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Should Business-to-Business Marketers Use Social Media?

November 11th, 2014

The easy answer is “yes.”

The social media scene is the place to be for interesting and engaging consumer marketing. Do social media’s benefits translate to B2B communications? Of course. Behind every “B” is a person, and last we checked people still like interesting and engaging things.

Effective B2B social media communications must have a documented strategy and outcome. You can’t post willy-nilly and call it social marketing. A clear strategy will have you creating content that is on-brand and relevant to the target audience.

The crux of any memorable social media effort is interesting content delivered to an engaged audience. Luckily, the most common social platforms have robust targeting tools to help you find that audience. After all, if you aren’t talking to the right people, who are you talking to?

Content, then, is the other key ingredient. Believe it of not, social isn’t the place for sell sheets and spec readouts. That’s not to say you can’t, or shouldn’t, promote the benefits of your products, but you should do it in an interesting way. Add a little spark and creativity. Ask yourself if what you’re putting out into the world is worth sharing; if it isn’t, don’t bother with it on social media.

B2B marketers should look at social media as a chance to let their customers peek behind the curtain. Create a blend of personal and professional content. Give people a reason to care as much about you as your products. The most effective B2B tactic is face-to-face communication, and social media should reinforce and add value to those interactions.

With social media in the marketing mix, maybe it’s time to stop thinking Business-to-Business and start thinking Human-to-Human.

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