I know how frustrating it can be to read articles that leave you with more questions than answers. That's why this article is all about providing clear, practical solutions.
If you're running a B2B brand, the good news is that there are lots of untapped chances out there for your business to shine online.
A study from the Content Marketing Institute has shed light on the impressive milestones B2B companies have hit over the course of a year with their content marketing strategies:
A staggering 86% have boosted their brand awareness.
79% have successfully educated their social media audience.
And 75% have solidified their trust and credibility.
What's clear is that content marketing isn't just a buzzword; it's a powerhouse driving B2B success.
1. Turn FAQs into Engaging Social Media Campaigns
👉 Trend Alert: Transform your FAQs into eye-catching social content! Repurpose them into infographics, videos, and GIFs to keep your audience hooked. For example, if you’re a travel agency, an infographic could illustrate “The Best Times to Book Flights” based on your FAQ about booking tips.
More importantly, implement user-generated content strategies. From customer testimonials to think pieces, it's an overlooked yet highly effective strategy. It blends authenticity with relatability, driving genuine conversations around your brand.
Incorporating user-generated content is an underutilized secret in B2B social media marketing. Not only does it organically maximize your reach and influence, but it also validates trust in your brand while encouraging further engagement, making it a win-win approach.
2. Encourage Your Staff to Share Company Posts:
Encourage your employees to actively engage with your company's social media posts. By liking, commenting, or even reposting content on their personal profiles, they can significantly amplify your brand's reach.
This kind of support not only increases visibility but also adds a layer of credibility, as personal endorsements often resonate more with an audience. Remind your team that their shares are valuable and appreciated, and to repost company news and content whenever they feel comfortable and know that the post aligns with their own network.
3. Leverage Email Marketing to Distribute Your Content
To broaden the impact of your content, consider integrating email marketing into your strategy. While creating valuable and informative content is crucial, the method of dissemination is equally important. By utilizing email marketing services like Apollo, which offers a free plan with access to over 260 million targeted recipients, you can ensure your content reaches a wider, yet specific audience. This approach not only increases the visibility of your content but also allows you to nurture leads by keeping them engaged with regular updates and insights directly in their inbox.
4. Incorporating Engaging Eye-Catching Images
To grab the attention of people quickly scrolling through their feeds, using bold and concise text can be very effective. Short, impactful quotes, thought-provoking questions, and teasers for linked content are excellent for text on images.
5. Use B2B influencers
What? Do we even have B2B influencers? Does it work?
Influencer marketing is a modern take on the age-old concept of recommendation. Imagine a popular online personality, with a dedicated fanbase in a certain area, teaming up with a company to showcase their products or services. This could be as simple as sharing a photo with the product or writing several blog posts about their user experience.
The aim is to introduce the company’s offerings to the influencer’s followers in a relatable and credible manner. This kind of promotion can sway the buying choices of countless people, helping a brand gain legitimacy and demonstrating that their offerings are reputable and deliver as promised, just like the traditional personal recommendations people used to rely on.
When scouting for the right B2B influencer, businesses prioritize certain traits. According to a survey by TopRank Marketing, the most important qualities include:
Having an audience that’s relevant to the brand (98%)
Being seen as trustworthy by their audience (87%)
Expert knowledge on the subject (78%)
Sharing values with the brand (69%)
Regular activity on at least one social platform (65%)
Skills in content creation (54%)
Number of followers (49%)
Official qualifications (42%)
Willingness to advocate for the brand (33%)
These characteristics can help determine an influencer's potential impact on a B2B marketing campaign.
Is Influencer Marketing Effective for B2B Companies? Is it considered a B2B social media content strategy?
Just like content marketing has grown and improved over time, so has influencer marketing for B2B businesses.
Brands are shifting from just testing out influencers to making them a key part of their ongoing marketing plans.
A survey of professionals in B2B marketing and communication shows positive outcomes from using influencers:
86% say it’s either moderately or very successful
72% say it helped improve brand reputation
70% say it improved brand awareness
56% say it helped generate new leads
33% say it was a direct revenue generator
6. GIFs & Animations:
So, you're looking to create B2B content that's more than just run-of-the-mill? Tap into the dynamic world of videos and GIFs. How? Look to what's trending in the social media sphere for inspiration and tap into them.
Animated content can amplify your message and skyrocket your engagement levels. Consider incorporating videos and GIFs that showcase your product in action or explain complex processes in a digestible manner.
But just posting a video or GIF isn't enough. It's all about presenting it right. Make sure your videos and GIFs are formatted correctly for different social media platforms and always include captions for accessibility.
B2B animated content not only grabs attention but sparks conversations as well. Use videos and GIFs as conversation starters to create a community around your brand. The ongoing discussion will keep your content floating in your followers' feeds even long after you post.
7. Use polls:
Use polls across your platforms to engage and understand your audience. For B2B companies, polls are more than just a way to engage casually with an audience; they're a strategic tool that can enhance customer understanding, content relevancy, and industry presence. By integrating polls into their broader content strategy, B2B marketers can open up a two-way conversation with their audience that benefits both parties.
8. Create Video Stories (Behind The Scene)
With 800M people engaging with stories daily, your B2B brand needs to get on board. Share exclusive peeks behind the scenes to create that special connection with your customers.
Here are the reports of the benefits:
Highlight your amazing team on social media. Share your leaders' stories, showcase star employees, and give a glimpse of your awesome work culture.
Example:
Imagine this: Your company specializes in cloud-based solutions for businesses. Now, instead of just telling your clients about your services, you bring them along on a virtual tour. You craft a series of short, compelling video stories that take your audience behind the scenes of your data center.
In one video, the camera glides through the rows of blinking servers as a narrative voice explains how you protect data with the latest security measures. In another, your team is shown in action during a brainstorming session, showcasing your company's commitment to innovation and collaboration.
Reflecting on the statistics, it's no surprise. With an 80% increase in conversion tied to video content and over 40% of marketers reporting high engagement rates for short-form videos, the return on investment is evident. Your video stories aren't just filling your content calendar; they're boosting your bottom line.
But What If You Don't Have The Time Or Resources?
While these strategies are indeed effective, they require a significant investment of time and resources. If you're searching for an approach that not only utilizes these strategies but also offers a return on investment for your content and saves time and money, podcasting might be the perfect solution.
With just an hour a week, you can create up to 20 pieces of content from each podcast episode. You can transform your podcast episodes into YouTube videos, articles, blog posts, social media snippets, quotes, and more.
Podcasting can open avenues for revenue through networking and building a community.
You can learn how to leverage this powerful medium by consulting resources like "How to Start a B2B Podcast." Alternatively, you could engage professional agencies like Venture Podcasting with a track record of achieving over 60% conversion and growth.
Conclusion
while these seven B2B social media content strategies may have flown under your radar, their potential impact cannot be overstated. By integrating these tactics into your marketing repertoire, you're not just following trends—you're setting them. Remember, the digital marketing world is always evolving, and what may be overlooked today could very well be tomorrow's industry standard.
What we covered:
1. What strategy should be used to create effective B2B social media content?
2. Best practices for B2B social media content creation
3. How to Boost Visibility (faq posts, graphics, and branded images)
4. B2B social media content ideas and B2B social media marketing examples
5. B2B content effectiveness and stats
6. B2B brand awareness tactics