B2B Social Media Marketing: 7 Mistakes to Avoid

According to Forrester Research, over 90% of company decision makers are involved in social media.  Whether it’s blogging, creating videos, tweeting or posting content, B2B social media has the potential to expand markets, increase leads and improve conversion rates.

That being said, not all businesses are using social media wisely.  B2B social media mistakes cost business millions each year in lost opportunities.  Here are 7 of the most common missteps, and how you can avoid them:

1. Not creating new content
Stale content kills interest.  About 80% of tweets are links to content such as company blogs, videos, articles and website content.  So, it’s imperative that you constantly update your content.  Fresh, engaging content draws people to your site and keeps them there.

2. Failure to understand your audience
Your B2B social media efforts revolve around your audience’s interests and needs.  Content that doesn’t resonate with them misses the mark.  Make sure that every post, tweet and blog post speaks directly to your buyers.

3. Using social media for direct response
Hard-selling your products and services is always risky.  So, save promotional posts and sales information for those who request it.  Use social media primarily as a relationship-builder and you’ll get a much more positive response.

4. Failure to invest time and effort
Many companies are surprised by how much time it takes to run a successful social media marketing campaign.  If you don’t respond to tweets, comment on blogs, post fresh content and update your pages regularly, your efforts are wasted.  Make sure that someone is responsible for maintaining accounts.  Hire a social media administrator if necessary.

5. Not integrating with traditional marketing
No social media campaign is an island.  Integrate your B2B social media marketing with your other marketing vehicles to deliver a clear, consistent message across all channels such as customer service, product development and sales.

6. Poor networking 
Great content is great, but to make it work for you it needs to be shared.  Networking makes this possible.  Build a network of followers through your LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook accounts to expand your reach.  Offer RSS subscriptions to further amplify your message.