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Social Media for B2B Lead Generation | Which Platform is the Best?

Cover Image: Social Media for B2B Lead Generation

Which Platform is the best?

Social Media has grown at a rapid rate since its development almost 25 years ago. With it, its uses have grown too, particularly when it comes to B2B Marketing and Lead Generation.

With the increase in Social Media for B2B uses, companies may wonder which social media platform is best. This question is hugely valuable to all companies. However, B2C companies tend to have an easier job because let’s face it, B2B is often seen as ‘boring’.

Paired with the idea that Social Media is meant to be just that – social – many B2B businesses are afraid to venture into this realm of unlimited potential. And while not every B2B business needs to be on every social media platform, there are benefits to each. It ultimately depends on your brand, goals and strategies.

We have put together some pros and cons of each platform for B2B Lead Generation. 

Facebook LogoHow to Use Facebook for B2B Lead Generation 

As one of the oldest and most used Social Media platforms, Facebook is a great platform for B2B and B2C brands.  Facebook has great tools which businesses can use for marketing and advertising. The social media site has approximately 2.5 Billion users worldwide, and the average user spends over half an hour each day on the platform.

These aspects make Facebook a great platform. You can gain exposure, engage with potential and existing customers, and gauge or even build interest in specific products or services.

A huge pro for Facebook in B2B lead generation is that you are able to generate and target leads based off of profile information from Facebook itself. Paired with Facebook’s Messenger service for customer support and the ability to target your audience after traditional working hours (as many users use the app in their leisure time) give Facebook an edge.

However while Facebook has great benefits for B2B companies, it is a heavily saturated platform too. With well over 60million business pages on Facebook, it is important to be very strategic in how your brand uses the platform. 

We’ve found organic posting brings in very little real value – with the best strategies being either paid advertising on Facebook – or alternative organic strategies like creating a Facebook group or community that provides some value to your target business community. 

Instagram LogoB2B Lead Generation on Instagram

This social media platform is the most visual of all the different sites. While it has grown to incorporate not only images but short videos (called reels), stories, and IGTV (for long format video). Commonly lumped together with Facebook, Instagram has over 1

 billion users. The key difference, Instagram audiences tend to be more engaged than on Facebook.

Instagram allows your brand to engage with followers, business leaders and other brands in a humanised way. You can show the behind-the-scenes aspects of your business that prospective customers wouldn’t normally have access to.

The biggest pros for Instagram is it’s humanising nature and active and engaged audiences. The obvious con is that if your business isn’t visually appealing – as can be the case with many B2B businesses – it can be hard to use the platform effectively. 

LinkedIn LogoSocial Media for B2B Lead Generation: LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the only “social media platform” that was built with a professional purpose. It is a great platform for generating B2B leads that matter, the decision makers. LinkedIn only has approximately 722 Million users. A large chunk of those users (45% of them) are in upper-level or decision-making positions.

While it is a more professional platform, it is also one of the most engaging. LinkedIn has clever ways to target both companies and individuals. This makes it easier to ensure your content is reaching an appropriate audience.

Additionally, LinkedIn is a fantastic networking tool your B2B brand can use to nurture potential customers.

The only drawback on LinkedIn is its professional and formal nature. Other Social Media Platforms give businesses the opportunity to show different aspects of their business which can help greatly in Lead Generation. However by engaging with individuals, companies and ‘influencers’ on the platform, as well as participating in groups and discussions, LinkedIn can be a very powerful B2B Lead Generation tool.

Twitter LogoLead Generation on Twitter for B2B 

Another huge social media platform is Twitter. Twitter focuses on short form text, less than 140 characters. The short, quick and fast paced platform is great for companies because it is easy to create. Twitter as a platform allows businesses the opportunities to start conversations with potential and existing customers and create interest in your brand.

The fast-paced nature of Twitter however is it‘s biggest downfall. Companies that use Twitter need to know that the content on Twitter is not as long lasting as other platforms. Prioritise being active and engaged on Twitter. This will allow you to assess your growth, success and engagement.

A key tip with Twitter is to participate in trends and hashtags that relate to your business. Hashtags are a focused “topic”. By using the right hashtags you can enhance your B2B Lead Generation efforts by creating exposure in the right places.

Tiktok LogoTikTok for B2B Lead Generation

Need help with your brand’s TikTok? Check out what our TikTok experts have to say

TikTok is the largest growing social media platform world-wide. With billions of users regularly creating and consuming content it gives businesses a great opportunity for exposure. A key aspect of TikTok (which we look at in our article on how to use TikTok for B2B brands) is that your success is not dependent on your profile, but rather the content and hashtags you use.

TikTok as a platform allows users to create short and long* form videos that are “directed” to user’s For You Page based on their consumption. 

This algorithm is great for all businesses as it directs your content to the people who want to see it. 

Similarly to Instagram, TikTok is a powerful social media platform for B2B lead generation as it allows businesses to humanise their content and engage with others in a fun and entertaining way. 

While TikTok does have advertising, brands are making use of influencers on every scale to create content. The most important aspect is that content should not be salesy. Rather content should be engaging, entertaining or informative to draw your prospective customer in. 

Engagement on this platform is key. 

 

Conclusion

Each Social Media platform has its upsides and downsides when it comes to B2B marketing and lead generation. Social media overall is a powerful tool. It is vital that you choose the social media platform that is going to work best for your brand. But don’t be afraid of trying something new. 

 

 

If you enjoyed this article or found it helpful, check out more e-commerce marketing content on the inSyte blog or listen to the inSyte Podcast.

This article was brought to you by Syte.

We’re a specialist e-commerce and lead generation digital marketing agency dedicated to driving up your bottom line.

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