucrative if you do it right.
9. Reddit
Reddit is a strange platform to use and will take some time to learn. Most subreddits don’t allow promotional or marketing content unless it’s a dedicated community for your brand or products.
That said, it’s a reliable community where you can truly engage with customers through holistic conversations. You can offer customer service, answer questions, host AMAs (ask me anything), and much more.
10. WeChat
It was originally just a messenger-style application, but that’s changed in recent years, so don’t give WeChat a pass. It’s a lot like Facebook in that it’s a comprehensive social network with many ways to communicate, neat little features — like the time capsule tool — and much more.
Is Social Media a Good Strategy for B2B?
If you listen to the wrong people, you’ll go on thinking that social media marketing is not a viable strategy for B2B brands and businesses. That’s just not true.
Although you’re engaging with other brands, you’re still selling a product or service to people first. Like with any business or brand, you need to get your name out there, in the news, and in front of potential buyers.
That’s where social media comes into play. It allows you to kickstart discussions centered around your brand and products. Most importantly, it helps you build awareness about your company and find new clientele.
While we don’t recommend wearing yourself thin by trying to participate on all of the social networks listed above, one or two should definitely be a part of your marketing strategy.
How to Successfully Market B2B on Social Media
Each platform is different, so there’s no catch-all answer. You will have to create a unique strategy depending on the platform you choose. For example, your marketing on LinkedIn is going to look very different from your marketing on SlideShare.
The first step is understanding the platform you’re joining, what kind of content and engagements it calls for, and building a strategy around those ideas. It’s best to choose the platform where your biggest audience or customers are.
It’s also a good idea to get your employees involved, sharing, and creating, as well, especially on a platform like Facebook or Twitter. The more people who are talking about your brand and products, the better.
How to Create a B2B Social Marketing Strategy
Understanding what social media platforms are best and how to leverage them is just the start. You also need to know how to put together a marketing strategy. Here’s a simple breakdown:
- Identify your goals and what you want to achieve.
- Research your target audience.
- Choose the best social media platform for your brand.
- Create a brand persona, including content perspectives and a marketing voice.
- Establish social media team roles and assign channels.
- Write the strategy.
- Execute.
Get Out There and Socialize
You know the networks, you know why, and you know how, all that’s left is to get out there and put your plan into action. As more and more B2B companies realize the vast potential of social platforms, we’re going to start seeing many success stories — more than we already have.
The goal is to build a presence and earn rapport with your audience and potential customers, but you have to do that by engaging with the right content and social interactions for the platform. Create a unique social strategy for each platform. The message and content can be similar, but they must match the common interests of the network, be it short videos, blog posts, memes, or something else entirely.
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