For B2B companies, being on social media allows B2B buyers to interact with your brand in a more personal and collaborative manner.

In the B2B sphere, an average of six to 10 people are involved in buying decisions, according to Gartner, and each of those people typically collects four to five pieces of content they’ve gathered independently to present to the group.

With an effective social media strategy, SMBs can turn prospects into customers and nurture those new relationships, leading to closer connections and eventual conversions.

Let’s look at five of the most popular platforms for B2B marketers:

1.Facebook

Facebook remains the most important social media platform for many marketers. For B2B marketers, Facebook can be the most effective. It has a vast, active audience, many of whom value business-related ads.

Not having a Facebook page as a business is detrimental not only because you will miss out on access to a receptive audience, but also because your business will not be trusted or taken seriously.

2. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is strictly meant for professionals and business networking. According to LinkedIn’s official marketing blog, 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn, which shows that LinkedIn is the best B2B social media platform.

By providing your target audience with solutions to a work-related problem or need, you’re setting your business up to generate sales – simply by connecting with valuable prospects and sharing expert tips.

3. Instagram

Instagram is one of the most visited platforms to date. The average Instagram business account grows its followers by 1.69%each month. In addition, Instagram’s advertising reach has outpaced Facebook, and 1 in 2 people have used Instagram to discover new brands.

Where there’s engagement, there’s also the opportunity to grow users’ interest in your brand by building trust with your audience and increasing traffic to your site to start generating leads. It’s a great opportunity to check in with your audience more dynamically and entertainingly.

4. YouTube and video content

Videos are engaging, tell stories, and are great for capturing a larger audience. They are also becoming exceptionally popular. YouTube ads work, and the stats prove it. Seventy percent of YouTube viewers say they have purchased a product after seeing it in a YouTube ad.

As part of a well-rounded B2B marketing strategy, video plays a crucial role in campaigns that appeal to buyers, engage with them, and compel them to convert. Don’t think selling — think helping. Think tutorials and ‘how to’ guides, storytelling based on industry expertise, and entertaining, useful content based on interviews with experts.

5. Social media reviews

Today, the majority of buyers in general will search for reviews on a product before purchasing, but an astonishing 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase something after they have read a trusted review. Reviews are the online version of word-of-mouth marketing.

There is no doubt that incorporating social media strategies into your overall marketing strategy will increase brand awareness, drive quality leads, and ultimately improve your ROI.

Bear in mind that these platforms have their own specific characteristics so do your research and understand what kind of messaging and content works best on each.

Building a successful B2B marketing strategy means looking closely at your target audience and what they truly want. With that knowledge in hand, you can focus on the channels that will most effectively lead them to purchase.

References:
https://emtemp.gcom.cloud/ngw/globalassets/en/sales-service/documents/trends/5-ways-the-future-of-b2b-buying.pdf
https://www.statista.com/statistics/259379/social-media-platforms-used-by-marketers-worldwide/
https://www.linkedin.com/business/marketing/blog/linkedin-ads/get-proof-the-case-for-b2b-marketing-on-linkedin-infographic
https://www.hootsuite.com/pages/digital-trends-2021
https://www.hootsuite.com/pages/digital-trends-2021
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV5vk28MIzY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://blog.google/products/ads/new-ways-to-drive-action/
https://99firms.com/blog/online-reviews-statistics/#gref