If your customers are other businesses, it means they don’t care about social media — right? So, why bother making it a part of your digital marketing strategy for 2021?
We’ll let you decide if you’re better off without, with our seven reasons why you might want to steer clear of the world of social…
1. Because social media is only for B2C companies
As a B2B company, it can be easy to forget that even though your customers are other companies, there’s still a person behind a screen viewing your content. Everyone is a consumer; some people just ‘consume’ on behalf of other businesses.
So, if you want to build professional relationships and position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, you NEED to be sharing informative content regularly across your social channels.
And remember, there’s more than one social media platform. The likes of Instagram might be better suited to the glamorous world of influencers and product endorsements — but LinkedIn was literally designed for B2B networking.
2. Because you’re the best in the game
If you’re already dominating your industry and wiping the floor with your ‘competitors’, then crack on. You’re obviously doing something right.
But unless you’re number one in your field, you NEED social media in your digital marketing strategy. Social allows you to keep tabs on your competitors and add your input to trending industry topics — giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your authority and credibility, as well as reinforce your standing as a thought leader.
And can we tell you a secret? The best-of-the-best B2B companies, such as Google and IBM, make great use of social media, regularly sharing insightful content that both interests and builds their audience.
3. Because you’ve got nothing to say
Speaking of content, we often hear B2B companies say that they don’t know what to post or they don’t have anything suitable for social media. But the world of social isn’t all snaps of ‘hot dog legs’ and Love Island stars endorsing diet shakes. Actually, it’s full of carefully curated content and insightful information.
And chances are, you’ll already have plenty of content worth sharing. Ever produced a whitepaper? An e-book? Carried out research or guest written an article for a publication? Get it on your social channels!
Making use of the multimedia available with social — such as video and polls — is also a great way to keep your content fresh and exciting. Video allows you to engage with existing and prospective customers in a more personable and friendly manner, while polls are a great way to ask questions and conduct market research.
4. Because you’d rather use email instead
Email is great for business communications — but it’s not a replacement for social media. And social doesn’t mean unprofessional either!
Channels like Facebook and Twitter allow you to respond directly to customers and offer real-time solutions and advice to help build that essential rapport. Did you know that just over 34% of customers prefer using social media for support than the phone or email?
Engaging with your audience on social media is critical to growing and maintaining relationships to guarantee your customers’ repeat behaviour and loyalty.
5. Because you’re already reaching exactly who you want to reach
Sure, you might have a loyal pool of customers that you can always rely on to bring in business. But what about all the other untapped potential out there? Nearly a quarter of the world’s ENTIRE population is active on social media! That’s a lot of people you could be missing out on selling to if you’re not active on it as well.
Plus, the more specific you are with your targeting, the higher the quality of your leads will be. Social media advertising offers unmatched precision — with targeting options to narrow down your prospects by interests, location, education level, and so much more.
6. Because you don’t want any more leads
‘New business? No thanks’. Said no one, ever!
Now, let’s stop talking crazy and get real — if you want to maximise leads and, ultimately, boost conversions, you need to drive people to your website. And one of the best ways to do that is through social media.
Out of all the social platforms, LinkedIn has proven to be the most effective lead generator. Again, content is king here. You want to use the platform to share helpful content that answers your customers’ and prospective customers’ questions — proving that you know your stuff to make them want to do business with you.
7. Because you have an unlimited budget
If you have endless cash to spend on prime-time TV ads, radio slots, colossal billboards in Trafalgar Square or print ads in the Financial Times — go wild. If you haven’t, social media is the best way to go. It’s undoubtedly one of the most affordable forms of marketing.
Signing up is completely free, and you can cap your spending on each campaign and set budgets against specific KPIs. The only real investment with social media is time…
Which is where the help of a marketing agency can come in handy! If you’re feeling stuck on your digital marketing strategy, take our free marketing audit now to identify which areas of your marketing need a boost.
Abbie Curbison
Abbie Curbison is an Account Manager at Hyped Marketing
