5 Reasons Why B2B companies need social media

Today the business strives to use new media to its advantage. The largest companies have already ​​declard about themselves on such social platforms as Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte or LinkedIn, created their corporate video channels on YouTube. But business owners are still skeptical whether social networks are effective for the B2B sector or the existence of a corporate page on the social networks is mandatory only for companies in B2C segment and major brands. Let’s try to look into this issue – whether Digital PR is effective for B2B companies.

So, there 5 reasons why B2B companies need activity in social media and why today the corporate site alone is not enough:

• Sites of B2B companies often look like the brochure: beautiful pages with lots of text and without the possibility of dialogue with potential customers. In social networks, there are all opportunities to communicate with the audience and get feedbacks. . • The decision to become a client of this or that company is taken not by companies, but by real people. The most of them created accounts in social media long ago - networks, blogs and forums. To reach potential customers one needs to use this channel and be active there. On practice, today it is much easier and faster to get in touch with a representative of a potential client being his friend on Facebook, than by  traditional methods - by writing via e-mail or phone call.

• Before making a decision in favor of collaborating with company, more and more potential customers are already exploring not only the information on the site and in the Internet, but also are looking for a company in social networks. The absence of company in social networks may be one of the drawbacks and barriers for further search of the contact.

• Besides the ability to get a new customer, the active platform in social networks can increase the traffic to the corporate website.

• If your platform in the social media is attractive and content is regularly updated there - it will stand out from the competitor’s ones, as many competitors have not yet made decision to act in the new media. As long as they think and doubt - you can already be there and attract new audience!

Now we shall get to the main subject of the article - what are the similarities and differences between the objectives pursued by companies in B2C and B2B in social media? So, the plan of B2C communications is to use the tools of social media to convey a marketing message directly to the consumer. Interaction occurs between the business and the end users of the product.

In the case of B2B companies there is an additional recipient of your message: a responsible manager - a businessman or executive who has the authority to make decisions (he/she – is the actual target audience for B2B-communications) . But do not forget that the "responsible manager" in fact is a part of the community of the end-users. Therefore, the ultimate goal is achieved throughout the formation of the content and the balanced information in terms of marketing information and entertaining one.

"Today, you won’t succeed on the B2B market in selling complex products without social networking. After all, social media solves the image- reputation issues - information about your company should be distributed and available in all search channels and social networks with no exception. The existence of pages in social networks is, at least, the confirmation of the up-to-dateness of the company, its openness and mobility" - says Rouslana Plis, a managing partner of Publicity Creating. The portfolio of Publicity Creating lists more than 10 successful projects in social media, implemented for customers working in the B2B sector, among them: Alba Ukraine, Knauf Ukraine, LEACOND, MIROPLAST, the Ukrainian Postal Service.

Solving customers' strategic objectives, PR specialists use various methods and instruments. The newest technique is to integrate the online and offline format - for example, live broadcast from the venue, conducting on-line reportages from the corporate events and trips. Among the most recent examples - is online coverage of the incentive tour of LEACOND (official distributor of DAIKIN corporation), which brought together the best partners of the company – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=531955366881911&set=a.289223687821748.68697.100404080037044&type=1

In addition, the use of such methods as surveys, contests, photo album creation, layout and distribution of own video infographics may engage the audience, keep it on the page, increase brand awareness and strengthen the loyalty of the audience.

. Summarizing, we can state that in case of competent approach in terms of creating and filling a page or group in social media – it is possible to meet certain brand, reputation, information and even marketing challenges for companies operating in the "business to business" segment.

On the other hand, the task is not easy, so it is recommended to seek effective solutions by contacting the professional PR agencies that will analyze your company's business and offer a customized solution of social media issue.