Photo credit: Nan Palmero (Flickr: nan palmero), http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanpalmero/4278432941/
Not all businesses market to the consumer. If you are a B2B, or business-to-business company, you are marketing to a different audience than the consumer focused company. While focus on certain social networks may somewhat differ from those businesses who market to consumers, there are some techniques that are important to put into practice. Here are some tips for marketing your B2B company through social media:
- Post Often
To keep your company relevant and a consistent source of fresh content, post daily or a few times a day. Remember, the social networking world moves at a fast pace; A Facebook post has a lifespan of ninety minutes while a tweet on Twitter has only sixty minutes in a users newsfeed. Consistency and frequency are key here. You can also make posting easier by drafting your posts in advance and scheduling the times they should be posted at in the future. Facebook now has this ability, however you can also use sites like Sprout Social and HootSuite.
- Keep Content Fresh
Share what is important to the businesses you market to. Post helpful links, fun tips, ask questions, update them on what the company is doing, share photos from an event and remember to change things up every once in a while. Of course, the 80/20 rule still applies, and eighty percent of your content should be infotainment—tips, tricks, and stories, articles and helpful information which do not link to your site. The other twenty percent should link back to, and be talking about your company specifically. Need some ideas to get you started? Here are 10 types of social media posts to write.
- Respond to Fan Engagement…
…even if it is negative. Whatever you do, do not delete negative comments. Instead, use them as an opportunity to show your company’s attention to a client’s concerns and desire to fix the problem. Respond to negative comments politely and with grace, and do your best to take the conversation offline and out of the eyes of other clients. You do not want an extended conversation about a client’s specific concern to continue to loom on your page of whatever social networking platform you use. Give the person the appropriate contact information so they can reach you directly to further discuss the issue.
In the case of positive or just general fan engagement, make sure you respond within twenty-four hours, as timeliness is a must-have practice in the social networking sphere.
- Know Your Audience
The main difference between B2B social media and B2C, or business-to-customer social media, is the audience. B2B social media should cater to the businesses you are trying to sell to. This can even mean you need to evaluate the venue you are reaching your audience on. Consider evaluating which social networking platforms have the largest population of your audience and put the most focus on those that do. While consumers are easier to reach on Facebook as it is a more casual site, you may find it easier to reach businesses that you want to market to on sites like LinkedIn, which is more business-oriented.
As with B2C companies, Three Girls Media can help with your B2B social media. Let us help you manage those posts, create fresh, engaging content, and develop your presence on the social media platforms you need to be on! Contact us today to learn more and to schedule a consultation.