AN APPETITE FOR SOCIAL
March 2, 2018
In 2015, millennials surpassed gen-Xers as the largest generation in the US labor force1, and in 2016 millennials comprised 20% of business leadership roles in more than 20 countries2. What’s more, 73% of millennials are involved in decisions to purchase products for their companies3. As heavy users of social media, 85% of millennials use these channels to research new products and services for their companies4. As such, today’s B2B brands are wise to leverage the same social tools B2C brands have long used to enhance their relationships with brand advocates and new customers. And for foodservice brands in particular, social media has the power to reach a new generation of connected decision-makers. From increasing exposure and providing customer service to supporting your marketing and sales plans, a smart social media strategy can give your brand visibility on platforms that matter to emerging leaders and targets.
Sales & Marketing Support
Social media offers cost-effective methods for creating awareness and has potential as a significant driver of website traffic. If your brand regularly publishes content, then a social media strategy can increase its visibility. In fact, 92% of B2B content marketers are using social media to distribute their content5. Paired with paid media, brands can: effectively and efficiently target new audiences; retarget website visitors; and even advertise to known customers from existing customer lists. Integrating social media platforms with CRM or marketing automation tools allows businesses to turn engaged members of their audience into prospective customers they can guide towards a final sale.
Optimizing Web Presence
If you want to optimize where your brand or products rank in keyword search results, social media can be part of the solution. Having a presence on social media factors into SEO, and social signals correlate with a company’s ranking position. Google treats Facebook and Twitter pages like web pages for search. This may not boost the ranking of your website, but if these pages appear in the search results your company is still represented. Additionally, sharing links to your original content on social media increases its reach and likelihood that others will link out to your website. These backlinks benefit your search ranking.
Providing Customer Service
Visibility on social media creates even more transparency and open communication with your customers. Users can leave public reviews or send private messages, giving businesses the opportunity to leverage positive feedback and immediately address the negative. According to Podium, 93% of customers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. Monitoring these reviews on social media gives you an opportunity to have a voice in the interaction.
Connecting with Prospective Hires
It’s a little more difficult to experience instant results here, but acquiring top talent is an objective for all successful organizations. Younger generations in particular want to know more than the basic details of your business and use social media to understand your company values and culture. Building this side of your brand on social media can help attract like minded professionals.
In foodservice, we live in a highly fragmented world that often feels like a small world. And while it’s unlikely that you’ll reach hundreds of thousands of followers, a smart social strategy will help you connect with up-and-coming decision makers where quality connections outweigh quantity.
1 PEW Research Center 2015
2 Forbes 2018
3, 5 Millennial B2B Report, 2017, Merit, Inc.
4 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends – North America, 2018, Content Marketing Institute
