53% of B2B companies using social media are not using it to generate demand [Infographic]
Since 2008, social media marketing has transformed everything we used to know about creating awareness and generating leads. Gone are the days of “push” marketing. Today it is all about “pull” or “peer-peer” marketing. We see consumer package brands promoted on social sites like Facebook and Pinterest all the time. Sure, it makes sense to promote and sell consumer goods to consumers hanging out in these social communities, but what about B2B companies that need to generate demand and quality leads without wasting valuable resources?
B2B marketing is a long haul. It’s a relationship game, not a product game, and this is where the proper implementation of a strategic B2B social media plan is essential for cultivating the right communities, engaging with channel partners and resellers, and generating demand for B2B products and services.
Eloqua (the B2B marketing automation folks) recently published a fantastic infographic that illustrates many useful insights on how B2B companies are using social media to expand their markets and connect with customers. It also shows that the B2B sector is still behind in adopting business focused social marketing strategies to help nurture leads.
The Top 5 B2B Social Media Marketing Highlights:
- 64% of B2B companies use social media marketing in some form
- 83% of them use social media to create awareness for the company/brand
- 53% of the B2B companies using social media are not using it to generate demand… [yikes!!]
- 43% are operating with no strategy… [read: throwing spaghetti at the wall]
- 80% are using Facebook for demand generation… [say again?!?]
The biggest eye-opener: 53% of B2B companies that are using social media are not using it to generate demand! One can only assume that the 64% of B2B firms that are engaged in social media marketing activities are still getting their feet wet and do not fully understand what they have a hold of.
The second biggest eye-opener: 80% are using Facebook to generate demand! LinkedIn is known as THE social platform for business people, and it is three times more effective at generating demand than Facebook or Twitter. So why then, are B2Bs using Facebook to generate demand? Read bullet number four. There’s your answer. Now imagine fishing for rainbow trout in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… in a dingy.
Have any insights or experiences about how B2B companies are using social media marketing? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter (@SterlingKlor).
