When you think of social media, do you think of running Facebook contests and videos of cats playing Patty Cake? Think again. Your B2B customers are increasingly using social media to gather product information and short list vendors.
This presentation covers 1) How B2B customers behave differently than their consumer counterparts, 2) How to develop and orchestrate an editorial plan to reach your B2B audience, 3) Recruiting your social media ambassadors, 4) The importance of Search Engine Optimization 5) Measuring the Share of Conversation.
Alex Flagg Manager, Social Media and Digital Content Enablement HP Enterprise Segment Marketing In HP’s Worldwide Enterprise Segment, Alex leads a unique organization dedicated to increasing HP’s influence and participation in key B2B conversations with customers through social media channels. Alex is a dynamic B2B marketer with more than 18 years experience leading teams and running strategic marketing programs for HP, Sun, Microsoft, and AT&T. In his advertising career, Alex was among the first to buy online media in 1995 and helped shape the industry by proposing the first Internet advertising standards. Alex has a deep understanding of how to create engaging B2B editorial content, how to leverage social media to maximize content reach and how to utilize search engine optimization to ensure content find-ability and relevance.
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• 81% of customers say digital content improves likelihood of vendor making short-list for purchases
• 76% say digital self service shortens sales cycle, many by up to 35%
• Customers say they have doubled importance of digital info sources from a year ago and will double again
Sources: Marketing Leadership Council, IDG Digital Content Study, July 2010
B2B customers are engaged in digital Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers’ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011. Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers’ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011.
Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers‟ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011.
Why do business decision-makers participate?
Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers‟ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011.
Social Media channels becoming more influential
Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers‟ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011.
…but traditional / WoM is still the tops
• #1 Web sites
• #2 Colleagues within your organization
• #3 In-person trade shows, events or conferences
• #4 Vendor salespeople
“Across all stages of the technology initiative, which of the following information sources influence your purchase decision process”
Forrester Research, Inc., The Who And How Of Influencing Customers‟ IT Decisions, August 25, 2011.
So what can you hope to accomplish through your B2B social media strategy?
A million friends and followers?
Engagement?
Leads?
Sales?
B2C Social Media Strategies
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Consumers
Syndication through social
channels
Community Creation,
Publishing & Management
Strategy
•Build communities
• Influence perceptions
•Drive sales
• Lower support costs
Metrics
•Community members / engagement
•Positive reviews / net sentiment
•Revenue
•Support calls saved
B2B Social Media Influencer Strategy
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B2B customers
Industry Influencers
Social Channels
Subject matter experts engaged
in HP communities
Strategy
• Influence perceptions / Word of Mouth
• Provide answers /shorten buy cycle
• Build communities
• Lower support costs
Metrics
• Share of Conversation/ Influence
• SEO traffic / blog links
• Community members / engagement
• Support calls saved
Required for success – organizational support
Social Media Enablement • Training Subject Matter
Experts to engage, use tools and platforms
Organizational Commitment • Social Media Manager • Support from key execs • Willingness of Subject Matter Experts to make
time
Content Enablement • Content creation &
editorial support • Listening/trend reporting
16 16
Key activity – leverage your people
Recruit
Who: Content team writers, bloggers, Industry comms leads, Portfolio/service line comms leads, fellows
Train
What: Provide training webinars and session on blogging policies, best practices, and content creation tips.
Enable
Where: Dissiminate intelligence about where SoMe conversations are taking place, links to blogs, COE Resources, cross-EB aliases and internal groups
Orchestrating your ambassadors
Social Media Listening
Media Coverage
SEO/SEM
Key Messaging
CIO Agenda
Market Intelligence
BU NPIs, Launches, Events
Relevant Content
Competitive Response
– Orchestrates content across Web, social media, eMail
– Align with solutions/BU‟s
– Managed by editor in chief
– Flexible to respond „instantly‟ to input from listening tools