This document discusses how B2B marketing budgets have traditionally focused on short-term lead generation like trade shows, but that social media provides opportunities for more effective long-term engagement. It notes that while social media was once seen as only for consumer brands, the majority of B2B marketers now use platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to distribute content. Word-of-mouth and social media influence B2B purchase decisions more than salespeople, and buyers conduct significant online research before contacting vendors. The document advocates developing content strategies for social media that include creating shareable content, integrating lead capture, appointing social media champions, targeting influencers, and reallocating funds from short-term activities to social and
12. Your audiences are social
100%
90%
91%
80%
70%
70%
60%
59%
50% 55%
58% 48%
40% 43%
37%
30%
20% 24%
20%
10% 17%
0% 5%
CREATORS CRITICS COLLECTORS JOINERS SPEC TATORS INACTIVES
B2B BUYERS US ONLINE ADULTS
SOURCE: FORRESTER RESEARCH
13. And if they’re not, their
influencers are
CEO
INFLUENCER INFLUENCER INFLUENCER
SOCIAL
14. 87%
OF B2B BUYERS ARE ACTIVELY
USING SUPPLIER-PRODUCED
CONTENT & SOCIAL MEDIA IN
ORDER TO SPEED UP THEIR
PURCHASING DECISIONS.
Lead Creation, Australia’s Social Media Presence 2012
15. 93%
OF BUSINESS BUYERS BELIEVE ALL
COMPANIES SHOULD HAVE A
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. THE
INTERNET IS THE C-SUITE’S TOP
INFORMATION RESOURCE
(74% OF C-LEVEL EXECUTIVES SAY IT’S VERY VALUABLE)
48. WHERE DO YOUR AUDIENCES LIVE?
THINK CONTEXT
WHAT CONTENT IS APPROPRIATE FOR
WHICH CHANNEL?
YOUR WEBSITE
(AND MOBILE SITE) IS STILL VITALLY
IMPORTANT.