“B2B (business-to-business) marketing refers to any marketing strategy of content that is geared towards a business or organisation” – HubSpot.
Social media marketing is a hot topic for most businesses, especially those selling to businesses themselves. However, rest assured, the days of the platform being restricted to a B2C audience are long gone.
Put simply, when creating a marketing strategy, the use of social media is no longer a “nice to have”.
Why? Because when used correctly, it can be your all-in-one tool for converting ice-cold leads into buyers and buyers into big brand advocates who actively promote your business.
Marketing today is all about relationship building. Think less B2B and more H2H (human to human). The only difference between B2B and B2C is that the sales cycle is likely longer, as you may not always be marketing to a decision-maker depending on the platform you choose.
So, what are your options?
Being the biggest social media platform, it’s no doubt that Facebook should be on your radar. With a variety of creative formats and in-depth targeting, it’s definitely a contender. You can also make use of Facebook messenger marketing by using programs such as Manychat, Tidio, Chatfuel or MobileMonkey.
In terms of demographics, Facebook homes 2.8 billion daily active users. It is also the most popular social media network for men and women aged 35-44.
Men aged between 25-34 make up 18.4% of Facebook’s user base, with women aged 16-24 at just 12.6%.
The downside? It’s becoming a bit of a “grandad” compared to other new platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, which are growing at an exceeding rate and slowly attracting a more mature audience.
Instagram
Coming to fame in 2010, Instagram rapidly gained popularity, with over 2 billion users recorded in 2022. Although initially set apart by focusing purely on images, Instagram evolved, branching out to video as an additional feature.
You can also make use of Instagram shopping ads, great for E-commerce.
Due to the “creative first” ethos of the platform, Instagram presents an excellent opportunity for brands to showcase their skills. Instagram is also the no. 1 platform in terms of engagement, showing a whopping 81% engagement rate compared to Facebook’s 8%.
Regarding demographics, the app hosts approximately 1.4 billion daily active users whereby 29.8% are 35+ and a huge 61.6% are 18-34. As a takeaway, the majority of Instagram’s audience are millennials or Gen Z users.
Something to watch out for, however, in 2022 Instagram reported their biggest growth of males aged 55 – 64 at an increase of 64%.
TikTok
TikTok really is the “new kid on the block”. Born in 2018, TikTok is a platform focused on creating short and easily digestible video content. TikTok has over 1B users, each of whom spends an average of approximately 90 minutes daily on the platform.
With attractive targeting options such as the ability to target those interested in a specific account or hashtag, it’s no wonder that TikTok is rated as the “No. 1 most likely to dominate the social media space” in 2022.
The downside? TikTok’s current user base is incredibly young, with over half the user base aged between 10-29 years old. However, according to TikTok, the fastest growing demographic is those over 30 years of age. So, whilst we wouldn’t recommend you push your strenuous efforts on the platform just yet, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on.
Although traditionally the Holy Grail for recruiters, LinkedIn is also a powerful tool for marketers in the B2B landscape.
Being the biggest social media platform catering solely to business professionals, LinkedIn removes the guessing game when it comes to targeting decision-makers, as it gives you the power to target job titles and even salaries in some countries.
Demographic-wise, LinkedIn homes 303 million monthly active users, with 16.2% of them using the app every day.
This opens a huge door for marketing high-ticket products and services, as you can target those who have the right buying power.
When it comes to B2B, the only downside is cost, with an average cost-per-click of £4.13, which is higher compared to other platforms.
Launched in 2006, Twitter is a household name. The platform hosts 229 million daily active users and is the go-to option for many businesses. Why? Because of the audience that it holds and the way they consume information.
With a maximum character limit of 280, Twitter users are those who like short, easily digestible content. This means that any advertisement must get to the point whilst still furnishing users with the necessary details.
Demographic-wise, Twitter houses 396 million users with the biggest age group (18-29-year-olds) coming in at 37%.
So, in short, whilst social media is a small piece in the puzzle known as Digital Marketing, it’s a heavy contender and should never be brushed under the carpet.
Still not convinced? Here are some stats:
- Approximately one in three people use social media to learn about or discover new products, services, or brands. – Business 2 community
- 51.7% of consumers view company reviews on social media (and expect responses to the bad ones!) – Review trackers
- 42% of consumers use social media to research products. – Data Reportal
- 92% of B2B buyers are willing to engage with a salesperson who is an expert in their field. – OptinMonster
- 78% of salespeople actively using social media are outselling their peers who aren’t. – OptinMonster
In conclusion, should you consider using social media for your B2B marketing strategy? Absolutely, the data speaks for itself.
There is one caveat, however. For social media to work, you need to ensure that your messaging is spot on and you’re marketing on the right social media platform(s).
Sounds confusing, I know… but it doesn’t have to be.
We’ve used this worksheet time and time again to generate high-quality, sales-qualified leads for our clients.
Not only that, most of them go on to become big brand advocates and actively promote the business free of charge.
Fancy giving it a go? Download our FREE Customer Persona Worksheet. If you need any help with it, just give us a shout!
On the other hand, we’ve been doing this for years and would LOVE to support the growth of your business.
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