B2Bs & social media: Where we’re at
Social Media Reality-check
AdAge recently reported:
Stage 1: Get your website together
Key components: WordPress, themes, usability & identifying with your audience
Tools: Keywords (Google Keyword tool) and use them in the right places (titles, meta & content)
Remember: Search is increasingly becoming more about social (Google Alerts)
Stage 2: Blog & email
Key components: Blogs enable you to demonstrate thought-leadership, brand personality; brand all of your experts as experts, not just the CEO
Tools: Editorial Calendars should include trade shows, industry news, client questions, processes; make it multimedia; leverage blog to feed email
Remember: B2B = P2P -> people want to interact with other humans, blogs & social make it possible, changing the way businesses interact forever
Stage 3: Social integration: Optimize profiles & content for you & team
Key components: Reserve brand profiles across platforms, determine which social platforms make sense, based on your audience
Tools: LinkedIn use verify leads, connect, community; Twitter enables fast engagement, use hashtags, SlideShare = decision-makers; YouTube #2 search engine; Wikis, PitchEngine/HARO, Zemanta, Podcasts, Meetup, Facebook, Pinterest, Quora, Google+ (too many to bold)
Remember: You don’t have to be everywhere, so focus on your audiences and where they are
Stage 4: Measure & refine
Key components: Know what’s working & what’s not: Refine & adjust
Tools: Facebook Insights, Bit.ly, Klout, Google Analytics
Remember: You won’t know until you try & each brand is unique (or should be), so there’s no 1 size fits all
Designated Editor is working on “B2B New Media Success Guide” eBook & would love to feature your tips. Please share in the comments & be sure to comment on anything we’ve overlooked.
Many thanks to Swissnex Boston and the Cambridge Innovation Center, looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Here’s to helping B2Bs succeed via new media!