Are you wondering what social media for B2B companies looks like? Let’s take it a step further - in this article we’re going to discuss how social media can work for economic developers too!
Because B2B companies market to businesses and not regular consumers, their targets are often more “expert” - they’re out there researching as part of their job. These experts have different needs than the average customer.
B2B marketing will be different than B2C marketing, but social media is versatile enough to be effective for both. If you’re looking for a better, online way to attract the right buyers and impress your stakeholders, look to social media and the Inbound Marketing Methodology.
The first stage of this methodology (there are four total in the buyer’s journey) is the Attract stage. This is where you draw visitors to your online platforms. They’re not leads yet. The Attract stage is all about exposure and generating qualified traffic, which is why social media is so effective. So let’s look at what it can do for economic developers.
Social Media For B2B Companies: What It Can Do For Economic Development
According to the Content Marketing Institute, in 2017, 83% of B2B marketers used social media more often than other methods to share their content.
Engaging, Retaining, and Inspiring: These 3 social media for B2B companies tactics attract new clients because they lead to the sharing of content. Here are the powerful ways content marketers implement these tactics using social media.
- Engage prospective investors in your region: Social media provides multiple platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) on which to do business. And as someone looking to pitch their economic development region to grab the attention of new investors, this can only benefit you. Why? Because you can showcase what your region has to offer – to different target buyers, with varying forms of content. For example, did a new business just open in your region? Post a picture of the opening ceremonies on Instagram. Need investors to know you’ll be attending the next big conference? Send a tweet or post on Facebook.
- Retain (by staying attractive to) current clients: Current clients are already aware of at least some of your offerings. So to keep these investors interested, you’ll have to keep them updated with economic news of the region. Using social media for B2B companies makes this easy and convenient; tweets are short by nature and you can always link a social media post to a longer blog article if you have in-depth, exciting information to share.
- Inspire your clients to share your content: At any stage of inbound marketing, it is crucial to get your clients’ help in spreading word of your region. Help your local companies become ambassadors for your region. The good news is, if you deliver expert content, your audience will gladly take the initiative on their own. They will “like” you on Facebook, “retweet” your tweets, and follow you on Instagram. Their interest in your gets shared onto their customers and suppliers in different regions, letting those companies know how hot your region actually is.
Using these tactics on social media will lead to increased exposure of your region and more potential leads.
Customize Professional Content For Each Platform & Attract The Right Buyers
No matter which platforms you use to attract investors, keep your content professional and purposeful. This shows investors you know what you’re doing and value their time. If one type of target buyer prefers to use LinkedIn over the other platforms, make sure the content you post there is geared to this buyer.
Need more reasons to invest in social media?
Social Media Stats To Help Grow Your Economic Development Region
Boost your online traffic by discovering:
- What your audience is hoping to find when viewing your platforms.
- Which content is contagious on social media.
- Who’s visiting your platforms ready to buy?
References:
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/B2B_Research
