B2B vs. B2C Social Media
- 67% of C-level executives cite the Internet as the most influential and important source for business information
- 7 out of 10 executives believe the web is the most important source of business information
- C-level executives prefer to access the web rather than reading the newspaper before starting their day.
But, reaching these key high-level decision makers online requires an approach that looks different than reaching consumers. In my opinion, the three main differences between B2B and B2C-focused social media are:
Adding value is your top priority. Establishing your company as a producer of authoritative, comprehensive and relevant content (podcasts, blog posts, videos, etc.) that is of interest to your audience is the most critical component of a successful B2B social media campaign.
Quality trumps quantity. For B2C companies, it's all about the number of fans on Facebook or Twitter followers. For B2B companies, it's about the quality of your followers or friends. Are your friends/followers your top tier sales targets or client prospects? You may only have ten Facebook friends but if they are your top prospects, then you have achieved success.
Target. Target. Target. Social media allows you to hone in on your key audiences and offer them valuable information throughout the sales cycle. Whether you're nurturing a prospect by providing them with relevant articles via Twitter or turning a customer into a brand evangelist by encouraging them to post a video to YouTube about their experience with your service, social media provides the opportunity to target the individual needs of your audience.
Interested in learning more about social media in a B2B environment? Check out this webinar presented to the American Association of Advertising Agencies by Pure's own Larry Holdren and Shannon Danitz (me).
-Shannon
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