Everyone is on social media. Well, 4.7 billion people are. And there’s a good chance that many of them are in your same B2B industry.
If you know you should be running a B2B social media strategy but are still holding back, let’s break down some of the top excuses we hear about why companies aren’t active on social media.
Excuse 1: We’ll run out of content
Fact: You’ll never run out of content.
One of the top perceived challenges of running a social media strategy is that you’ll run out of content to post. Brainstorming ideas and planning out content is a time-consuming, creative process, but it’s not impossible. It’s easy for people in the B2B industry to feel like they are limited in post topics, but the reality is that your content is limitless.
While the topics of your content may only focus on your area of expertise, there are many ways to share your message. Trying out different ways to share content is the best way to figure out what types of messaging resonates with your audience so that you can create similar content in the future. It’s also smart to repost content and A/B test different messaging. Recycling and resharing content are always options as well.
If you’re stuck on what to post on your social media channels, here are some ways to brainstorm content:
👉 Review your top-performing posts (here’s one of ours) to recreate similar content.
👉 Keep an inspiration folder or notebook to jot down ideas as they come to you.
👉 Ask your audience. The best way to create valuable content is to ask your audience their pain points and then offer helpful solutions.
👉 Research your competitors. Don’t be a copycat but see what your competitors are doing and what is engaging their audience. Similar content is likely to resonate with yours as well.
👉 Don’t be afraid to promote your business or services. While you don’t want to come across as too pushy, you can share how your company can help customers solve problems.
Excuse 2: It’s all vanity metrics which doesn’t translate to sales
Nothing says “vanity” like social media, right? It’s easy to get caught up in the dazzle of likes and shares, but the value of social media is much more profound.
Younger B2B buyers are vetting potential ingredient partners on social media. Because the B2B sales cycle is long, potential customers will be looking beyond your website to gather information and see if your company is on the pulse of the industry and the right fit for their brand.
While you want to grow your followers, extend your reach and spread awareness, you should focus instead on how easily and directly you can interact with customers that engage with your content. By monitoring your engagement analytics, such as comments and shares, you can determine which content your audience finds valuable and create similar content for future posting.
Excuse 3: There are just too many platforms
There are a variety of social media platforms you could be active on. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok are all popular platforms. However, you don’t need to be on every single channel. But you know your unique audience best; if there are social platforms where your target customers are actively engaged, it’s likely worth your effort to have a presence there.
Also, take into consideration the type of content you are creating. Platforms like Instagram work well for visual content and short videos. Twitter is great for sharing innovative content, and LinkedIn is the place to go for thought leadership and blog sharing.
LinkedIn is where you want to have the most significant presence for B2B food ingredient marketers. And the value? Studies have shown that more than 80% of B2B leads are generated through LinkedIn.
Setting up a company page on LinkedIn and posting valuable content is one of the easiest and quickest ways to drive awareness of your brand. Posting consistently and sharing engaging content with your audience keeps your brand in front of potential customers and key B2B decision makers.
If you aren’t finding value in your social media strategy, you’re likely not using the right platform for your business.
Excuse 4: It’ll eventually get neglected
Don’t let social media be the sad office plant that is clinging on by a thread in the cold dark corner.
It’s easy to let social media fall by the wayside if there aren’t goals or structure. To keep your social media strategy from being neglected, establish a process for content creation and a posting schedule. Take advantage of automation platforms that allow you to schedule content in advance. A content calendar helps you organize ideas, so you aren’t stressing about what to post at the last minute. While having a set schedule to follow and a calendar of posts is beneficial, you can also leave room for more organic or spontaneous posts as they pop up.
But perhaps the best way to keep it from being neglected is to have a dedicated person in charge of organizing content, scheduling posts, and monitoring activity.
Excuse 5: We don’t have anyone with the skills to manage it
Don’t have anyone grabbing the reins of your social media strategy?
You can’t put the cart before the horse. You need a dedicated horse who is going to power your social media strategy.
Having someone within your organization with the interest in and knowledge for running a successful B2B social media strategy is essential. This person will understand your buyers’ personas and be able to convey the brand style in a relaxed and conversational way.
If you’re struggling to find someone within your organization with the skills to manage your social media marketing effectively, we can help. From content creation to establishing a calendar and posting schedule, we help your brand have a valuable social media marketing strategy.