7 B2B Social Media Trends You Need to Know in 2024
Social media is not just for B2C businesses anymore. B2B companies are increasingly using social media platforms to reach their target audiences, generate leads, build relationships and drive sales. According to a report by HubSpot, 89% of B2B marketers use social media as a marketing channel, and 66% of them say that social media has a positive impact on their revenue.
Key Takeaways
Video content will dominate social media in 2024.
Influencer marketing will become more strategic and authentic in 2024.
Interactive content will increase engagement and conversions in 2024.
Social media will integrate with other marketing channels in 2024.
Employee advocacy will boost brand awareness and trust in 2024.
Micro-moments will influence purchase decisions in 2024.
AI and automation will enhance social media marketing in 2024.
But social media is constantly evolving, and B2B marketers need to keep up with the latest trends and best practices to stay ahead of the competition. Here are seven B2B social media trends that you need to know in 2024.
1. Video content will dominate social media.
Video content is one of the most engaging and effective forms of content on social media. According to a study by Wyzowl, 86% of video marketers say that video has increased traffic to their website, and 83% say that video has helped them generate leads. Video content can also help B2B brands showcase their products, services, expertise, testimonials, case studies and more.
In 2024, video content will continue to dominate social media platforms, especially short-form videos. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have seen explosive growth in the past year, and B2B marketers can leverage these platforms to create bite-sized videos that capture attention, educate, entertain and inspire their audience. Short-form videos can also be repurposed across other platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
2. Influencer marketing will become more strategic and authentic.
Influencer marketing is not a new trend, but it is still one of the most effective ways to reach and influence your target audience on social media. According to a report by Influencer Marketing Hub, 91% of B2B buyers trust influencer recommendations when making purchase decisions, and 75% of B2B marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budget in 2024.
However, influencer marketing will become more strategic and authentic in 2024. B2B marketers will need to focus on finding the right influencers for their brand, who have relevant expertise, credibility and engagement with their audience. They will also need to collaborate with influencers on creating valuable and original content that aligns with their brand message and goals. Moreover, they will need to measure the impact of influencer marketing on their key performance indicators (KPIs), such as brand awareness, lead generation, conversions and customer loyalty.
3. Interactive content will increase engagement and conversions.
Interactive content is another form of content that can boost engagement and conversions on social media. Interactive content is any type of content that requires the user to actively participate or interact with it, such as quizzes, polls, surveys, games, calculators, live Q&A sessions and more. Interactive content can help B2B brands create personalized experiences for their audience, collect valuable data and feedback, generate leads and drive action.
In 2024, interactive content will become more popular and creative on social media platforms. B2B marketers can use interactive content to educate their audience about their products or services, test their knowledge or skills, provide recommendations or solutions, generate curiosity or excitement, or encourage social sharing or referrals.
4. Social media will integrate with other marketing channels.
Social media is not a standalone marketing channel. It is part of a larger marketing ecosystem that includes other channels, such as email marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), webinars, podcasts and more. B2B marketers need to integrate their social media strategy with their overall marketing strategy to create a consistent and seamless customer journey across all touchpoints.
In 2024, social media will integrate more closely with other marketing channels to create a holistic and omnichannel marketing approach. B2B marketers can use social media to amplify their other marketing efforts, such as promoting their blog posts, ebooks, white papers, webinars or podcasts; driving traffic to their website or landing pages; nurturing leads through email campaigns; retargeting prospects through ads; or providing customer service or support.
5. Employee advocacy will boost brand awareness and trust.
Employee advocacy is the practice of empowering your employees to share your brand’s content, stories and values on their personal social media accounts. Employee advocacy can help B2B brands increase their brand awareness, reach new audiences, generate organic word-of-mouth referrals and build trust and credibility.
In 2024, employee advocacy will become more important and effective for B2B social media marketing. According to a report by LinkedIn, employee-shared content receives eight times more engagement than brand-shared content and leads generated through employee advocacy are seven times more likely to convert than other leads. B2B marketers can encourage and incentivize their employees to become brand advocates by providing them with relevant and shareable content, training and guidelines, recognition and rewards, and feedback and support.
6. Micro-moments will influence purchase decisions.
Micro-moments are the moments when people turn to their devices to search for information, inspiration, solutions or answers. Micro-moments can occur at any stage of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to consideration to decision. Micro-moments can influence purchase decisions, as people expect to find immediate and relevant answers to their queries.
In 2024, micro-moments will become more critical and competitive for B2B social media marketing. B2B marketers need to anticipate and optimize their social media content for the micro-moments that matter to their audience, such as “I want to know”, “I want to do”, “I want to go” or “I want to buy”. They also need to provide clear and compelling calls to action (CTAs) that guide their audience to the next step in their journey.
7. AI and automation will enhance social media marketing.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are not new technologies, but they are becoming more advanced and accessible for B2B social media marketing. AI and automation can help B2B marketers improve their social media performance, efficiency and results by providing data-driven insights, recommendations and actions.
In 2024, AI and automation will enhance various aspects of social media marketing, such as content creation, content curation, content distribution, content optimization, audience segmentation, audience engagement, lead generation, lead scoring, lead nurturing, conversion optimization, analytics and reporting.
Social media is a powerful and dynamic marketing channel for B2B businesses. By following these seven trends in 2024, B2B marketers can leverage social media to achieve their marketing objectives and grow their business.
Tips
- Use video content to showcase your products, services, expertise, testimonials and case studies.
- Partner with influencers who have relevant expertise, credibility and engagement with your audience.
- Create interactive content that requires your audience to participate or interact with it.
- Integrate your social media strategy with your overall marketing strategy.
- Encourage your employees to share your brand’s content, stories and values on their personal social media accounts.
- Anticipate and optimize your social media content for the micro-moments that matter to your audience.
- Use AI and automation to improve your social media performance, efficiency and results.
B2B Social Media Trends: A Statistical Report
Social media is a powerful tool for B2B marketing, as it can help reach decision-makers, generate leads, increase brand awareness, and drive results. However, not all social media platforms are equally effective for B2B marketers, and the trends and preferences of B2B buyers are constantly changing. In this report, we will look at some of the latest statistics and insights on B2B social media marketing for 2023.
LinkedIn: The King of B2B Social Media
LinkedIn is the most used and most effective social media channel for B2B marketing, according to several sources. According to Statista, 66% of B2B marketers find LinkedIn to be effective, compared to only 30% for Facebook. According to Contensify, LinkedIn is used by 94% of B2B marketers, followed by Facebook (79%), Twitter (60%), Instagram (60%), and YouTube (56%). According to Articulate Marketing, 84% of C-level and VP-level buyers are influenced by social media when purchasing, and 55% of them look for information on LinkedIn. Moreover, more than half of B2B buyers have used LinkedIn to help them make a purchasing decision over the past year.
Facebook: The Runner-Up for B2B Social Media
Facebook is the second most used social media platform for B2B marketing, but its effectiveness is questionable. According to Statista, only 30% of B2B marketers find Facebook to be effective, compared to 66% for LinkedIn. According to Contensify, Facebook is used by 79% of B2B marketers, but only 43% of them say it helps them achieve their goals. According to Articulate Marketing, only 28% of B2B buyers have used Facebook to help them make a purchasing decision over the past year. However, Facebook still has some advantages for B2B marketers, such as its large user base, its advanced targeting options, and its variety of content formats.
TikTok: The Rising Star of B2B Social Media
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform in the world, with a staggering 100% user growth rate between 2020 and 2022. Although it is mainly associated with entertainment and Gen Z users, TikTok also has potential for B2B marketing. According to Contensify, TikTok is used by 14% of B2B marketers, and 21% of them say it helps them achieve their goals. TikTok offers B2B marketers an opportunity to showcase their brand personality, reach new audiences, and create viral content. However, TikTok also has some challenges for B2B marketers, such as its short video format, its limited analytics tools, and its uncertain future in some markets.
Social media is a vital part of B2B marketing strategy in 2023, but it requires constant adaptation and experimentation. B2B marketers need to understand the preferences and behaviors of their target audience on different social media platforms and leverage the strengths and opportunities of each platform. LinkedIn remains the most effective platform for B2B marketing, while Facebook is still widely used but less impactful. TikTok is an emerging platform that offers both risks and rewards for B2B marketers who are willing to try something new.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is B2B social media marketing?
A: B2B social media marketing is the use of social media platforms to market products or services to other businesses or organizations.
Q: Why is B2B social media marketing important?
A: B2B social media marketing is important because it can help B2B businesses increase their brand awareness, reach new audiences, generate leads, build relationships and drive sales.
Q: Which social media platforms are best for B2B marketing?
A: The best social media platforms for B2B marketing depend on the type of business, the target audience, the goals and the budget. However, some of the most popular and effective platforms for B2B marketing are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Clubhouse.
Reference:
https://faculty.ist.psu.edu/jjansen/academic/jansen_business_twitter.pdf
https://faculty.ist.psu.edu/jjansen/academic/jansen_twitter_electronic_word_of_mouth.pdf
http://www.ijecbs.com/July2011/13.pdf
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