Social media marketing, and by extension a social media marketing campaign, can be invaluable tools for any company looking to increase B2B lead generation. For any company marketing to B2B customers, the name of the game is awareness, and getting your brand into the minds of decision makers who will choose your product or service over others. Let’s explore eight different considerations and strategies for B2B lead generation through social media marketing.
Determine goals and define buyer personas/demographics
Before you delve into social media marketing, you have to know what you hope to accomplish by investing into what could be a brand-new marketing channel for your company. Use the SMART methodology for setting goals, and make sure you keep up with important metrics so you can clearly track progress and ROI. That said, do not become obsessed with specific metrics as their growth will depend on the stage of your social media marketing campaign, and also consider that engaging in social listening can reveal insights about your social media successes that regular metrics cannot.
Who are you going after? Define your ideal buyer personas and make sure to understand their tendencies. When they are looking to solve problems they are facing at their business, where do they search? Where do they look for expertise? Who do they trust? Tightening your focus makes your investment go further compared to a social media marketing campaign which catches more people who are ultimately disconnected from your target audience.
Choose social media platforms depending on goals and personas
LinkedIn stands above most platforms when it comes to B2B lead generation, with 40% of B2B marketers stating it to be their most effective channel, and 93% of B2B marketers using it for social media marketing. This is a widely known statistic, and the more people who plan their social media marketing efforts with this knowledge, the more popular LinkedIn becomes. However, just because LinkedIn remains the most popular social media channel for B2B lead generation, it is important to consider all options when planning a social media marketing strategy. Your particular target demographic may overwhelmingly use Facebook, for one reason or another. Some platforms, like Twitter, can offer faster back and forth with potential clients, to solve issues or directly offer your services to a greater number of people.
Perform competitive research
What is everyone else doing? You aren’t the first, so examine how other companies are utilizing social media marketing to assist them with B2B lead generation. It is important to consider that every social media marketing strategy is nuanced and designed to specifically fit the needs of a company, so you aren’t going to find much success blindly copying your competitor’s strategies and crossing your fingers that you achieve the same level of B2B lead generation.
You can still learn a lot from the competition. You may identify areas where your competitors are underperforming, or demographics which they are simply not addressing. This could offer you on opportunity to enter and fill that void, winning over prospective clients who could not find what they were looking for before. If you don’t have time to perform research yourselves, enlist a professional marketing agency such as Clever Samurai to do it for you.
Create and share relevant, helpful content
Content marketing is an incredible tool when it comes to B2B lead generation. Approach the content you publish with a genuine desire to help those in need. If you offer free, expert advice on common pain points, you will be viewed as a thought leader and increase your brand awareness and reputation simultaneously. People aren’t stupid, and they’ll see right through vapid content posing as useful material, so plan accordingly and craft content you are proud to share.
Effective content for social media marketing channels will be born from a deep understanding of your buyer personas and their pain points, as well as competitive research to understand what similar companies focus on or gloss over.
Make unique content, do not repeat what others have said before unless you have something to add
To be seen as a thought leader or an expert, you must blaze new ground and offer something to set you apart from other companies in your industry.
Show your appreciation for and investment in your client base, by highlighting success stories involving your products and services. This is an excellent way to build awareness and reputation, as people will understand the impact of your product, and see your passion for your own customer’s success. Emphasize that your goals go beyond making the sale and are equally invested in making the customer more successful. Marketing to B2B companies is markedly different from B2C companies, where B2B companies form a lasting relationship which can be leveraged in your social media marketing strategy.
Different metrics are important at different stages of growth
Only 5% of decision makers are in market at any given time, searching for a new product or service. It’s not about finding someone right now but building awareness so when it comes time for those decision makers to be in market for a service, your company pops into their headfirst, thanks to the brand awareness you have cultivated through your social media marketing strategy. Don’t become disillusioned if your social media marketing campaign does not instantly result in more sales. Early on, it is important to build brand awareness and get on people’s radars.
Content should be informed by the social media platform you’re on
Once you’ve crafted genuinely helpful content and are ready to share it, don’t fall victim to the easy way out of posting the exact same material on all your social media marketing channels. Each platform has unique demographics and preferred methods of engagement, and it is essential that you address these differences when you share content. To cultivate B2B lead generation most effectively on your social platforms, change your content to suit the platform. This doesn’t mean creating entirely new content, but, for example, longform written content may not be appropriate for Twitter, so transforming that content into a short video could fare better.
Utilize faster paced social media platforms to engage with clients & customers to address their needs
Beyond just sharing content, there are other ways to boost brand awareness and B2B lead generation through social media marketing. Consider using faster-paced social media channels, like Twitter, to directly address consumer concerns and questions. Investing in fast, educated responses shows you are invested in the success of your clients, and in reducing their pain and stress levels. It is not so uncommon for brands to have a social media page dedicated to support, with trained employees ready to assist customers at any time. Being ready to assist customers can be an essential aspect of your social media marketing strategy, as it works to improve your brand reputation.
This blog aims to give you a good starting point, but every social media marketing campaign is different, and the process for B2B lead generation varies based on industry and other factors. Strategizing and managing social media marketing campaigns can be incredibly complicated and time consuming. That’s why companies like 360Leads exist, to help you with B2B lead generation. Reach out today to see how we can help you get started.
