If you believe that social media is not essential when connecting one business to another, you are giving away customers. According to a survey conducted by the IDC, 84% of C-level and VP-level buyers look at various platforms before making a buying decision. Additionally, 63% have purchased online support packages.
If you want to increase your company’s ROI, you need to make sure your company has a strong presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social platforms. Buyers active on these platforms spend 84% more than their counterparts who are not active users. They also make 61% more of the buying decisions.
What is the Goal?
Before using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or other platforms, it is essential to decide what you want to accomplish. It can be very challenging to show how this activity affects ROI, so developing measurable goals for your social media strategy can help.
The top five goals given by B2B companies include:
- Building Brand Awareness
- Generating Leads
- Acquiring Customers
- Positioning as a Thought Leader
- Boosting Engagement
- Which Platforms to Use
When creating a social media strategy, it is important to understand what channels buyers are using. Then, personalize a strategy for reaching them. Below are some things to consider when choosing the right platform for your business.
LinkedIn has 740 million users in over 200 countries. Over 57% of users are male. In the United States, the largest age group is between 37 and 49 years old. Over 97% of businesses use LinkedIn for content distribution.
Facebook has over 2.8 billion monthly active users. People between 25 and 34 make up the most significant age demographic. Almost 75% of users log in every day. Of all the people in the world, 86% who have an income higher than $100,000 use Facebook.
Over 187 million people use Twitter daily and 62% of businesses are active on this platform. Over 70% of users are males, and the largest age demographic is between 25 and 34. Compared to 2020, the number of active Tweeters has risen by 8%. Also, almost 42% of users have a college degree.
Over 1,074 billion people have an Instagram account. The number of Instagram users rose by 22.9% in 2020. This platform can be a great way to reach younger buyers, as 71% of users are under 35. Plus, over 71% of businesses use Instagram.
Tips for Implementing a Successful Social Media Strategy
There are many social media strategies to choose from when it comes to growing your business. Always keep your company’s goals in mind when deciding on a social platform.
Showcase What Makes You Unique
Every company has a unique value proposition. For some, it may be their long company history while others may be their speed of delivery or the fact that they are giving part of their proceeds away. Regardless, find a way to share about it often. Show potential customers why that value should matter to them and their business.
Speak to Your Audience
The performance of your accounts will skyrocket when you start using lingo from the particular industry you are trying to attract. For example, if you are trying to sell your CMS to realtors, use terms like DOM, EMD, and FHA. It shows that you have a clear understanding of that industry. Create different channels for different segments so that you are always talking directly to people in that industry.
- Performance of your different accounts is likely to improve if you keep some statistics in mind:
- On Facebook, engagement drops by 50% if a company with under 10,000 followers posts more than once per day. The optimal amount is three posts per week.
- You need to be active constantly on Twitter, so plan on tweeting between 15 and 23 times per day. You need to tweet every day, at least consistently.
- On Instagram, you need to post once or twice a day. At a minimum, make sure that you are posting at least three times a week.
- On LinkedIn, post once per day. At a minimum, post twice each week.
Provide Valuable Content
Owners, buyers, and managers are busy people. Therefore, each post that you make needs to add value to the busy professional’s lives. Implement these best practices by offering:
- White papers
- E-books
- Blog posts
- Sharing of news
- Commenting on industry events
- Time-saving tips
B2B companies need to have a social media presence. Start by setting a measurable goal because it is impossible to know if you are successful unless you have a way to measure it. Then, choose which platforms you need to be active on based on where executives within your industry hang out. Create a unique voice for your company that lets the executive know why they should trust you over ‘the other guy’. Use terminology that your audience will understand. Consistency pays off, so learn how often you should be posting on each platform. Finally, ensure that you add value to the customer’s life with every post you make.
Following these best practices can be time-consuming, but we can help! Start by getting a free social media audit.
