B2B Brands Killing it at Social Media Marketing
If you associate social media with B2C brands, you’re not alone! That said, the use of B2B social media marketing is increasing at a rapid rate.
While B2B companies have traditionally relied on LinkedIn marketing as their go-to social media tool, more now than ever are using B2C social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to reach new clients.
What are B2B Brands Posting on Social Media?
The content used by B2B companies in these areas is unsurprisingly similar to B2C content. It’s generally a mix of tailored news articles that are industry specific, as well as posts relating to their products and company. An interesting trend with B2B social, however, is that the formal and ‘dry’ tone often associated with traditional B2B marketing campaigns is being dropped in favour of a more informal and engaging approach.
But who’s doing it best?
Five B2B Brands Winning at Social
Intel’s Facebook account
Intel is one of the best case studies for modern social B2B marketing. Last year saw them gain critical success with the #ILookLikeAnEngineer movement sweeping across social media. Designed to display diversity within the engineering community, Intel showed such genuine care and passion for the subject that they caught attention of wider corporate culture and media, improving their brand perception and gaining new customers in the process.
Novartis’s Instagram account
You won’t find every pharma in the world operating an Instagram account! Novartis bucked the trend and it shows. Instead of promoting their products alone, Novartis has considered the reader and consumer of their content and instead provides fascinating articles and links to medical history, museum exhibits and recent showcases of industry research.
Oracle’s Twitter account
B2B or B2C, many companies forget that social must be, well, social! Oracle has built a Twitter following of more than 400K followers largely because they keep this principle in mind. With regular posts displaying the human aspect of their company such as their philanthropy efforts, they demonstrate sincerity within business and attract followers as a result.
Cisco’s Instagram account
Cheeky! Flirting with the informal is something many companies are reluctant to do, but Cisco embraces it. Posting regularly on hot hashtags and trends, they rake in the views by being humorous and relevant. It’s a delicate one to manage, but the results and rewards are clear for this B2B company.
GE’s Facebook account
GE is a lovely example of genuine engagement with customers and other brands. Their tagline – “We love science, technology, innovation and hearing from you! So, say hello,” – is a very open and warm message. By keeping their user engagement high through a blend of polls, articles and videos across their wider industry, GE have created a large social footprint with which to push their brand and visibility.
The Takeaway
B2B social media needn’t be dull. The examples in this article are merely a selection of well-known B2B companies that are doing marketing right. By thinking creatively, you too can reach new audiences in a fun and engaging way regardless of your brand, business or product.
