With a social media strategy, you determine right from the start where exactly you will pursue which goals with which means. With the help of relevant data, you can measure success, optimize based on data and be successful in the social networks.
Social media channels have become an indispensable part of the marketing of a modern B2B company. Even small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do not have to shy away from it, but can achieve great things with simple means. Because customers consume the content of social networks every day. With a little skill and the right social media strategy, yours too.
With a social media presence, you are where your customers are. In the social media strategy, you determine what you want to achieve with communication via social media, how you want to present your B2B company and what your social media marketing should look like.
If you as a B2B company are not present in the social networks, you simply do not exist for many people. This is because social media channels take up a large part of internet usage - with a usage time of one to two hours daily.
If you can't be found on social media, you're depriving yourself of the chance to make contacts and attract potential customers.
Do you also want to take off with social media and fill your sales pipeline with additional contacts? Then you need a social media strategy.
Because the media landscape is too complex and the goals too different for a haphazard, irregular posting of random content to be successful. A sophisticated strategy makes it easier to get started, determines the roadmap and makes success measurable.
The first and most important question of a social media strategy is what you want to achieve.
You don't have to decide on a single goal. For example, you can have multiple goals with different content. The important thing is that you are clear about what is possible.
Goals can be:
Customer loyalty: Users should develop trust in your brand, for example through insights into production processes, commitment to sustainability and, of course, high quality of the products.
Brand awareness: Maybe not many people know the name of your brand and what is behind it. Social media can change that because it's where you reach people who are interested in similar topics.
Lead Generation & Lead Nurturing: Increase your sales. Social media marketing is a big sales lever for many businesses. It certainly is for yours, too.
This question is best answered by you as the decision maker from sales. However, actively exchange information with the marketing and service staff to get a complete picture of your target group.
You should know the target group and all related information and record them in a buyer persona.
A description in the form of a persona helps you to recognize the behavioral pattern of the target group and to know exactly when you have to publish what social media post in order to reach the target group.
Furthermore, with the help of a target group definition, you can determine which topics the (potential) customers are interested in and where you can start as a company.
Social media = Facebook? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Or rather: fortunately! Because the diversity of social networks brings with it the opportunity to select exactly the platform on which your potential for success is greatest.
Engage in depth with the various social networks and find out where your customers hang out.
Some help for your social media strategy:
Facebook: Hardly any company can avoid this network, as most users are still present on Facebook. Here you can find people of all ages and a huge community.
Twitter: If you often have something to say that fits in just a few characters, Twitter is the place to be. The community is fast and engaged, but also a bit more professional than on other networks. B2B companies should therefore take a look at it.
Pinterest: a meeting place for creatives and those looking for inspiration. If you have a lot of image-heavy content to showcase, Pinterest is essential for you.
Instagram: A social network that works through images and video. However, that doesn't mean you have to showcase glossy images. On the contrary, the channel is also great for behind-the-scenes looks.
Linkedin: Professional networks like Linkedin allow you to reach out to new employees but also business partners. For B2B companies, this social media platform is especially recommended.
Source: Preview of a LinkedIn post with the Pedalix Software
Social media channels are used to share content with users that meets their needs and interests. Look at how your B2B target group finds your products and services and start your social media strategy early in the customer journey.
Again, it's worth analyzing your customer conversation or sharing with customer service:
What moves your customers?
What do customers inform themselves about?
Where are there potential hurdles to overcome?
For example, you can:
Share blog articles that address specific challenges and solutions
Present benefits and possible applications of products
Provide a behind-the-scenes look
Encourage discussion
Launch surveys
It's important to always stay close to the needs of your target audience and your products or services. Present your company from its best side.
Source: Customer Journey according to Pedalix
With a first post, you've already taken the crucial first step towards implementing your social media strategy. But if it remains with only one post, it is quickly over with the social media marketing.
Because: regularity is one of the secret ingredients of any social media strategy.
Over several weeks or months, identify which topics you want to play and when. Think about seasonality and when the demand for which content is particularly high. This is very much based on the products or services you offer.
Gradually develop an annual plan that you talk through, revise and tweak with your marketing each year.
How often is regular? There's no blanket answer to this. While some B2B companies post daily, for others, once a week is enough.
The important thing here is: only post if you have something to tell. Posts that offer no added value to the user are ignored or are even counterproductive over time, as they disturb the reader.
Source: Content Distribution Calendar from Pedalix Software
Congratulations. You've got a social media strategy in place and are now starting to reach countless potential customers where you are. If you've gotten this far, you've done a good bit of work.
But the journey is far from over. Because it's your job to keep putting the strategy to the test. Key metrics that can be easily accessed on any social network will help you do this.
Important metrics for your social media strategy are:
Number of followers: by growing the number of users who follow you, you build your own community.
Reach: How many people are seeing your content? Optimizing this and also advertising on appropriate networks should be one of your main concerns. After all, content that no one sees can't have an impact.
Clicks: How many users click on your post and get to the website linked behind it?
Engagement: a sum of how many people comment, like or share a post. This is how you measure how relevant a post is to your audience or how irrelevant.
Analyze these hard facts and also look very closely at the softer factors like comments or reactions.
Stay alert to what's working and what's not, and keep adjusting your social media strategy. This way you will learn what works perfectly for your B2B company.
Getting a foothold in the social networks is not difficult at first. After all, setting up an account is quick. However, if you want to make a real impact with your social media presence and not "just be there", then a social media strategy is essential.
This doesn't have to be complicated at the start - the finer details will emerge as you gain experience and data. What is important for the first steps, however, is a clarity about what exactly you want to achieve with your social media presence and what makes your B2B company stand out.
Because one thing is certain: Only if you yourself are clear about what you have to offer your customers, you can also communicate this to others.