Social Media and B2B are at odds. So far, companies have only used social media successfully for two purposes: product placement, mostly for impulse shopping, and presenting themselves as attractive employers. I consider both of these to fall under the B2C category.
Social Media positioning in the B2B sector have so far shown little success. I often hear that B2B on social media is the next big thing, but I have yet to see any real evidence.
This has to do with the two strongest drivers of social media. The first is instant gratification. It is reflected in “likes” as the new currency. The second is endless distraction, as in the addictive potential of infinite scrolling.
Neither aligns well with B2B. This is why Social Media and B2B do not match. Suppliers are not chosen based on instant gratification, but rather through conscious and thoughtful evaluation. Constant distraction is not a good environment for thoughtful evaluation.
For now, social media remains useful to companies primarily as an extended business card and a canvas for showcasing their presence, offerings, and reputation. That’s not quite B2B, but at least it provides some small support for sales.
Good communication consulting takes into account both the possibilities and the limitations of different channels.
(More on this in my LinkedIn posts: linkedin.com/in/dr-thilo-goodall-rathert-6b975012b)