How B2B Businesses Can Win at Social Media

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In today's digital era, the significance of social media for B2B businesses cannot be overstated. It has transcended from being a marketing options to becoming a fundamental necessity for brands across various sectors, from manufacturing businesses to technology solutions.

Social media serves as more than just a representation of your brand; it acts as a dynamic portal showcasing your values, vision, and character. Through your strategic use of social media, you have the power to attain success by bolstering brand awareness, expanding your reach, fostering meaningful engagement, nurturing valuable relationships, and cultivating unwavering loyalty.

In this blog, we're going to look at how to get valuable results on social media. Because, while social media strategies can be a goldmine for growing your leads, they require research, planning, and a fair share of trial and error.

Once you get a handle on the B2B social media landscape, you can focus on automation, allowing more time and resources for other business activities. This article serves as a comprehensive guide, providing your business with the knowledge and tools necessary to thrive in the dynamic world of social media.

The Goals of Social Media Platforms

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Getting to know the goals of social media platforms and how each algorithm works is an important piece to your success. Let's break down some of these key factors:

1. Top Goals of Social Media Platforms

• Accruing More Users - Social media platforms are constantly striving to increase their user base. More users means more potential consumers and advertisers, which is vital for their growth and sustainability.
• Spending More Time on Their App - Platforms want users to stay engaged within their ecosystem for as long as possible. This increased user engagement provides opportunities for more ads to be shown, which generates revenue.
• Coming Back More Often - Frequent user return visits are essential for building a habit around the platform. It ensures users are consistently exposed to content and advertisements.

2. Different Platforms, Different Algorithms:

• It’s important to note that each social media platform has its unique algorithm designed to achieve its goals. Understanding these algorithms is crucial for success and will impact your content strategy.

    Algorithm Breakdown for Popular Platforms:

• Twitter (X) - Twitter's algorithm focuses on showing users the most relevant tweets based on their interests, recent activity, and engagement. Retweets, likes, and replies are all engagement activities that contribute to a tweet's visibility.
• LinkedIn - LinkedIn prioritizes content based on the user's network, industry relevance, and engagement. Professional engagement, connections, and content quality are essential here.
• TikTok - TikTok's algorithm thrives on user engagement, such as likes, shares, and comments. It promotes content to users based on their past interactions and interests.
• YouTube - YouTube's algorithm considers user behavior, including everything from watch history and engagement, to recommend videos. High-quality video content and consistency are key.
• Instagram - Instagram's algorithm values user engagement, the timeliness of posts, and content relevance. It favors content from users with whom you frequently interact.

3. Posting Frequency and Consistency:

• Generally, platforms reward accounts that post more frequently without crossing into the annoying spam territory. Consistent posting helps maintain user interest and engagement.
• To increase the chances of content going viral and getting the best social media ROI, many experts recommend posting regularly, ideally seven days a week. Just like buying a lottery ticket regularly will increase the odds of you winning! 

4. Quality of Content Matters:

• Sure, posting regularly is important, but here's the golden rule: content quality reigns supreme. Algorithms have a keen eye for relevance, user engagement, and feedback. 

Setting realistic KPIs

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Once you’re feeling confident in understanding what each platform is looking for with your content, next up you’ll want to set some goals.

Think of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as the compass guiding your journey to success. They're your trusty metrics, showing you how you're doing in this vast digital playground. They're the key to understanding if your strategy is working well or if it's time for a little adjustment.

What KPIs Best Apply to Social Media

The social media landscape offers a diverse array of KPIs to choose from, and selecting the right ones can make all the difference. We recommend starting with the basics:

• Engagement Metrics - Keep an eye on likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates. They gauge how well your content resonates with your audience.
• Follower Growth - Track the growth rate of your followers over time to assess your reach and brand visibility.
• Reach and Impressions - Understand how many people see your content and how often it's viewed. It's a good indicator of your content's virality.
• Conversion Rate - Measure how effectively your social media efforts lead to desired actions, such as sign-ups, purchases, or downloads.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR) - Evaluate how compelling your call-to-action is by examining how many people click on your links.
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - For paid campaigns, this KPI helps determine the cost of acquiring each new customer.

Start Small, but With Attainable Goals in Mind

Begin your journey by setting achievable goals. The adage “Rome wasn't built in a day” applies here! For instance, maybe you could start by increasing your engagement rate by 10% over the next quarter or gaining 100 new followers per month. Setting smaller, more attainable goals allows you to celebrate victories along the way, while keeping you motivated.

Scale Your Goals as You Follow Your Strategy Through

As you navigate the social media landscape and collect pearls of wisdom, it's time to aim higher. Once you've conquered those initial milestones, it's time to reach for the stars. If you bumped up your engagement by 10%, why not shoot for 20%? If you scored 100 new followers, why not aim for 200? This steady climb keeps you riding the wave of growth and ensures that the only way from here is up! 

Coming Up With Content Ideas 

So far we’ve discussed the importance of understanding what makes social media platforms tick and how KPIs can help inform your strategy to success. But what about the beating heart of it all – the content itself? In the following sections, we're diving into the critical steps that will set you up for success in your content creation journey.

1. Think of Content Suited to Each Platform - First, consider each social media platform as a unique stage for your performance. What works on Instagram might not fly on Twitter, and vice versa. Instagram thrives on eye-catching visuals, TikTok craves relatable video content creation, while Twitter loves concise wit. Tailor your content to fit the platform's personality and audience.
2. Benefits of Posting Certain Content to Certain Channels - Each platform has its superpowers - and understanding these will help you decide which platform will work best for your business goals. Facebook is fantastic for longer-form content and community building, LinkedIn shines for professional networking and industry insights, and Instagram's visual appeal is perfect for showcasing your brand's aesthetics. Understanding these strengths allows you to leverage each platform to its fullest.
3. Industry and Competitive Research - Dive deep into your industry and keep an eagle eye on the competition. What content's sparking fireworks with your target audience? Check out what's trending, what's creating buzz, and what's falling flat. Use this intel to mold your own content strategy - but make it better.
4. Mix and Match Content Types - Mix it up with different content types: beautiful visuals, engaging videos, informative infographics, and even heartwarming stories. Don't forget a dash of polls, quizzes, and interactive content to keep things engaging.
5. The Magic of Performance Analysis - Once you've unleashed your content, don't just sit back and wait for fireworks. Dive into the analytics!  See what's resonating with your audience. Did that hilarious TikTok you forced your colleagues to participate in get a bunch of likes? Fantastic! Create more of that. Did your educational Instagram story showcasing the process behind your business have followers intrigued? If so, consider making more. And if not, you might want to consider going back to the drawing board.

Mastering the Art of Social Media Management

So, you've got your social media strategy all planned out, and the content ideas are flowing like a river. But how do you keep the momentum going without pulling your hair out? We've got your back with some game-changing tips to make your social media strategy as manageable as a walk in the park.

Craft a Content Calendar: Stay Ahead of the Game

Just like many of us would be in the bad books with family members without our trusty birthday calendar, a content calendar will help you stay organized, make sure you never miss an important date, and allow your content to flow seamlessly. Plan your posts, align them with key dates and events, and watch the stress melt away.

Invest in Quality Equipment: Elevate Your Content 

Ever seen a movie with poor production quality? It sets your expectations for the story pretty low, huh?  It's like that for social media content too. Invest in some nice photo and video equipment to ensure your visuals shine. Better visuals mean more engagement, and more engagement means happier followers. This doesn’t mean to say you have to splash out on a totally expensive video camera. Today’s phone cameras often do an epic job! But investing in things like lighting and backdrops will make your content even better.

Harness the Magic of Scheduler Tools

Scheduler tools are your friend! Pre-plan and automate your posts, so they appear like clockwork without you having to lift a finger.

Monthly Analytics Review: Your Strategy's Compass 

Numbers don't lie! Make it a monthly ritual to dive into your analytics. See how close you are to hitting your goals, spot trends, and understand what's working (and what isn't). This valuable data is your map to navigate the ever-evolving world of social media.

What Does a Successful B2B Campaign Look Like?

Striving to create a marketing campaign that leaves your target audience utterly dazzled, but finding yourself in a creative slump? Don't worry - we’ve all hit those brain-blocker days from time to time. Sometimes, a spark of inspiration can be your ticket to igniting the creative engine in your mind. Below we explore three examples of winning B2B campaigns.

Slack: Mockumentary Client Case Study Video

A great example of B2B marketing brilliance is the Slack mockumentary featuring Sandwich, Inc. a video production agency that also happens to be a Slack customer. The video brilliantly chronicles Sandwich's journey from non-Slack users to enthusiastic Slack adopters. 

While the campaign is almost 10 years old, it shone a spotlight on how to turn customer stories into fun content for social media. The genius of the piece lies in its clever and often tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Sandwich, Inc.'s journey to unite its scattered communication channels under Slack's welcoming umbrella. With humor and a touch of sardonic charm, the video keeps its audience thoroughly entertained.

What's the big lesson here?  Consider crafting engaging video case studies like this one, offering a genuine client perspective, adding credibility, and showcasing how challenges were strategically overcome. No one said case studies have to be boring!

Squarespace: Curiosity Strikes with Celebrity Influencing

Squarespace, the go-to platform for website creation and hosting, has truly cracked the code when it comes to understanding its core audience: visionary entrepreneurs and ambitious startup founders determined to transform their side gigs into thriving enterprises.

The brand has often elevated its game through strategic partnerships with influencers, celebrities, and entrepreneurial luminaries. These collaborations showcased the boundless capabilities and flexibility of their product and services, creating waves of excitement and curiosity.

One unforgettable highlight was the #5to9 Superbowl campaign, where the legendary Dolly Parton put her delightful twist on her classic hit song, all in the spirit of entrepreneurship. 

What set this campaign apart was its ability to strike the perfect balance between promotion and subtlety. It never felt pushy; instead, it resonated with the audience on a personal level, making it a shining example of how to make a marketing campaign genuinely successful.

Zoom: Getting Your Audience Involved

Zoom, recognizing the value of connecting with its users, rolled out an exciting challenge centered around its playful feature: the immersive background.

Picture this: Users were dared to unleash their creativity by snapping photos of themselves immersed in Zoom's captivating backgrounds. But the fun didn't stop there! They were encouraged to share these snapshots on Zoom's LinkedIn and Twitter profiles, with the promise of fantastic prizes awaiting the most imaginative entries.

Key takeaway: When it comes to campaigns, ones that get people involved and talking are always a win. Whether it's a contest, a survey, or a fun poll, these easy-breezy marketing tricks don't just save you bucks – they're like a secret handshake to understanding your audience a whole lot better!

Achieving Brand Goals on Social Media

Social media isn't just a tool; it's a lifeline for modern brands. While it might appear daunting, remember, there's a path to victory. Start with the groundwork, master those algorithms, and set achievable goals that elevate your content game. 

Success in the world of social media hinges on consistency. Maintaining a daily presence and putting in consistent effort is paramount. If you require guidance or are unsure where to begin, do not hesitate to reach out to our Steel Croissant team for expert assistance. Our services encompass social media management and growth strategies, tailored to your needs.