How B2Bs can achieve objectives through social media

If you work for a B2B, you might be under the impression that social media is more of a headache than resource for your organization. But think again – just because your brand isn’t selling products or services to a retail customer doesn’t mean that you should avoid getting social. According to a report from Content Marketing Institute, 94 per cent of B2B marketers use social media for content marketing purposes.

Why would so many B2Bs use social media if the risks weren’t worth the rewards?

The truth is, social media can help any kind of business achieve their objectives. While ROI can be a little confusing to calculate, there are plenty of time-tested perks. Below, we’re taking a closer look at those social media benefits for B2Bs.

5 social media benefits for B2Bs:

 

1. Recruitment. Social media is a potent tool for recruitment. If there’s an open position available in your organization, there’s no better (or more cost effective) way of spreading the word. We’ve even noticed with our own clients that recruitment posts are often the top engagement earners. As an added bonus, taking a look at candidates’ social profiles will help you get a sense or whether or not they’re right for your organization.

 

2. Overall brand identity. In order to establish your brand’s identity, you have to be consistent. Luckily, social media provides the opportunity to do just that – if you can stay on brand via daily social posts, comments and content, you’re on the right track. Everything from your tone of voice to the images you share have an impact on your online identity; make sure all of your content is well-planned and expertly coordinated.

 

3. Crisis management. A core tenet of crisis communications is to communicate with impacted stakeholders often. B2Bs must plan for the occasional crisis just as much as retailers and service providers. Social media plays a key role in this – you can keep an eye on what social media users are saying about your brand and industry through keyword monitoring tools like SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool and Sprout Social. Plus, social media makes it easy to clear up misinformation – a quick tweet can have the power to dispel rumours, and a well-timed blog post can help stop a crisis in its tracks.

 

4. Community relations. A good social media strategy can have a major effect on the community surrounding your organization. By sharing content that keeps community members up-to-date on your organization’s operations, events and safety protocols, you’ll help to build relationships that could spill over into the real world.

 

5. Investment. Investors often use social media as a research tool for their next investment. For those investors, checking out a brand’s social profile provides a snapshot of their strengths and weaknesses, and it takes a lot less time than building an actual relationship with that brand. After all, time is money. So take the time to make your brand’s social presence worth investing in. Promote your cause, show off your successes – basically, prove that your organization is on the up-and-up. Eventually, investors are bound to take notice.

 

If you’d like your B2B to start reaping these rewards but aren’t sure how to get started, give us a call.