How to get better B2B social media engagement

21/06/2022 19:34:31
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Using social media as a business-to-business company can be an excellent way to bolster your marketing impact, create more leads and support your business development strategy. Most companies now have some form of social media presence but we’re often called in to support clients who are struggling to gain traction, engagement and create creative, inspiring content. 

Here we share our thoughts about why you should be using social media to engage with prospects, clients and potential employees, and how to best go about it to achieve the right results. 

Why?


Social media does what it says on the tin; it is a way for people to connect and interact. But gone are the days when it was simple for tracking down your old classmate or sharing pictures with your friends. Businesses are now just as ‘at home’ on social media platforms as personal individuals.

This may have started out with the purpose of reaching the mass populous for sales, benefitting the B2C market more, however, many B2B companies are seeing the benefits of using social media too.

Even when you are selling to businesses, you are still dealing with people. Business is a social transaction and no matter how corporate the front, people are managing the back end. Those people will most likely be on some form of social media platform and would be reachable with the right campaign and content. Socials are a great way to share your business messages, your products or services and your successes to not just your immediate audience but one that is much wider.

The key, of course, is to get businesses (or ‘people’) to engage with what you put out into the social ether (and then reel them in forever). So, how do you do that?
 
People do business with people

How?


Content

There are a few ways to increase engagement on social media, but the first and most important is CONTENT.

You need to be sharing content that is both interesting and relevant to your target audience. Put yourself in their shoes and think “what would I like to see/know” – think of trade tips, case studies, industry news, and testimonials. A good mix of content that is neutral and content that actively pushes your cause is a safe bet; potential business partners, and existing ones for that matter, do want to know that you know what you are doing, so pieces that prove this fact, however subtly, are great. Sharing news or opinions also shows your passion for your industry and that you keep up to date and informed, while giving them the information they may require. Win-win!

It is not just written content that is key, but visual is a great way to grab attention. Graphics, photos, gifs and videos that showcase your products, processes or services provide an instant message to the viewer. Having a great designer create bespoke visuals for you can be invaluable. There are also a variety of online programs to create your own, and most socials have their own photo/video making and editing offering. 

The best practice is to create a content plan so you can make sure you are mixing up what you share, which keeps it interesting for your audience. A month or three-month plan allows you to layout your content, fill any gaps and assess what you need in the future.

Create bespoke visuals

 

Social Tools


Another way to ensure engagement is to use the tools that social media kindly provides. Here are the top three:
  1. Use Hashtags. These are used as a means of searching on all platforms. If you use #Manufacturing, your post will come up in a search for that word. Think about what your target audience would be searching for and use the most appropriate to your post. Maybe search for popular hashtags in your industry and hop on board.
  2. ‘@’ people or companies into your posts. This ‘tags’ that entity so that both their contacts and yours can see the post. For example, if you share a case study, include the business or service you worked with. That way they can share as well.
  3. Use paid services. Putting some money behind a campaign and post can dramatically increase your reach, specifically within your target audience. New product launch? You can market to the people who would be interested, within your chosen area (say 100-mile radius) and include a call to action.

 
Use hashtags

A few more top tips


Engage yourself. You may have been told ‘do as you would be done by’ plenty as a child, but the point certainly applies to social media. To get engagement, it is good practice to engage with prospects and others in your industry. ‘Like’, ‘comment’ or ‘share’ posts that are interesting to your business and that your clients/prospects are sharing. This will give notifications and alert them to your presence and encourage them to return the favour.

Choose your social media platform wisely as not all platforms are suitable for all businesses. You do not necessarily need to be on every social platform to get the best results. Think about what platforms your target audience would be using, and what platform will work best for you, and really cultivate those.

Direct people to your website. In the B2B world, your website is your vehicle to cultivate new leads, capture data and nurture those sales and long-term relationships.  One of the key reasons for using social media is to direct people to your website and your sales funnel. Social media is a doorway to your website, so direct customers to relevant landing pages.

Be authentic! Remember you are trying to reach the people behind the business to engage them, so being authentic is key. People buy into people and a feeling of honesty and knowledge of what they are getting is key to developing a solid relationship. No one will thank you for portraying an online image or presence that does not accurately represent your business. 
 

Need more help to engage and inspire your social media audiences?  We can help.

Contact us today