Posted by
Simon Collins
Social media is a powerful tool for B2B. But why take my word for it? Especially when the studies have been done, and the results are in. Discover these 15 eye-opening B2B social media statistics.
Social media for B2B marketing
Feel free to use these statistics to inform your B2B social media strategy, or share them for yourself on social media. Just don't forget to tag Articulate Marketing!
1. Social media reaches B2B decision-makers
84 percent of C-level and VP-level buyers are influenced by social media when purchasing according to IDG.
2. B2B buyers use social media for research
For higher-ups, social media is an essential resource to research B2B opportunities because it gives the social proof they need to make important purchases. B2B buyers love to do research before they buy. 55 percent of say they look for information on social media.
3. The majority of marketers use social media
No wonder marketers love social media. It’s the most popular B2B marketing tactic with 83 percent of marketers using it.
4. Social media bring in leads, fast
It’s also time efficient. With only six hours a week spent on social media, 66 percent of marketers found social media brought new leads. And, social selling is a key tactic for businesses, especially retailers looking to increase sales online.
5. The vast majority of B2B tech companies use social media
Social is key for B2B tech companies. 76 percent of B2B tech companies are using social media to drive results. That’s more than blogging, organic search, and paid search.
The best B2B social media platforms
Social media spans a number of platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So, let's dive into some stats about these platforms and how to use them as a B2B business.
6. LinkedIn is King for B2B marketing
Some channels work better than others. Not all social media networks will yield the same results. Statista findings show that marketers have found LinkedIn to be the most effective social media platform for B2B. 66 percent of them believed it to be effective with only 30 percent finding Facebook to be effective.
7. Most companies are on LinkedIn
B2B marketers everywhere use LinkedIn. Nine out of ten B2B companies are using it.
8. Most B2B buyers are on LinkedIn
More than half of B2B buyers have used LinkedIn to help them make a purchasing decision over the past year. It’s the go-to social media platform for B2B buyers. Indeed, the more influence a buyer has, the more likely they are to use social media.
9. Instagram is a rising star
Instagram is on the rise. Two out of three marketers saying they plan to boost their organic usage in the next year. However, it remains stronger for B2C (72 percent) than B2B (57 percent).
10. YouTube is a potential route to success
11. Video is a valuable tool for social media
12. Don't forget about Facebook
How to use social media well
Optimise, optimise, optimise. Here are some statistics on how to make the most of your social media.
13. Don't think it's easy
49 percent of B2B marketers consider it the hardest tactic to generate leads from. It’s important to have the right social media strategy in place. Ideally, get guidance from those in the know.
14. Use images to increase engagement
Images are important to drive engagement. This probably isn’t news to you. However, a LinkedIn study of its own platform found images increase user comment rate by 98 percent.
15. Track your results (if you can)
The ROI on social media is hard to track. Only 10 percent of marketers found that they could effectively track their results on social media. (Using a platform like HubSpot can really help!)
Social media statistics to guide your strategy
These statistics reveal the importance of content sharing and engagement on social media for B2B tech businesses. But they also show that getting results isn’t straightforward. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone. Here’s our guide to doing social media the right way.
