We’re often asked how we can make social media exciting when it’s B2B focused. It’s a challenge I relish. And if you get it right, it’s something that can be a powerful part of the marketing mix.
In the last of a wonderful series of webinars, The Marketing Meetup hosted Richard Cook, social media manager at Monzo Bank, to share his journey and practical tips to help smash social media.
Here’s a selection of the tips that resonated most with me. And a few examples of how these have worked for William Murray’s clients in food service:
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Compliant doesn’t have to mean boring…
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For a lot of companies, there can be strict guidelines on topics you can or cannot cover online, which can often mean the content you can post feels sterile or bland.
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Richard argues that boring topics don’t have to come across as uninspiring or dull, if they look like they were made by a person. Be creative and take on the challenge of switching up compliant content.
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At William Murray, we often cover topical legislation like Natasha’s Law, or about the recent calorie labelling laws. To make it digestible on our social channels, we break it down into multiple posts or bullet points – using graphics and bold stats to help get cut through.
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We also share regular updates on key relevant legislation with our clients, but we break the technical terminologies and lengthy information down into smaller touch points so that it’s digestible. We also help clients’ marketing teams deliver this content in a way that suits their audiences, in the forms of blogs, social media posts, webinars or videos.
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Be more creative than your competitors…
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User generated content can often provide the strongest content and set you apart from your competitors. Embracing it is important for the B2B space, however, compared to B2C it can be challenging for B2B businesses to get this type of content.
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It’s something that works well in foodservice – especially if you want to engage chefs. For Lactalis and Santa Maria we’ve invited chef partners to collaborate on content, and encourage followers to submit their favourite recipes, or challenge them to come up with new ideas, which is a great way to encourage them to post more about your business or products.
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Speak to customers in their own language…
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To make your customers connect with your content, find out if they’re super professional or laid back so that you can reflect their language.
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It’s key to tap into conversations that matter to your customers, so make sure you are keeping an eye out for things your customers are speaking out – like sporting events, seasonal dates, new trends etc.
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This is important for both B2C and B2C audiences, Richard notes that being every ‘B’ is a ‘C’.
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For the Norwegian Seafood Council, we cover campaigns for businesses and consumers on their social channels, and so it’s crucial that we use the right language for each. Check out the range of content we create here.
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React to what’s happening…
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See if you can hijack/tie in to/plan content around topics in the news that your business can relate to.
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We share weekly news updates with clients. And as well as planned, monthly content calendars proactively share opportunities to keep clients at the heart of the conversation.
We think Richard’s advice is great and really brings home how even if your industry isn’t the most interesting or doesn’t involve the most typically popular topics, there’s inspiration everywhere that can help you be more successful and reach a wider audience.
Check out the full video here to learn more about social media and see some visual examples that really brought the talk to life.
If you’re looking to vamp up your social media accounts and grab the attention of a wider B2B audience, do get in touch at enquiries@williammurray.co.uk, we’ve got the experience so let us help you achieve the results you want.
