Do you remember wanting the new shiny toy that your friend has? Or jumping on the fashion bandwagon just so you wouldn’t feel left out? We get it (and wore platform shoes at some point in our lives too). We all like to be part of the new thing that everyone is talking about.
This need for belonging extends to social networking as well. Unfortunately, not all social media channels are created equal and you don’t have to be on it just because it exists. It’s important to know which social network will serve your brand, business objectives and customers well in the long run. So, how do you pick the right social media platforms for b2b marketing?
1. Understand your brand, business and resources
First of all, it’s vital to know the type of business your company is so you can be on the right social media channel to attract the right type of audience with the right tone of voice.
- Are you a b2b or b2c company?
- What is the size of your business and brand?
- What is the size of your social media team?
- How much time do you want to invest in posting and engaging on social media?
A b2b company may want to establish their company credibility and reach a corporate audience on Linkedin, where peer networking industry-specific topics are shared and discussed. Smaller businesses with limited resources may start off with one or two social channels that they expect to get the highest traction from before expanding to others.
2. Outline your social media goals and objectives
Identifying goals is important so you can measure your success. Why do you need to engage on this channel? What are you trying to get out of it? Perhaps you want to drive brand awareness or increase brand loyalty and advocacy. Knowing what behaviour you want to drive also helps with identifying your messaging for this channel.
3. Know your buyer personas’ online behaviour
Before you open up a social media account because you have found the answers to point 1 and 2 above, you should have a good understanding of your audience personas and their online behaviour. You should be where your existing and potential customers are.
Are they on this social media channel? Which channels are influential for your audience? Does this network fit your demographic?
4. Learn what content types resonate with your audience
After you know who your personas are, you will know the type of content your audience consumes. This preference should lend itself to the products and services you offer.
Do they respond to text, photos or videos? If they engage well with videos, you may want to be on Youtube. Look for the platform functionality that works with your product offering, your audience as well as your content.
5. Find your competitors
If you’re not the first amongst your competitors to create an account on social media, check out what they are up to and observe how their social media efforts are performing. Do keep in mind that their success or failure does not necessarily reflect how yours will turn out. If you are competing against a more established or bigger company, pick and invest in channels where you can yield the most impact and engagement - you may fill a gap that your competitors didn’t know existed.
The success of your efforts comes with a well-thought-out social media strategy, measuring your performance and adapting your strategy to new results and findings.
A final word
Social media marketing is a long-term game. It’s always better to excel on one social channel and grow from there, rather than spreading yourself too thin (which often results in ignored and forgotten accounts and can lead to a negative digital brand footprint). Lastly, remember to test and measure your efforts and adjust your strategy where needed!
Brand chemistry is a b2b marketing agency winning your customers' hearts and minds through inbound, brand, content, lead generation and digital strategy. Our marketing specialists achieve stellar results with the latest lead generation techniques.