13.3.23
Every year, the importance of a standout social media presence in B2B increases. By 2025, 8 out of 10 B2B sales interactions will happen across digital channels. To stay competitive and relevant, B2B brands need to keep their finger on the pulse of emerging social trends and behaviours.
If you’re reviewing your social strategy, or carrying out your annual social media refresh, read on for some of the key areas we recommend you take a look at in 2023.
With the rise of TikTok and other ‘snackable’ video platforms, public appetite for short form video content is at an all-time high. Lasting between 21 to 34 seconds, social media algorithms increasingly prefer this type of video content, so it’s going to be critical for marketers. Once regarded solely asa form of consumer-based marketing, it’s likely this type of content will increasingly converge into B2B - especially as more Gen Zers become decision makers and business leaders.
So, what types of shorter-form videos should B2B marketers look to create?
Some ideas to get started include product demonstrations, case studies, video testimonials, expert interviews, webinar promotions and news updates. In the coming months, B2B brands will be looking to harness the reach of rapid-fire visual story telling and those who successfully engage their target audience in this way will no doubt see a considerable boost to their profile.
Like asabell, LinkedIn is turning 20 this year. Still the most commonly used social media platform in B2B,B2B organisations post on LinkedIn 2.5 times more than on Twitter and other platforms. With 75% of B2B marketeers using LinkedIn, and 80% of B2B leads generated on the platform, it’s arguably the best place to establish relationships with B2B professionals who are interested in your services or solutions.
These days, 84%of B2B organisations are using paid distribution channels for their content marketing efforts. If targeted effectively, paid advertising and sponsored content can generate rapid results, increase exposure, and deliver high ROI.But harnessing paid targeting can take considerable time and fine-tuning. To achieve this, brands must clearly define target audience members, including their specific industry, professional role and department. Wherever possible, use the provided website demographics and analytics tools. Look at who is engaging with your content and then tweak your messaging, spend and format to optimise results. Over time, this should refine your advertising strategy and help you to find what spend and content is most appropriate for each intended purpose.
B2B marketing often prioritises longer form content – whether that’s webinars, whitepapers, brochures, articles or even podcasts. But this focus can make it easy to overlook opportunities to repurpose content in ways that diversify your marketing cache. Many long-form materials can be reconfigured into shorter pieces of collateral. This can help attract interest in different ways and via different channels.
Not sure where to start? To help you, we put together a handy guide of key considerations when repurposing content.
Carousel posts are another example of the B2C sector spreading its influence. After first originating on Instagram, they’re becoming increasingly common in B2B marketing. A recent study found that carousels are the most engaging type of post and that they even outperform videos for engagement levels. Using up to ten slides, they can tell complex stories in bitesize pieces, incorporating multiple voices and testimonials. And, crucially, they can also include multiple products and calls to action.
These are just some of our predictions for 2023’s B2B social media landscape. If you’d like to find out more about how we can support your social media strategy, please visit our social media page. We’re also offering a limited number of free social media audits until the end of March. Check out our LinkedIn page to register your interest.
