Three B2B Social Media Case Studies to Get You Excited About Brand Awareness | agora pulse (2023)

Social media management for business-to-business (B2B) companies or agency clients often seems to be more of a challenge than direct marketing for consumers. From choosing the most effective channels to choosing the right tone of voice and creating compelling content, B2B social media marketing requires a unique approach.

So how can a B2B company be successful through channels likeFacebook, LinkedIn and Twitter? Check out three B2B social media case studies to inspire your strategy, no matter what stage of the sales funnel you need to reach.

Strictly speaking, social media marketing for B2B companies is notAlsoother than promoting business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations. Both types of businesses use a variety of social channels to post content, engage customers, and try to drive conversions. And B2B and B2C companies tend to use a mix of paid and organic social media.

However, as you will see in the B2B case studies, social media marketing strategies require some major tweaks.

Let's look at some of the main differences.

social channels

There is no definitive list of social channels that B2B organizations can and cannot use. Choosing the right channels for your company is often a one-off situation that requires target group and market research.

But some social channels naturally work better for B2B companies because of their user base and native tools. for years,LinkedInand Facebook stood outmost popular B2B marketing channels. However, many businesses also use Twitter to engage with customers and YouTube for lengthy videos.

Possible customers

When marketing their products and services, B2C companies usually target individual customers directly. These target customers can make their own choices for themselves or their families.

On the contrary, B2B companies target other companies. To gain organizational or departmental buy-in, marketers often need to reach out to decision-makers with varying levels of authority.

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Don't assume that B2B marketing has to sound stiff or formal. Finally, B2B marketing collateral is often aimed at Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other influential decision makers.

But there's no rule that B2B content has to sound muted or not contain emojis. Instead, B2B content should use abrand voicethat matches the image and values ​​of your company. And remember, conversational content is almost always the best way to connect with the human decision-makers you're targeting.

Content-Tools

As a social media manager, you can access the same tools whether you work with a B2B or B2C company. However, some tools are much more valuable to B2B marketers because of the sales cycles and decision-making processes involved.

Some of theseB2B contentTools include the following:

• Lead magnets that encourage prospects to provide their contact information in exchange for a high-value asset. For example, you can offer case studies or white papers.
• Webinars and product demonstrations where potential customers need to register to access exclusive information or take a closer look at your product.
• Native lead forms that allow prospects to request more information about your products and services without leaving the social media platform.

Use cases for B2B social media marketing

Now you have an idea of ​​what B2B content looks like. But what are the most effective ways to use it? Before we dive into the B2B social media case studies, let's take a look at how to align this content with your sales funnel.

create awareness

Is your business new to the market or looking to expand your customer base? In any case, awareness of growth is essential.

With awareness-driven social content, you can introduce new products to your business. Plus, you can get your products and services on the radar of potential customers. Over time, you can highlight features and benefits so potential customers see the value your business offers.

Take a look at the ClickUp Facebook Ad above, which is great for brand awareness. The eye-catching creative uses a catchy tagline to tell potential customers exactly what the app does. The subheading lists three main aspects of the productivity app so people can immediately understand how it works.

The caption uses a CTA that encourages potential customers to use the app to increase productivity. And he closes the deal with a pretty impressive bottom line: the app can help you "save a day a week."

build up trust

Most B2B companies don't sell frivolous items. Instead, the products and services these companies offer can have a measurable impact on their customers, helping them work more efficiently, achieve better results, achieve higher goals, and grow their own business.

For this reason, building trust should be an important part of any B2B company's marketing strategy. You can use channels like Facebook and LinkedIn to share social proof, post thought leadership, and communicate your company values.

The above outreach Facebook promotion provides credibility with no issues. Creativity boldly confirms the company's status as an industry leader. The caption cites a well-known outside source to communicate the company's position in the industry and effectively build on existing trust.

The ad links to a third-party report that prospects can download to learn more about outreach. By offering this report in exchange for prospects' contact details, the company can start collecting and qualifying leads.

create wires

Once potential customers trust your business and understand what you offer, they may be ready to take the next step. By converting leads into qualified leads, you can nurture your relationship with more targeted content.

Social channels offer countless organic marketing opportunitiesleading generation. Finally, you can easily post links to lead magnets and webinars on your social profiles. But these channels are particularly effective at generating paid leads. For example, channels like LinkedIn and Facebook offer powerful native lead ads.

Above, IT Glue's Facebook ad provides a helpful checklist for prospective clients looking to automate IT processes. This simple lead magnet is great for helping potential customers solve a problem while learning more about the company.

The following announcement by Miva, Inc. on LinkedIn takes a similar approach. In exchange for prospective customer contact information, he offers a downloadable five-step assessment designed to guide people through troubleshooting.

converter leads

In many cases, you can use social media content to give prospects the final push from a qualified lead to a satisfied customer. Depending on the nature of your product or service, linking to a free trial, paid subscription, ecommerce site, or sales page can result in conversions.

If you want to convert prospects, you need to come up with creative ways to engage them. Free add-ons, limited-time offers, and volume discounts can encourage qualified leads to take that final step.

Above, Cardata's LinkedIn ad catches the eye of potential customers with a promise to streamline vehicle discount calculations. Both the copy and creative provide trustworthy social proof, and the CTA encourages potential customers to try the app.

Then Shopify's Facebook ad grabs the attention of potential customers with promises of helping them grow their business. The caption lists several features that ecommerce business owners are likely to need, and the creative guides them to get started with a free trial.

support customers

Once you convert customers, you can use social media to help them maximize the value of their purchase. It's a good idea to think beyond customer support and look for ways to help customers use your product or service more efficiently.

For example, you can share advanced tips to help customers get more out of your product or service, while also engaging potential customers. You can also talk about your loyalty program or highlight previous customers. These tactics allow you to give your customers the praise they deserve while also turning them into advocates for your business.

Above: Elementor's LinkedIn ad is aimed at people who are already familiar with the company's website builder. Introducing a new product allows the company to sell more to existing customers and deepen the relationship.

Want to know how real B2B companies have used these tactics on social media? Take a look at three B2B social media marketing case studies to get ideas for your own business strategy.

1. Athletics and profile golf

We worked together with Turface Athletics and Profile Golf, two brands under the Profile Products umbrellaElevation Marketingto address social media engagement for your B2B profiles. Look at what they have achieved.

Challenge

Both brands are well established in their respective niches. Turface Athletics offers sports court maintenance products and Profile Golf specializes in golf course maintenance solutions.

Despite their strong positions in their respective markets, both brands had low exposure on social media channels. While brands consistently published content across social media, they did so from a single company profile across a limited number of channels.

As a result, the B2B company struggled to raise awareness or attract attention from potential new customers. This meant they were not using social media marketing effectively or using available tools to successfully meet business goals.

Getting closer

First, the agency conducted market research to stay abreast of industry trends and competitor strategies. The agency also conducted a social media audit to review past performance and assess best practices for future brand positioning.

After the preliminary research and review phase, the agency determined that brands would benefit most from a large-scale social media strategy across major channels. The agency proposed compelling content planning that would appeal to the brands' target audience.

Additionally, the agency proposed creating a standalone brand presence for Turface Athletics and Profile Golf on Twitter and Facebook. This would allow the two brands to differentiate themselves, reach more relevant audiences, and (regularly) share or syndicate each other's content to increase reach and engagement.

The agency also designed an influencer marketing program to increase brands' presence on Instagram. Ideally, partnering with influencers would give brands access to more lifestyle photos and improve brand loyalty.

Result

Over a six-month period, both brands experienced impressive growth across all social media channels. The Turface Athletics Facebook page saw a 268% increase in engagement and a 44% increase in impressions, indicating the content really resonated with the target audience. The strategy also resulted in 74% more web visits, a significant increase in the brand's web traffic.

During the same period, the content of the new golf profile page on Facebook and on the Twitter profile generated around 35,000 impressions. It also generates a 253% increase in web visitors.

Finally, creating new B2B social profiles and gaining followers can be resource intensive. But this case study shows that creating content that really resonates can effectively build brands and achieve marketing goals.

2. Semrush

Semrush, a Software as a Service (SaaS) company specializing in search engine optimization (SEO) tools, collaboratedwalking sandto improve your presence on Twitter.

Challenge

As a long-established brand in the SEO space, Semrush has already had a presence on Twitter. However, the SaaS company has struggled to differentiate itself from its many competitors. As a result, brand awareness, product awareness, and conversions were not as high as they could be.

By partnering with Walker Sands, Semrush wanted to improve engagement and increase brand loyalty. The SaaS company also wanted to stand out from the competition.

Getting closer

First, the agency used a combination of social listening and competitive research to identify industry trends and understand how similar brands are using Twitter. Based on this research, the agency recommended that Semrush adjust its branding guidelines for this social channel and essentially create a separate, humor-focused persona for his Twitter profile.

To amplify this new brand voice, the agency developed Twitter content based on recurring product and industry themes. The agency balanced content promoting Semrush products with tweets that engaged the brand's audience of digital marketers.

In addition, the agency used social listening tools to monitor and participate in current events. This tactic allowed Semrush to participate in viral conversations and discuss relevant news in a timely manner, further increasing the brand's reach.

Result

Semrush saw results quickly. In the first month, the social media marketing plan generated over 250,000 impressions and almost 18,000 interactions. The interaction rate was over 7%, which shows how well the content resonated with the target group.

Despite finding itself in a crowded space with many established competitors, Semrush has managed to stand out on Twitter. As a result, Semrush improved brand sentiment and gained vote share.

3. Collective Data

Collective Data, a SaaS fleet management company, collaboratedto formto streamline your lead generation process and improve your lead conversion rate.

Challenge

The SaaS company wanted to expand its presence in a specific market and attract more qualified leads across the country. However, the activities of the marketing team did not necessarily match the ambitious goals of the sales team.

Getting closer

First, Sculpt worked with Collective Data to map buyer personas in the newly expanded marketplace. The agency also charted the customer journey to identify key points for targeting or remarketing to new audiences. To set goals, the agency set cost-per-lead and cost-per-demo targets for the company's campaigns.

To reach the company's target audience of law enforcement officials, the agency worked with Collective Data to create advertising campaigns on LinkedIn. The company focused on LinkedIn's native lead forms, which allow prospects to provide contact information without leaving the platform.

To get more value from their efforts, the agency launched paid search and pay-per-click (PPC) remarketing campaigns using Google Ads. The SaaS company also invested in conversational marketing tools to capture leads on other channels and move them through the sales funnel.

Result

As a result of these combined efforts, Collective Data achieved an 8-12% lead conversion rate in online advertising. Compared to previous methods of generating leads from SaaS companies, these efforts have reduced the average cost per lead by 70%. In addition to helping the B2B company expand into a new market, this result contributed to significant cost savings.

Aligning marketing and sales is not always easy. By clarifying customer personas and journey maps early on, and setting up complementary multi-channel campaigns, the agency has successfully partnered with Collective Data to improve leads and conversions.

Let's recap what we've learned about B2B social media marketing

From brand awareness to lead generation, these B2B social media case studies illustrate how companies can reach audiences and drive results through the right channels. Use these case studies and use cases to guide your team in developing an effective social media strategy for your B2B business or agency clients.