This month is all about social media. According to our friends over at CMI, 83% of B2B businesses use social media, but there are often questions about its effectiveness.
One way to combat those questions is to measure your social media by setting up a complete content marketing plan and laying out SMART goals to determine what you want to get out of your social media.
Another method is to focus on one social channel at a time. Do a little background research and devote at least one month to learning how to use the channel effectively.
LinkedIn could be your option, as it is the largest B2B social channel out there. Another option is Facebook, which is becoming increasingly popular among businesses.
Why should your B2B use Instagram? If you want a dedicated audience with over 500 million users, 300 million of which use it daily, it’s a great starting option.
Visuals Perform Better
When you look at any stats about the Internet, text accompanied by visuals performs better. That’s the case for websites, blog posts and social media. So why not tackle the largest image-based social media platform as your first social media channel?
Many B2B businesses feel Instagram is solely for consumers. People want to share their vacation photos and little else. While a large portion of the traffic is devoted to this, there’s also a rising portion of retailers on the platform.
This change hasn’t gone unnoticed by the social channel. New options for ads, sponsored content, and ‘Click to Buy’ options have been rolled out recently. But what about B2B, which often has a much longer buying cycle than a pair of shoes?
Can B2B use Instagram successfully?
The short answer is yes.
Under-Utilized
At this moment, very few B2B use Instagram. And these companies are missing out on Instagram’s many opportunities. Only about 33% of B2B businesses have a presence on Instagram. Most feel that it’s not the right platform, so the time isn’t worth it. That’s one reason why it’s a great option to get started with social media.
At the moment, there isn’t much competition. If you’re the only company on the platform, anyone who is interested in your product will find you shortly.
Analytics
As we’ve discussed before, your social media needs to be measurable. That means analytics. And for businesses, that’s good news if you’re on Instagram. The platform released Instagram for Business last year, full of a whole suite of analytics options for businesses.
You can get real-time metrics on how your posts perform during a day and insights into your followers, which makes it much easier to track your goals.
Tell your Story
With the introduction of Instagram stories, your B2B can use Instagram to share your distinct message with everyone on the platform. Get the chance to really dive deep into what makes you different from you competitors. Your Instagram channel doesn’t have to be devoted strictly to promotional shots of your product. Give people a taste of what it’s like to work with you, or for you.
People buy from people, not companies. B2B buyers are still people. They want to know about your product and company, but they also want to know about the people in your company. You can tell your story by sharing your company culture, sharing your expertise, or sharing about your product on Instagram.
Are you ready to start tackling your social media marketing plan? Snag your FREE, 30-minute social media marketing consult to reach more people. Or check out our other services.