Why B2B Manufacturing should focus on Social Media Engagement

Moses Gomes, Digital marketing Expert

Social Media for B2B Manufacturing Industry

Moses Gomes


Future of Search Engine

• Early this year Google announced launch of Humming Bird (HB) search engine

• This algorithm changes how Google interprets search and factors that drive rankings

• Social shares are important in rankings now• HB Values quality content that is relevant,

authoritative and shareable

Difference between SEO & SMO

Search Engine Optimization• SEO strategies aim to bring more

people to website by improving your search rankings

• SEO helps to generate just enquiries

• SEO focuses on more backlinks to website for ranking of keywords

• Doesn’t offer organic social reviews for word of mouth marketing

• In future SEO might not work, since most search engines are changing their algorithms, will impact search ranking.

Social Media Optimization• SMO is carving out presence and

reputation for business on interactive social networks.

• SMO help to strengthen brand and boost visibility, thereby generating new clients and increasing sales

• SMO helps to cut through all the noise on search engine and reach target market in a meaningful way

• Offers social reviews for word – of – mouth publicity

• Since SMO depends on users, algorithm doesn’t have any impact on ranking


Why should B2B focus on Social Media?

• Helps to identify clients, based on profiles• Helps to initiate initial discussion with the client• B2B sales process involves lot of different

stakeholders, like commercial head, QA and purchase managers. SM helps them, to learn more about YOU and how YOUR strengths align with their requirements

• Average sales cycle is long and SM helps to be in touch with stakeholders during this process to influence their decision

B2B vs. B2C Social Media Strategies

B2B Marketing• Relationship Driven• Small, but focused market• Longer sales cycle as

customization is involved• Educational awareness

required for conversion• Buying decision is based on

rational mindset• Experiences high frequency

of repeat orders

B2C Marketing• Product Driven• Large target market• Single step buying cycle,

impulsive buying• Point of purchase and visual

display is important• Buying decision is

emotional• Cannot ascertain repeat

order frequency

Methods Used for B2B Social Media Marketing


Present Social Media Strategy of B2B

• Most B2B manufacturers lack genuine human element in social media engagement.

• Lack of human or real people makes B2B social media engagement boring for followers / visitors / customers as its like talking to robots.

• This makes it essential for the B2B Brand to humanize the brand on social media & content marketing.


B2B Social Media Problems• Most B2B manufacturer hire someone who is experienced

in their specialty but not expert at social media • Though it is important but, having a social media expert

who can engage with probable customers, through updates and manage irritated customers through offline engagement can change the perception towards the brand.

• In today’s economy its hard to get new customers, so pitching to existing customers and engaging with them will help to earn leads and spread word or mouth publicity about openness of organization


B2B Social Media Problems cont..• B2B Manufacturing brands engage on social media

with the objective of LEADS, rather than ENGAGEMENT

• The problem is – Leads never come first, engagement and dialogue comes

first, leads are just by product of engagement– Usually B2B focus on LEADS since they never think about

innovative angle to promote their brand or products. If they can come with new ideas which would change the boring angle to unboring one, can help in engagement

– First of all, company should aim for presence.


How Social Media can help B2B

• Manufacturers should use social media as an opportunity to solicit ideas and engage in dialogues. Find out from customers how to improve a product, or get input from engineers on how to tweak designs.

• Only those companies that have aligned social media with their core business plans and expansion goals will see the rewards from becoming a social media business.

• B2B social business will take place – in large part – on global professional networks such as LinkedIn


Maersk case studyCompany Background: Maersk is a Danish shipping company that started marketing on social media in 2011 with initial goals to understand market insights for increasing brand awareness and offer better customer service.Campaign: After gaining insights about market, in 2012, Maersk decided to launch campaign to convert their followers to leads. Over the period, the company had identified channels to engage and content for building story. The company understood that communication would largely involve through pictures. The Story: It is very difficult for many shipping companies to arrive to the Port of St. Petersburg on time when the Baltic Sea freezes over every year. This is Maersk’s selling point – their line is adept at navigating these icy waters. The Maersk social media team tried a layered approach. First, they hooked their audience with intense photos of their cargo and ships intensely iced


Maersk case study – contd..• Then, within the copy, they linked to an article that solves

a common problem their community faces• How shipping companies can battle the freeze during the

winter months. • Within the article, followers can download a brochure

about their anti-freeze services. • Each ‘download’ instantly became a lead in their system

and a local sales team would be notified.• The Maersk campaign was able to collect 150 unique leads,

which is considered a substantial amount for their industry.


Social Media Channels for B2B


Implement Social Media Policy

• Implement Social media do’s and don'ts policy for internal and external communications

• Policy should align with company vision to engage with stakeholders

• Involve employees to engage with stakeholders on social media for dialogue


• LinkedIn is undoubtedly the best social network for creating B2B connections.

• Marketers should create a business profile and a LinkedIn company page, and also create and join LinkedIn groups.

• 91% of B2B marketers use the social network and most of them believe in its efficacy.

For B2B


• B2B marketers rank YouTube as the second most effective social network after LinkedIn. This is not surprising considering that YouTube gets over 1 billion unique visits every month.

• YouTube lets manufacturing companies tell the story behind their brand and provide educational industry content in a video format.

• The videos posted should include anything from how-to videos, product introductory videos, or product feature videos.

Channel for Product Training


• Facebook is more laid back than LinkedIn, and it principally favors consumer oriented relationships.

• Manufacturers can still create meaningful connections on Facebook. Manufacturers in this case have to create a company profile on Facebook with an aim of gaining ‘likes’, and to grow their fan base.

• On Facebook, as a manufacturer, you don’t have to share everything with the consumers. Instead, focus on more positive brand-solidifying messages.

• This should be accompanied by plenty of product photos, posts, graphs and videos. Set up sharing competitions etc. and watch as your fans act as your brand ambassadors.

For B2B


• Social networks work best as a two-way conversation, because they will allow you to share your company’s content and gain customers’ feedback.

• Linkedin and Facebook are the most active social networks.

• Product forums also offer invaluable insight from customers on their biggest concerns.

For Product Development

360⁰ Marketing Strategy


Social media should complement other marketing channels

• Jay Baer insists that ‘content is fire, and social media its fuel’.

• Most businesses now share or engage in some form of content marketing. Content curation increases the likelihood that consumers will consume your content.

• And sharing the content you’ve curated on your social channels will give a manufacturing company an added marketing advantage over the competition.

• Social media marketing flawlessly integrates with other inbound marketing methods including e-newsletters and blogging.


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Moses Gomes

https://twitter.com/inspectordhola

http://www.mosesgomesblogs.blogspot.in/

http://www.slideshare.net/gomesrelations

https://in.linkedin.com/in/mosesgomes

http://www.facebook.com/moses.gomes

http://www.quora.com/Moses-Gomes

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Engineering

Why B2B Manufacturing should focus on Social Media Engagement