In this day and age, B2B buyers are researching online before they ever speak to sales. They’re watching videos, checking out LinkedIn posts, and looking at what their peers are saying. In other words, social media is where your brand credibility begins!
What You’ll Learn in This Guide
Social Media Marketing in B2B
Social media plays a long game in B2B marketing. Not only does it make you visible online, but it also supports your lead gen efforts and shows your credibility. The more your content speaks to different buyers at different points in their decision process, the more helpful (and memorable) your brand becomes.
B2B vs. B2C Social Media: 2 Very Different Approaches
While B2C marketing often emphasizes emotion and impulse, B2B focuses on education and trust. B2B buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders, long timelines, and higher price tags. Your content needs to inform, reassure, and demonstrate long-term value.
Did You Know?
- B2B buyers consume 3-5 pieces of content before contacting sales.
- LinkedIn is still the #1 platform for B2B networking and lead generation.
- Executives are now more likely to engage with concise, high-value video clips, especially on platforms like LinkedIn.
Building a B2B Social Media Marketing Strategy
If your company hasn’t been active on social media, getting started can feel unfamiliar. That’s normal. Many B2B organizations rely on word-of-mouth or traditional tactics and view social platforms as optional. But in today’s buying environment, where research starts online, having no presence can hurt credibility.
Here are the steps to help your team get started:
1. Set Clear Objectives
Social media marketing business goals typically fall into four main categories. It’s important to have clarity on which one you’re prioritizing, so you can better shape your content and measure your progress.
- Lead Generation: Drive MQLs through LinkedIn forms, gated content, and demo requests.
- Brand Awareness: Stay top-of-mind through regular posting and thought leadership.
- Thought Leadership: Position your executives and team members as go-to resources.
- Client Retention: Use content to reaffirm value and build ongoing trust.
2. Know Your Audience
Before posting anything, it’s worth figuring out who you’re talking to. In B2B, some folks influence the decision, others sign the contract. Each one looks for different info.
Building out a few buyer personas helps here. What do they care about? What kind of problems are they dealing with? What would actually help them do their job better?
Think about where they spend time, too. LinkedIn might be a given, but some will also check out product videos on YouTube or scan X for updates.
3. Choose the Right Platforms
- Do you regularly publish case studies, white papers, or thought leadership? LinkedIn is your go-to platform for reaching professionals and decision-makers.
- Want to share quick updates or join industry conversations in real time? X (Twitter) works well for timely commentary and event-based interaction.
- Need to showcase product functionality or explain complex topics? YouTube is ideal for in-depth demos, interviews, and how-to content.
- Looking to show the people behind your brand or highlight culture? Consider TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook to humanize your company (when appropriate for your audience.)
4. Content Strategy
Once you’ve chosen the right platforms, the next step is figuring out what to post. Your content should reflect your audience’s priorities, your business goals, and the tone that fits your brand.
Format Mix
- Blog shares
- Infographics
- Short-form and long-form videos
- Client testimonials
- Case studies
User-Generated Content
Encourage your team and happy clients to post their own experiences with your brand. It builds credibility and broadens your reach.
Seasonal Content
Holidays and seasonal themes are a great way to show some personality without straying from your brand. “12 Days of Industry Tips” or “New Year, New Goals” campaigns are great examples of staying active and relevant.
5. Consistency and Scheduling
Consistency is key! Use a content calendar to organize your weekly and monthly topics. For example, aim to post 3-5 times per week on LinkedIn, and adjust frequency based on platform.
It’s also important to mix evergreen content (like how-to guides and FAQs) with timely, industry-relevant posts that reflect what’s happening now.
6. Engagement & Community Building
This side of social media management is more common in B2C, but that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant in B2B. Engaging with your audience (publicly or in smaller groups) can create space for future business conversations.
- Respond quickly to comments and DMs
- Build and manage LinkedIn Groups
- Use niche hashtags to get in front of the right audience
Read now: How to Grow Your Network on LinkedIn
7. Paid Social Advertising
Paid social isn’t limited to LinkedIn. While it’s often the top choice for targeting professionals, other platforms can also deliver results depending on your goals and audience.
- LinkedIn Ads: Target by industry, job title, company size, and more.
- Facebook Ads: Great for brand awareness, retargeting, and promoting case studies or events to broader business audiences.
- YouTube: Strong option for video explainers, testimonials, and long-form educational content that supports the buyer journey.
When starting out, approach budget planning with a test-and-learn mindset. Invest modestly, analyze results, and scale what proves effective.
It’s also a good idea to use retargeting campaigns, allowing you to re-engage users who’ve interacted with your website or other content.
8. How to Measure Campaign Success
KPIs to Track
- Impressions
- Engagement rate
- Leads generated
- Conversion rate
Tools
- Native analytics (LinkedIn, Meta)
- Third-party reporting tools (HubSpot, Hootsuite, Google Analytics)
Adjusting Your Strategy
Let performance data guide tweaks in content, timing, and platform focus.
Even if you plan to manage your organic social content in-house, a marketing agency can be a valuable partner for running paid campaigns, setting up tracking, and interpreting results. This collaboration gives you added support without giving up control.
Work with the B2B Social Media Strategists at MARION
When’s the right time to optimize your B2B social media marketing? The answer is now! And we can help. MARION helps Texas-based businesses create practical, effective strategies that support your entire marketing strategy.
To supplement your social media efforts, we also offer these B2B digital marketing services:
Contact MARION today to start building a custom social media strategy for your business.