Don’t Get Your B2B Content Stuck in the Wrong Social Media Channel

Because of the relatively low cost of promoting content on social media and the large audiences that can be reached via online social platforms, social media marketing has become integral to any B2B content marketing strategy. However, creating company accounts on every social site and blasting your content from every platform available is a difficult strategy to manage and rarely communicates a consistent brand message. Additionally, some of the major social channels may not accommodate the type of content that you've created. As such, many B2B marketers struggle to determine which social media channel will have the most impact as a content marketing tool for their particular business.

So how do you know which social media sites to use? With statistics showing that B2B companies are increasingly bringing more content into the marketing mix, it's time to identify the platforms on which your content will be best received. First, you should assess what type of media content best represents your company's brand and products. Next, analyze potential social platforms based on your business's client base. Finally, determine the appropriate channel for your content and target market. Here's a rundown of what kind of content works best on which social media sites:

1. LINKEDIN IS FOR TECHNICAL CONTENT

LinkedIn has recently become a social media favorite for many B2B companies. With a LinkedIn company page, you can post technical articles and product videos, as well as promote both your page and the pages of your employees.

LinkedIn is about industry networks and is thus the best platform for your technical content. It also provides an outlet through which you can share professional content, post job opportunities, and hold discussions with others in your industry.

2. YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM, AND VINE ARE BEST FOR VISUAL CONTENT

Companies who are successful in capturing their audiences' attention actively post responsive video content on social media channels. If you think your B2B company could benefit by using more visual marketing content, you'll have to consider social media sites where imagery is more popular. While YouTube is a given for things like videos, Instagram and Vine are growing in popularity within the B2B industry to capture younger demographics and employ more creative visual touches.

These channels represent an ideal online host for creative product demonstration videos. In these videos, consider using cinemagraphs, a newer form of visual effect that displays specific moving objects within a static image.

3. SNAPCHAT CAN BE USED FOR IMMEDIATE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Although Snapchat is mostly used in B2C marketing, it is an attractive social platform for targeting a younger buyer demographic in any industry. It's also a powerful tool to immediately capture the full attention span of your target audience, albeit for a short time. Consider using this platform to post brief and compelling visuals that resonate with targeted buyers. This uber-immediate demonstration of your company and product solutions may prompt your audience to engage further with your brand in a swift call-to-action.

Finding the right social media marketing channel is ultimately about sharing your brand's story and communicating with your potential clients, both of which can play a major role in your prospects' pre-purchase research. While they'll likely visit your website as part of their research, they'll also want to check out your social media accounts to understand your company's message. Make sure that you have the right content on the social media channels that fit with your company and industry.