About 99% of marketers say that they market their businesses using social media. But the social networks they prioritize differ for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) ) marketers, compared to Business-to-Business (B2B) ) marketers, according to a recent survey from Social Media Examiner.
Facebook is without a doubt the ideal platform for B2C marketers. In fact, it is ranked top by roughly 67 percent of B2C respondents whilst about 11 percent of B2C respondents prefer blogging, and only 10 percent of B2C respondents think tweeter is good for B2C marketing.
Why Is Facebook the trendsetter for B2C Marketing?
- Availability of a personalized fan page - The fan page is quickly replacing the personal fun page. It is easier to personalize a fan page in more ways than a personal profile. Fan pages can be personalized in more ways than a personal profile, and, as of lately, anyone can post comments and even share stories under the company name rather than using an individual name. This is perfect for using several people to handle the communication of a business online.
- Easy communication with followers - Facebook is a game changer when it comes to interacting with followers – all you have to do is press the “Like” button or just add your comment to something in their News Feed, so they really don’t have to access your page.
But, according to the recent report from B2B content marketing 2015, LinkedIn rules the B2B roost. The study indicates that about 94 % of the B2B businesses use LinkedIn, with B2B marketers seeing the social platform to be the most effective.
So, Why Is LinkedIn Best for B2B?
Although it is evident that both Twitter and Facebook have come miles with their targeting and social advertising competencies for B2B, LinkedIn still stands to be more relevant for B2B marketers for several reasons, one: A bigger chance of targeting your audience. Devoid of the distractions Twitter and Facebook bring along, LinkedIn provides a much better platform on which to interact with the right prospects. Well, this is very important because you clearly want a more focused tactic in your campaigns when you are spending money.
Another major reason why LinkedIn is highly recommended are its Sponsored Updates, the native ad feature. With this feature, you are able to launch more specific and targeted campaigns to your desired demographics than through regular advertisements. And of course, if your campaigns are more targeted, you stand a good chance of gaining from your marketing efforts since the ROI gets better.
Cost-effectiveness is another reason why LinkedIn is still a better option. For example, on Twitter, one is charged for almost every interaction involved in a sponsored tweet. At the same time, LinkedIn does not charge you extra if anyone shares likes or even comments on your sponsored updates. Of course, all that additional sharing is always useful.
But in the long run, B2B marketers need to try out different social media channels to find out exactly which ones best suit their business model. Though, many times, it is the stoic “grandfather” of the group that turns out to be the most successful all along. In this situation, LinkedIn has not lost its supremacy in the B2B social marketplace.
