As we continue to consume more and more information through social media channels, it's becoming increasingly evident that the traditional barriers between B2B and B2C marketing are blurring. It's now possible to target both businesses and consumers with the same message, delivered in the same way.
In this blog post, we'll take a look at the top 5 reasons why social media is becoming an increasingly important tool for B2B sales and marketing.
1 - Social media allows you to build relationships with your target audience.
B2B marketers have long understood the importance of building relationships with their target audiences. In the past, this generally involved face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and other traditional forms of communication. However, social media has changed the game by providing new ways to reach and engage potential customers. Through social selling, B2B marketers can connect with their target audience in a more personal and engaging way. In addition, social media provides an opportunity to build long-term relationships with potential customers. By regularly sharing relevant and valuable content, B2B marketers can create a connection with their target audience that transcends the simple transaction. As a result, social media provides B2B marketers with an invaluable tool for building relationships with their target audiences.
2 - Social media provides you with immediate feedback.
B2B marketing has changed a lot in recent years, thanks in part to social media. In the past, it could be difficult to gauge how well a B2B marketing campaign was performing. You might have to wait months or even years to see results. But with social media, you can get immediate feedback on your B2B marketing campaigns. This is because social media provides a direct line of communication between you and your target audience. You can use social media to gather data about your target audience, and then use that data to improve your B2B marketing strategy in real-time.
3 - We're all on it, all the time
These days, it's hard to go more than a few minutes without checking our social media feeds. We're constantly updating our profiles, posting photos, and sharing links. And while social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it also offers a unique opportunity for businesses as it's a way for us to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, talk to others in similar professions, join groups specifically of interest to you in your career which means the likes of Facebook, Instagram & Twitter hold more than just demographic data. They know if you're into marketing, WordPress, Google Tag Manager Tips...so as businesses, we can take advantage of this data and use it to market to people in their social feeds.
4 - We're all just humans
In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about the importance of humanizing marketing efforts. The prevailing wisdom is that customers are more likely to engage with brands that feel personal and relatable, as opposed to those that come across as cold and impersonal. This shift has led many businesses to rethink their approach to marketing, and the results have been very positive. In particular, businesses that have adopted a more human-centric approach to marketing have seen significant increases in customer engagement and loyalty. There are a number of reasons for this, but chief among them is the fact that humans are naturally social creatures. When we feel like we have a personal connection to a brand, we are more likely to trust it and stick with it over time. So, if you're looking to increase customer engagement, make sure that your marketing efforts are focused on humanizing your brand.
5 - It's (mostly) free
While paid ads will always have their place, organic social media is a powerful tool that should not be overlooked. By carefully crafting posts with the right content and using the right hashtags & followership strategy, B2B marketers can reach a wide audience of potential customers at little to no cost. The only downside to this organic work is that it is time-consuming and you need it to be constant, so make sure you're ready to invest in organic social properly before jumping straight in.
This is just the beginning when it comes to social media in B2B sales and marketing - it's no longer an avenue to be overlooked or underestimated by businesses just because it's thought of as 'social' and not professional. As we continue to humanize our brands and put the focus back on building relationships, there's no doubt that social media will play a major role in driving success. Are you ready to jump on board?
