Social media has come a long way in terms of how people are using it. While people are still using it in a social way, there’s an increasing number of those that regularly use it for business purposes. And good news! This means you can make use out of social media platforms for B2B lead generation.
The next question I’m sure you’re asking is: “okay, so which social media platforms should I use for lead gen for my company?” That’s a completely fair and logical question because with so many different platform options, it can get confusing to figure out the best one for your target client.
In this blog post we’re going to dive into the different social media platforms and how they can help your B2B lead generation goals.
We’re starting with Facebook as a platform that you need to use for B2B lead generation because so many companies we’ve talked to don’t fully understand that this platform is a great tool for business growth. With over 2.45 billion people using Facebook every month, it’s easily the social media platform with the largest user base. And because it’s been around longer than other platforms, it’s had time to develop some of the best methods to collect leads on its platform.
Facebook also seems to be a favored social platform for businesses to advertise as there are 60 million business pages on Facebook. The app also has a low CPC (cost per click) rate which is the most suitable for businesses to target audiences to generate leads.
When you think about who uses Facebook, it’s highly likely that your target audience can be reached through this platform. And better yet - people use Facebook frequently after working hours, so you have a greater chance of reaching them more hours of the day. The average U.S. adult spends an average of 34 minutes per day on the platform, which racks up pretty quickly when you consider that 73% of U.S. Facebook users check the platform daily, and 93% use it weekly.
Ad campaigns that work great on Facebook:
Awareness campaigns that work to increase brand visibility and recognition for a custom or demographic audience
Retargeting lead generation campaign for an event or a free trial offer
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Next is the platform that is the most commonly discussed for B2B lead generation since people are really only using it for business purposes. While there are significantly less people on LinkedIn compared to Facebook, 45% of the users are in those upper-level positions that are vital in generating leads and making final decisions. LinkedIn has over 575 million users, with more than 260 million monthly active users. Of those users who are engaging with the platform monthly, 40% access it on a daily basis.
Aside from a more targeted audience on LinkedIn, the demographic targeting options along with several of their reports are what draw us into using it consistently. Being able to target by company name allows you to ensure you’re spending your budget on the most relevant targets. A reporting feature that we can’t get enough of is the Top 25 Engaged Companies list within the Campaign Manager. This not only allows you to see the most interested companies, but also helps continue to optimize campaign performance.
Ad campaigns that work great on LinkedIn:
Lead generation campaigns with Lead Gen forms - the notable conversion rate average for lead gen forms stands at 13%, while landing pages produce around an average of 2.35% in conversions (SproutSocial).
Custom audience campaign based on company name with demographic job title or seniority filters to reach decision makers at those companies
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We typically link Facebook and Instagram together since they are owned by the same company and you run ads from the same Business Manager, however for the purpose of this blog we’re separating them since they do have different demographics.
We think Instagram is an important part of a B2B lead generation campaign due to it having a highly engaging user base. Currently, Instagram has over 1 billion users and is considered to be 25% more engaging than other social media platforms. Instagram is valued by the use of humanizing your brand. You can add a personal touch and show followers and business leaders what happens behind-the-scenes, such as the use of pictures of the people working at your company.
Ad campaigns that work great on Instagram:
Brand awareness image and video campaign
Highlight customer testimonial or case study for social proof
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Other social media platforms to consider for B2B lead generation
Snapchat - There are over 188 million daily users with custom audience targeting along with lookalike and retargeting audiences
Youtube - Video lead generation is becoming necessary in lead generation. Furthermore, YouTube is the second most used search engine, with Google being the first.
Pinterest - with over 459 million monthly users, Pinterest is increasingly being used as a search engine, so you have the opportunity to provide quality content that your target audience is searching for. You can also use custom audiences to reach a specific group of people, such as current or lapsed customers
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