Myth #1: Social Media is Only for B2C Companies
In the past, social media marketing tactics have been hyper-focused on B2C companies, citing the personal nature of social media as a way to engage directly and intimately with individual consumers. Since businesses use digital spaces for professional, not personal applications, the logic goes, they are not as invested in social media and need to be reached via more traditional marketing channels.
Myth #2: B2C Social Media Strategies Don’t Apply to B2B Companies
Similar marketing strategies, content, and platforms intrigue buyers at B2B companies and individual consumers alike. In fact, a recent study by Eccolo Media reported that B2B technology buyers found vendors through the same channels as B2C companies, with LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook proving the most important and Twitter, Vimeo, Tumblr, and SlideShare of slightly less interest.
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Myth #3: Social Media is Only about Lead Generation
While B2B technology buyers are most likely to use social media during the pre-sales and initial sales phase of a purchase, a full 25% say they use social media during the mid-sales phase of identifying solutions and considering vendors. Still others use it during the final sales phase of finalizing the vendor and purchasing the solution.
Myth #4: Social Media Doesn’t Have a Clear ROI
The end goal of B2B marketing – whether traditional or online – is to generate sales and grow revenue. Social media marketing is no different. Companies can easily calculate the ROI on social media marketing by comparing the revenue accumulated through social media leads to social media marketing costs. The reason so many B2B companies have difficulty tying their social media efforts to real numbers is because the tools they use to measure their social media effectiveness – which are usually designed for B2C marketers – focus too heavily on engagement metrics like clicks, comments and shares. Instead, utilize a social media analytics tool that ties to your entire lead generation strategy and measures the conversions that your posts and social campaigns generate. If you’re using a marketing automation platform and/or CRM, integrate them with your social tool so you get the most precise data possible. (Oktopost and Act-On integrate, which means marketers using them together can tell which leads were generated by which social posts.)
Myth #5: You Will Reveal Your Secrets to Competitors
Marketing is about staying one step ahead of your competitors by knowing what your customers really want – sometimes before they do.
The truth is, if your social media marketing strategy is working or your products are clicking with buyers, your competitors will likely try to imitate you. However, refusing to connect with potential buyers in an authentic way because you fear being impersonated is not productive. More than anything, a strong social media strategy that taps into your buyers’ current mindset with relevant content will be very dynamic, and cause your competitors to have far more to fear.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/brandviews/act-on/5-myths-of-social-media-marketing-01317150#24sD6TFc31cRfkZh.99