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In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of B2B marketing strategies. It allows businesses to connect with their target audience, build brand visibility, and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. However, with the ever-evolving landscape of social media platforms, it’s crucial for B2B marketers to stay updated on the latest trends and choose the right platforms to maximize their reach and engagement. Let’s explore The Best Social Media Platforms and Strategies for B2B Marketing in 2023.
Instagram: A Visual Marketing Channel for B2B
Instagram is often overlooked by B2B companies, but it shouldn’t be. In fact, many B2B businesses have experienced great success on this platform. Instagram provides a strong visual marketing channel that allows brands to showcase their products or services in a visually appealing way. Short videos, especially through reels, have become increasingly popular, making up 30% of the time users spend on the app. Utilizing Instagram can help businesses tell their brand story, encourage discussions, and enhance brand visibility.
Instagram B2B strategies in 2023:
- Schedule reels and carousel posts in advance from the app to save time and maintain post consistency. Instagram allows scheduling up to 75 days in advance.
- Pin your highest-performing posts to the top of your grid. This ensures that your audience sees the best content first and provides a positive first impression.
BeReal: Authenticity and Originality
BeReal is a fast-growing social media platform that saw a 313% increase in usage in 2023 compared to the previous year. It encourages users to post a photo within a two-minute window at a random time every day, fostering original content creation without ads. While primarily used by B2C brands, B2B brands can also capitalize on this platform by adopting an innovative approach that appeals to an audience who values authenticity.
BeReal B2B strategies in 2023:
- Share behind-the-scenes content to provide an unfiltered view of your business. Consider posting behind-the-scenes photos, team snaps, pet pics, and anything that humanizes your brand and fosters a deeper connection with your audience.
LinkedIn: Connecting Professionals in the B2B Space
LinkedIn, the original social platform for businesses, still holds a significant place and purpose for B2B brands in 2023. As a site designed for connecting professionals, LinkedIn offers a valuable space for networking, sharing industry insights, and establishing thought leadership. With 82% of B2B marketers finding the greatest success on LinkedIn and 77% achieving the best organic results, it’s clear that this platform should not be overlooked.
LinkedIn B2B strategies in 2023:
- Study your audience and post analytics to determine the type of content that resonates best with your target market. LinkedIn’s new “creator analytics” platform allows for deeper data analysis, enabling you to fine-tune your content strategy.
- Follow other businesses and industry figures to stay updated on industry trends and gain inspiration for your own content.
TikTok: Not Just for the Younger Generation
Contrary to popular belief, TikTok is not only for the younger generations. In fact, the number of boomers using TikTok grew by 164% between May 2022 and January 2023, according to HubSpot. With 61% of B2B marketers now using the app, TikTok has become an effective way to reach new audiences and grab their attention through innovative short-form video content.
TikTok B2B strategies in 2023:
- Post how-to videos or product demonstrations as TikTok is 1.7 times more likely to be used as a tool for product discovery compared to other platforms. Create engaging and relatable videos that will resonate with your audience and generate more likes and shares.
Twitter: Quality Content and Real-Time Updates
Twitter remains a powerful platform for B2B marketers, with 450 million users. Unlike other platforms, Twitter rewards quality content rather than prioritizing brands with the highest following. This makes it an ideal platform for building credibility and sharing valuable advice, news, and insights. The real-time nature of Twitter allows for immediate updates and live discussions, making it perfect for B2B businesses looking to engage with their audience on a timely basis.
Twitter B2B strategies in 2023:
- Use the newly launched topic tag bar to better organize your feed and create content around trending industry topics. This helps you stay relevant and engage with a wider audience.
- Leverage Twitter for more than just bite-sized content. It’s also a great platform for sharing links to white papers, e-books, and other materials that might interest your audience.
YouTube: Long-Form Videos for B2B Marketing
While short-form videos are gaining popularity, long-form videos still play a significant role in B2B marketing. With over 2.5 billion users, YouTube remains the leading platform for hosting and sharing long-form video content. Videos on YouTube have the power to deliver a strong brand message and elicit an emotional response from viewers. B2B marketers can leverage YouTube for sharing explainer videos, success stories, and product demonstrations.
YouTube B2B strategies in 2023:
- Host Q&A sessions to engage your audience and address their questions directly. This helps build trust and establishes you as an expert in your industry.
- Repurpose existing content. If you have a blog post that has performed well, consider turning it into a video to reach a wider audience that prefers visual learning.
By fully embracing the power of social media and staying updated on the latest trends, B2B marketers can establish a strong online presence, connect with their audience, and build meaningful relationships with clients and industry influencers. Don’t be complacent, adapt to the changing social media landscape, and get creative in the B2B social space!
*Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative, and advertising agencies.