How to optimize social media for business

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a popular idiom, but most people do not have the time or patience to look past a dull front page. Today, think of social media as your company’s “book cover.” It’s not enough to merely exist, it’s vital to keep business accounts as attractive and engaging as possible.

While long rejected by many in financial services and fintech as an immature platform with little value, the value of a thoughtfully developed and executed social media strategy is beyond doubt now.

Firms of all sizes are using these channels to share relevant industry information, provide peer feedback, post findings and research, market new products and services, and most importantly, serve as the primary form of communication between businesses and industry professionals.

According to Salesforce’s 2017 State of Marketing Report, social media marketing in B2B strategies has grown by an outstanding 80% in the past two years. While publishing frequent, high-quality posts on a consistent basis is essential, it is even more crucial to utilize the different functions and strengths of each individual platform appropriately.

So, how can you optimize your social media presence? Let’s take a brief look at how each channel plays into a cohesive strategy for your brand:

LINKEDIN

As the #1 platform for B2B lead generation with over 562 million current users, LinkedIn has proven to be the most effective platform for businesses looking to make professional connections. LinkedIn is best used for networking, promoting content, publishing industry news, recruiting talent and creating/joining workgroups. According to Sprout Social’s 2017 demographic study, 50% of LinkedIn users have high-level college degrees – over 20% more than those on Twitter. Because of this erudite user-base, LinkedIn is considered a formal platform; therefore posts should be concise and relevant. Businesses should take advantage of this academic audience by posting informative, insightful content that will inspire users to connect and collaborate.

TWITTER

With over 330 million users, Twitter is a great platform to reach clients and customers in a more informal setting. For the many B2B marketers that have trouble reflecting their brand’s personality on social media, Twitter has many great features to make a business stand out. Depending on the company’s tone of voice, the use of images, gifs, hashtags, and lists are a great way to add charisma to a brand’s identity. Twitter is also an excellent resource for companies that frequent industry conferences and trade shows. Companies should tweet updates (before, during, and post-event) while participating in the appropriate hashtags that will connect them with other attendees, or possible business leads.

INSTAGRAM

It’s a common mistake for B2B marketers to ignore Instagram, which now boasts 800 million active users. Businesses should leverage Instagram to promote company culture, show off their creative talent, and showcase new products. Promoting company culture is important because it gives clients – and potential hires – insight into how a firm operates and treats its employees. As a photo and video-based social platform, Instagram offers a lot of room for creativity. Companies should keep their pages interesting by posting relevant, exciting and unique content that appeals to their industry. Instagram’s new shopping feature also gives businesses a more seamless way to promote new products and software to clients.

Expert tip: While Instagram does not allow links in post captions, you can add one to the profile’s bio section. Gain more traction by adding a link to your company’s website or latest blog!

YOUTUBE AND VIMEO

Most importantly, B2B marketers should consider investing in video to keep users engaged. According to Salesforce’s 2017 State of Marketing Report, B2B video advertising has experienced a whopping 204% growth in the past two years. A clever video can spark interest in even the most mundane subjects. Videos are a great way to break-down challenging topics to better reach a broader audience, allowing clients and consumers to grasp the features of a product or service through visual learning. Videos also humanize the business and its processes in a way that can’t be done through traditional, text-based channels.

By following these basic social media guidelines, businesses will experience a significant uptick in their SEO, website traffic and ultimately business leads.

Struggling to manage your social media accounts and content consistently? Get in touch to boost your social presence.