5 Simple Tips to Make Your B2B Content More Effective on Social Media
by MGB2B
With 88% of B2B organizations using content marketing, and social media content accounting for 92% of their efforts, it is clear that business leaders have accepted that content is king. But simply creating content is not enough – it has to be high quality, properly planned, and well-distributed to be effective. Here are 5 tips to help you create and distribute effective B2B content on social media.
Tip #1: Set Realistic and Stretch Goals
When you are in the strategic planning phase, the goals you set determine how effective your program will be. For B2B manufacturers, setting goals requires envisioning good end results – in a nutshell, leads. The B2B sales cycle is notoriously long and goes through many different stages, from identifying opportunities to sharing resources that your different verticals will find valuable, and, eventually making a sale. Months can pass between these stages, so you need to set realistic goals on how many leads you can generate and convert based on your organization’s typical leads influx and any changes you’ll be making to your content distribution program. Raising your numbers slightly to establish stretch goals will help motivate all members of your team – whether they are connected to your content creation efforts or not – to keep a lookout for growth opportunities.
Tip #2: Make a Content Calendar
Once everyone on your team is on the same page, create a content calendar to establish monthly, weekly, or even daily topics. Try developing a calendar of topics based on seasonal sales cycles, new products, and trade shows (even if you’re not able to attend them). Keep in mind that simply mimicking this content across all social media channels is a surefire way to bore (and lose) your audience, which brings us to Tip #3.
Tip # 3: Tailor Your Content for Each Platform
While the same topics may work for each channel (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), it’s important to understand that users on each platform interact differently. Where LinkedIn and Facebook support longer form content (200-500 characters), Twitter is better fit for quick updates (up to 140 characters). With this in mind, identify content and formats that will engage your audiences on each channel. You’ll also want to take into account that the use of photos and videos can go a long way, particularly on Twitter and, of course, Instagram.
Tip # 4: Spark Conversations in Related Markets
Manufacturers in niche industries or across several vertical markets often believe that the issues that interest and impact them will not do the same for their audiences. However, there are countless ways to engage your followers – and earn new ones – by expanding your conversations on social media into related markets. For example, a manufacturer of steel gears and springs can go beyond discussing metal cutting and shaping and explore new technologies in airplane manufacturing. With their expertise in metallurgy and manufacturing, this company can establish a voice in a neighboring market, potentially generating new followers, leads, and – down the road – customers. For expert opinions that you can trust, rely on the best people you know: your own company employees.
Tip #5: Turn to Your Team
A B2B organization can also nominate topic experts within their company to contribute to social media content. Not only does this introduce variety to your conversations, but it also relieves the burden from the single person who is likely the “star” generator of new topics. Creating a system for idea submissions can build interest in social media and content marketing throughout your company.
These are just a few tips to breathe some life into your content program in order to post effective B2B content on social media. There are many other things to take into consideration and ways to distribute content, but this should give you a good place to start if you’re staring at your current stable of content and wondering whether it’s right or what to do with it.
Tags: B2B marketing, content distribution, content marketing tips, effective B2B content on social media