Illustration of a mobile device with message, comment and chat clouds surrounding it to demonstrate community and communication

How to build your tribe and create a social community

Posted by Sophie Mcleman
Speed Reading Mode

Marketers love social media (ooh, especially the political infighting and cat gifs). In fact, 83 percent of them do, making creating a social community a primary tactic for B2B marketing.

So, why is it that many B2B companies have such shocking social media channels? It’s harder for B2B companies to stand out on social media, that much is true.  But, too many attempt to master the numbers game, creating a quantity over quality mindset. Only, it’s not a game. There’s no one winner at the end…there is no end!

All too often we see companies following – intentionally or not – a ‘keep the lights on’ approach to their social media. This is not a good use of what can be an extremely effective way to interact with prospective clients in real-time.

Good news: you can build a tribe, become an authority and create a social community. You simply need a clear strategy and to adopt simple, but effective, habits. These will put you on the path to social success.

You do have content, right?

If content is the hero, social media is the powerful sidekick. A social media strategy without a content strategy is like bread without butter, wine without cheese, avocado without toast… (We could go on, but now we’re starving.)

Your content is your foundation. From there, you can share it across all social media channels and build upon it to create new content. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. An e-book can generate multiple blog posts, social media updates, and even a video or podcast.

An audience sees regular content and information that links to other posts or more high-value pages – this consistency builds confidence, trust and integrity in the brand. 

The value of engagement

76 percent of B2B tech companies are using social media to drive results. That’s more than blogging, paid and organic search. It’s time to stand out. 

There is no community without engagement. It doesn’t happen simply by posting on Twitter here and updating LinkedIn there –again, this is the ‘lights on’ approach. Engagement is about leveraging the ability to create a dialogue with the audience. With an open channel of communication, you can encourage brand loyalty. Key ways to drive engagement include:

  • Using high-quality images
  • Talking about topics, not just the brand
  • Sharing relevant content
  • Using hashtags
  • Posting consistently
  • Responding to the audience

Engagement builds brand awareness, extends the marketing reach and it also offers social proof for your business. If someone visiting a social media site sees a high level of activity from their audience, they’re likely to want to know more. It also increases the likelihood of encouraging brand evangelists into the fold.

What’s that? A brand evangelist is someone who believes in a brand so much so that they actively promote it. We have a few. And, this takes us nicely into the world of influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing

With over 40 percent of the world’s population on social media, it’s important to take advantage of your ability to reach the right audience. Lately, we’ve seen the influencer marketing model thrive. The industry is set to be worth £10 billion in 2020.

Influencer marketing is a version of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product/service mentions from influencers. These are people who have a dedicated social media following and are seen as experts within their field.

Influencers have built a huge amount of trust with their audience. A nod from one of them delivers social proof to prospective clients for a business. 89 percent of millennials trust recommendations from their friends and family more than claims by a brand.

There is no magic formula for social media success. You probably know that. But, there is a way to create a really effective social media for business strategy that – with a little time and patience – can build a community of like-minded people, prospects and exciting growth opportunities.

Your social media strategy goes beyond what can be measured. It will allow you to develop an entire community around your business. Your tribe will support you, encourage you and safeguard you if things don’t quite go to plan, helping you turn your tumbles into triumphs.

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