The B2B Social Media Book

1. B2B Companies Excel at Social Media Marketing

B2B companies are better suited for social media marketing than B2C companies.

Clear understanding of customers. B2B marketers have a deeper knowledge of their prospects and customers, often using detailed personas. This familiarity allows for more targeted and effective social media strategies.

Subject matter expertise. B2B companies are often industry leaders with employees who are top experts in their field. This depth of knowledge is perfect for creating valuable content that educates prospects through social media channels.

Relationship-based sales. The B2B sales process relies heavily on building strong relationships. Social media facilitates these connections throughout the sales and marketing cycle, improving lead quality and potentially shortening the sales cycle.

2. Five-Step Social Media Lead Generation Process

Marketing's job is to contribute to revenue generation, not be a cost center for superficial activities with no clear return on investment.

Step 1: Get the basics right. This involves creating compelling offers, effective calls-to-action (CTAs), and optimized landing pages. These elements form the foundation of lead generation.

Step 2: Maximize content discovery. Create remarkable content and reduce friction around sharing. This step focuses on producing content that prospects want to consume and share.

Step 3: Create conversion ubiquity. Ensure that every piece of content includes opportunities for prospects to convert into leads.

Step 4: Test and fail fast. Implement a culture of continuous testing and iteration to improve lead generation efforts quickly.

Step 5: Optimize for maximum lead flow. Continuously analyze and refine your lead generation process to increase both the quantity and quality of leads.

3. Search Engine Optimization is Crucial for B2B Social Media

SEO is the number one reason a B2B company should be using social media marketing.

Unified keyword strategy. Develop a list of keywords that will be targeted for increasing search engine traffic, social media reach, and influencer engagement. This unified approach amplifies results across search and social media.

On-page optimization. Focus on optimizing key elements such as URL structure, page titles, page text, and meta descriptions. These factors help search engines understand your content better.

Link building. Increase the quantity and quality of inbound links to your website through tactics like blogging, asking peers and partners for links, and incorporating link requests into public relations efforts.

4. Measuring ROI is Essential for B2B Social Media Success

ROI is a clear number, derived from our simple formula: TLV − COCA/COCA = ROI.

Understanding COCA and TLV. COCA (Cost of Customer Acquisition) includes all marketing and sales costs required to bring in a customer. TLV (Total Lifetime Value) is the average amount of revenue paid by a customer over the lifetime of the relationship.

Attribution models. Choose between first-action or last-action attribution to determine which marketing efforts receive credit for leads and customers.

Data gathering and integration. Implement tools and processes to collect and analyze data across marketing and sales platforms. This integration is crucial for accurately measuring ROI.

5. Content Creation and Reach Building Drive B2B Social Media

More is always better.

Content creation strategies:

• Create compelling written content
• Produce engaging audio content
• Develop powerful video content
• Design eye-catching visual content
• Optimize for mobile consumption

Reach building tactics:

• Launch contests
• Ask for connections
• Build inbound links
• Simplify opt-ins and following
• Increase content production
• Tell compelling stories

6. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are Powerful B2B Platforms

LinkedIn drove more leads to B2B websites than any other site, and nearly three times the number as Twitter.

LinkedIn strategies:

• Optimize personal and company profiles
• Engage in relevant LinkedIn Groups
• Utilize LinkedIn Answers to demonstrate expertise
• Consider LinkedIn advertising for targeted reach

Twitter tactics:

• Follow the 10-4-1 rule of social sharing
• Engage prospects through Twitter chats
• Utilize hashtags strategically
• Consider Twitter advertising options

Facebook approaches:

• Create a compelling welcome page
• Utilize Facebook's EdgeRank algorithm
• Develop engaging visual content
• Experiment with Facebook advertising and sponsored stories

7. Email Remains a Vital Component of B2B Social Media Strategy

E-mail is still the most pervasive communication tool and has even replaced the telephone for some people.

Email optimization strategies:

• Personalize sender names
• Craft compelling subject lines
• Create dedicated send emails
• Optimize for mobile devices
• Segment email lists for targeted messaging

Integration with social media:

• Include social profile links in emails
• Add email share buttons to blog posts and ebooks
• Use social media to test email ideas
• Leverage social data to enhance email personalization

8. Mobile Optimization is Critical for B2B Social Media Success

Stop preparing for the mobile Web; it's here.

Mobile optimization approaches:

• Create a mobile-specific style sheet
• Develop a separate mobile site if necessary
• Optimize content for mobile consumption
• Rethink landing pages for mobile devices

Mobile considerations:

• Understand the context of mobile content consumption
• Focus on providing value in a mobile-friendly format
• Consider the potential of mobile apps, but be strategic
• Recognize the importance of location-based services for sales

9. Trade Shows Can Be Enhanced with Social Media Tactics

Social media doesn't make trade shows obsolete. Instead it makes them more important.

Social media trade show strategies:

• Treat trade shows like comarketing opportunities
• Eliminate physical brochures in favor of digital content
• Make booth content inbound marketing-focused
• Follow prospects on social media instead of collecting business cards
• Use location-based services to drive booth traffic

Virtual conference opportunities:

• Consider hosting virtual conferences to complement physical events
• Leverage online reach to attract a geographically dispersed audience
• Utilize virtual conference software to create engaging online experiences

10. Running a B2B Social Media Team Like a Start-Up Drives Success

A passionate team approaches the world as a cohesive unit.

Start-up principles for B2B social media teams:

• Foster passion and commitment among team members
• Embrace the concept of "shipping" to overcome resistance and push ideas forward
• Implement agile marketing principles:
  • Work in monthly sprints
  • Hold short, focused meetings
  • Continuously review and optimize efforts

Team structure considerations:

• Create a social media command center for collaboration
• Develop clear roles and responsibilities
• Plan for team growth and potential "exit strategies" for team members

Last updated: July 21, 2024