Social media has become a basic requirement for marketing communications programs. While B2B marketers may feel pressured to immediately be a part of popular communities and outlets, slapping Linked In and Facebook features on a web site and getting a few enthusiastic employees to tweet, isn’t a strategic way to begin participating. Many B2B marketers have jumped into social media with me-too tactics without thinking about strategic objectives and goals.

Although the hype is impossible to ignore, many B2B marketers are still trying to determine how to use social media to aid other established B2B communication channels. Researching and monitoring is an essential first step and can yield ongoing valuable information, (Download the Social Media & the Art of Listening White Paper PDF) but it’s not something that drives business and sales. In a recent Marketing Sherpa social media benchmark survey, marketers identified their two largest social media challenges in 2010 as:

1. Measuring and providing an ROI.
2. Converting followers, fans. etc. into paying customers.

Blogging and tweeting can increase traffic to your site but implementing those tactics isn’t a strategic marketing initiative. And increased site traffic isn’t a win unless it’s the audience you want to reach. Your social media strategy should give your audiences a reason to engage with you—and hopefully, eventually buy from you. 

Thinking Strategically About Social Media Marketing

1. Consider your product and audience.
What will your audience rally around? What are their passions or problems? Develop social strategies around your audiences’ interests.

2. Develop social media strategies with specific goals and metrics.
What are you trying to achieve? The ROI of social media programs can be easily measured, but you need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish.

3. Give prospects or customers a reason to engage with you (and eventually buy from you) on their terms. What makes you fan-worthy? Follow-worthy?

4. Don’t treat social media as standalone, free-form tactic.
Social media needs to be integrated into a B2B marketer’s plan with the same defined expectations and results as established marketing channels.

5. Use the social connection to establish thought leadership.
Social media gives audiences the opportunity to ask questions and start conversations. And it is in those conversations where B2B thought leadership can be established.

And never stop asking…

How will B2B social media marketing drive business?
Improved relationships and customer communications are great outcomes of social media initiatives. But as you explore the social media landscape, develop a B2B marketing strategy for turning followers and fans into leads and sales.