Social Media Marketing for B2B Companies

Social media has long been an essential component of an effective marketing strategy in almost every industry. And while the B2B sector initially treated it with a bit of skepticism, it is now a key part of online business with a wealth of benefits on the horizon.

The analysis of the Polish Economic Institute from 2023 indicated that 48% Polish companies use social media in their business activities. Looking at this result, on the one hand we may think that it could be better. But if we add to this the information that ten years earlier it was only 19%, the reception of these statistics and the feelings accompanying them change slightly.

More figuratively, once only one in five Polish companies used social media, today – one in two. This is a huge increase, caused by a change in the approach to internet marketing. For years, there was a common belief that it was intended only for companies from the B2C sector. A huge role in this change was played by the spread of the LinkedIn platform in Poland, called by some Facebook for business. 

Although it is now known that LinkedIn is not the only platform suitable for B2B companies' advertising activities, the word "business" is the key to understanding marketing in this sector.

B2B vs. B2C, or How Purchasing Decisions Are Made

B2B marketing (or business-to-business marketing) is the promotional activities of a company or institution directed at other companies with the aim of selling their products and services. 

The basic feature that distinguishes it from B2C (business-to-customer) marketing is the customer to whom the message is directed, and we are of course talking about a business customer. Theoretically, it can be assumed that the customer here is another company, but it is worth remembering that in reality it is about the decision-maker in a given organization who, at the final stage of the purchasing process, makes the final decision that is important for the entire company. The problem is that convincing such a person to buy requires a different approach than in the case of marketing focused on consumer sales.

This is due to the difference in the way customers make purchasing decisions. In the case of B2C, this process is usually quick and emotional – the consumer often makes a decision based on impulse, advertising or personal preferences. 

There may be a number of hidden reasons behind choosing a particular chocolate bar in a supermarket, which we may not be aware of, from the colour of the packaging, through its location on the shelf, to subtle associations triggered by previous advertising campaigns or recommendations on social media. We often make decisions in a split second, guided not so much by conscious analysis, but by emotions and subconscious stimuli, which brands skillfully use in their marketing strategies based on storytelling, consumer psychology and attractive promotions.

B2B works differently. 

The True Nature of B2B Marketing

Business customers analyze many factors before making a purchase, such as the quality of the product, its impact on the company's operations, long-term costs, terms of cooperation and expert opinions. Decisions are often made collectively by several people - e.g. managers, the finance department or technical specialists. The entire process is therefore more complex, its duration is extended, and the final effect is based on rational premises, the good of the company and its customers. 

Emotional messages and mass advertising campaigns characteristic of B2C marketing communication strategies will not work here. B2B requires marketing activities that:

• are analytical in nature, because purchasing decisions in this sector are made based on hard data, precise analyses and rational premises. Effective marketing in this industry is based on market research, competition analysis and measuring the effectiveness of campaigns in order to adapt activities to the real needs of customers.

• are based on building trust and long-term business relationships, because in this case, purchasing processes are often complicated and require multi-stage communication. Companies do not make decisions impulsively – it is therefore crucial to consistently build authority, deliver value and maintain professional relationships that translate into customer loyalty.

• they provide substantive value, because business customers expect not only sales offers, but also specific knowledge and expertise. Industry articles, reports, webinars, case studies or e-books help companies position themselves as leaders in a given field, building credibility and increasing audience engagement.

• they educate customers, because B2B purchasing processes are longer and more complicated than B2C. Potential customers need reliable information about the solutions offered by the company, which is why educational content marketing (e.g. blogs, podcasts, infographics) plays a key role in attracting and persuading recipients.

• are based on precise targeting, because the target groups in B2B marketing are much narrower and more specific than in B2C. B2B marketing uses advanced segmentation tools such as LinkedIn Ads, personalized email campaigns, and data-driven targeting to reach the right people in the right positions.

• support a longer lead nurturing process, because in B2B the customer rarely makes a purchase immediately. It is necessary to conduct thoughtful activities that maintain interest and engage recipients at different stages of the purchase path, e.g. through newsletters, remarketing, email sequences or marketing automation, in order to turn leads into real customers at the right time.

• they use various communication channels, because purchasing decisions are often made by several people in the company, and each of them can use different sources of information. Effective B2B marketing includes both social media activities (LinkedIn, X, YouTube), as well as e-mail marketing, content marketing, SEO activities, as well as industry events and networking.

And let's be honest – social media is perfect for this type of marketing activities.

Goals, strategies and social media

Social media rules the world today, and it's hard to really argue with that argument. They're present in every aspect of our lives, giving us unlimited opportunities both privately and commercially, and the fact that we all have them in our pockets or purses at all times only works to their advantage. 

They have become not only a place of entertainment and communication for everyone, but also a key marketing channel for all companies, regardless of their business model, profession, or the product they offer. After all, B2B customers, like individual consumers, now expect fast, easy, and engaging communication.

It’s no wonder that B2B companies have also started using social media on a massive scale – these platforms offer unique opportunities to reach decision-makers, build relationships, increase brand awareness and generate sales, all at a lower cost and with a greater potential to reach a wide audience. In a word – social media helps to achieve the goals of marketing campaigns. 

Below we have collected the most important of them, adding a short description of the action strategy and the most suitable channels to each.

➜ Building relationships and an expert image

Action strategies:

• Regularly publish valuable content such as:
  • market analysis,
  • case studies,
  • reports,
  • webinars.
• Active participation in industry discussions and commenting on opinion leader posts
• Sharing company successes, awards and achievements that confirm expertise in your niche.

Social media: LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook

➜ Generating leads and increasing sales

Action strategies:

• Creating and promoting educational content that requires contact information to sign up for or download from the site. This could include:
  • e-books, 
  • industry reports,
  • webinars. 
• Precise targeting of ads to decision-makers in companies.
• Using social selling strategies, e.g. by actively engaging in discussions and building relationships.

Social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, X

➜ Building brand awareness

Action strategies:

• Publishing valuable industry content, infographics and market analysis.
• Collaboration with opinion leaders and industry experts.
• Storytelling – presenting the history of the company, its values and successes.

Social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

➜ Increased engagement and interaction with customers

Action strategies:

• Organizing surveys, quizzes and competitions.
• Respond to comments and messages in real time.
• Creating engaging content such as:
  • short films,
  • live's,
  • Q&A sessions.

Social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok

➜ Market analysis and competition monitoring

Action strategies:

• Tracking industry trends and analyzing social media data.
• Monitoring competitor activities and identifying market gaps.
• Using analytical tools to evaluate campaign effectiveness.

Social media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube

➜ Employer branding and talent acquisition

Action strategies:

• Presenting your organizational culture and company values through posts, photos and videos.
• Publishing employee stories, case studies, and team feedback.
• Creating content aimed at potential candidates. This could be recruitment guides.

Social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

➜ Personalization and direct communication

Action strategies:

• Conducting direct dialogue with customers and business partners through private messages and comments.
• Using targeting tools and content personalization in advertising campaigns.
• Using chatbots and automated responses to quickly handle customer inquiries.
• Creating dedicated content for various audience segments, tailored to their needs and interests.

Social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, Messenger

B2B Marketing in Social Media – Universal Rules

Regardless of which of the above goals is a priority and what specific strategies and channels a company chooses, all activities should be subject to certain universal principles. Adhering to them will allow for more effective image building, customer acquisition and long-term benefits.

1. Brand consistency

Every publication, advertising campaign or interaction with the audience should be consistent with the visual identification and values of the brand. Consistent communication, both in terms of content, tone of voice and graphic style, strengthens the company's recognition and increases the trust of the audience.

2. Regularity and consistency

Social media requires consistency. Irregular content publishing can make a company less visible in the platform algorithms and its audience lose interest. It is worth planning a publication schedule and consistently implementing a content marketing strategy.

3. Quality over quantity

It is better to publish less but provide valuable and refined content than to overwhelm recipients with low-quality content. Valuable content – analyses, case studies, reports, expert articles – builds brand authority and attracts an engaged community.

4. Authenticity and transparency

Audiences value authentic brands that openly share their experience, show behind-the-scenes of their business, and respond to current events in the industry. Honesty in communication builds trust, which is key in the B2B sector for establishing long-term business relationships.

5. Interaction and engagement

Social media is not just about broadcasting content, but above all, dialogue. Responding to comments, participating in industry discussions, engaging in conversations on LinkedIn or X makes the brand more visible and credible.

6. Analysis and optimization of activities

Every marketing strategy requires ongoing analysis of effectiveness. Tracking engagement rates, the number of generated leads, or the effectiveness of advertising campaigns allows for the optimization of activities and better adaptation of content to the expectations of recipients.

7. Testing and experimenting

Social media is a dynamically changing environment, so it's worth testing different content formats, communication styles and advertising strategies. Experimentation allows you to discover which activities bring the best results and which are worth investing in long term.

What does the future bring?

Today, it's hard to imagine the internet without social media - they've settled in here for good. Their future looks very dynamic and full of innovations and changes that can significantly affect the way B2B companies will use them. 

Experts clearly indicate that B2B marketing in social media will evolve under the influence of the latest technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), marketing automation and chatbots. 

Thanks to these innovations, companies will be able to run more effective campaigns, better target their messages, personalize content and respond to the needs of their customers faster. Automation and data analysis will allow for continuous improvement of marketing strategies, increasing their effectiveness and impact on achieving business goals.

This topic is so interesting and so broad that… we will leave it for a separate article.