Recent statistics estimate that over half the world’s population uses some form of social media. Clearly, the audience is there. For some marketers, though — especially for B2B marketers — the challenge isn’t finding people, but rather engaging them once the connection is made.
Social media allows marketers to pinpoint buyers and decision makers. But that’s only the beginning, because leaders are recognizing that social is a powerful tool for building relationships and brands. The pandemic has seen organizations relying more on social media to expand awareness, generate leads, engage with buyers and prospects, manage customer service requests and more.
In my experience, even B2B brands can realize the benefits of a broader, customer-centric social strategy and plan. Here are some advantages to adding social media to your marketing mix:
Social media allows B2B marketers to narrow their audiences based on age, gender, location, interests, behaviors, job titles, industries, visits to your website and more. So not only can you control every dollar of spend, but you can also tailor content and messaging to exactly the right people.
When a user clicks on a banner ad, visits a landing page or subscribes to an email newsletter, you can collect, store, sort, analyze and leverage all that data to further refine your content — and then retarget those users with specific campaigns and offers later.
For every post or ad on social media, you can track ROI and analyze return on ad spend (ROAS). Most social platforms offer an ad management tool that shows advertisers how a specific post or campaign is performing in terms of cost per lead, conversions and other metrics, so you can adjust your spending accordingly.
Social media listening involves tracking for industry keywords and topics so you can see what’s trending with audiences. Social media monitoring tracks users’ mentions and opinions, not only about your brand but also about your competition, so you can see where you stand. Some companies take analysis even further, drilling down into users’ specific interests and behaviors. With a combination of tools and techniques, you can understand your market, speak to what they care about and connect on a deeper level.
Social media is a great place to showcase your company’s culture. Happy employees are some of the best ambassadors for your brand — not only to prospective customers but also to potential recruits. At the same time, organizations can use social to communicate their values, address any negative feedback and de-escalate situations in real time.
B2B marketers can also use social media to educate audiences on their companies’ knowledge and expertise. Through blog articles, slide sharing, videos, product demos, topical discussions and other content, brands can become leaders and trusted resources in their fields.
While the cost efficiencies and value of social media can’t be overstated, it’s important to think of social as an integrated part of your strategic marcom program. Ideally, customers can find your brand wherever they go — online or offline, indoors or outdoors, at home or at work. A clear, consistent message over multiple touchpoints equals the maximum potential for engagement.
Think of social media in terms of your favorite coffee shop. If your website is the storefront, social media is a cozy armchair by a window. Sure, customers can walk in the front door, buy and go on their way. But social media invites them to stay awhile and have a chat.