B2B social media content is one of the hardest things for companies to get right. In this post, we look at the most effective types of content for taking your social strategy to the next level.
In the simplest of terms, B2B social media content is the “stuff” businesses post on social platforms like Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram – and yes, even TikTok. If you’re here, you’re probably wondering what exactly that “stuff” is, which “stuff” your company should be doing, and how your company can create “stuff” that’s authentic and doesn’t look like you’re trying too hard.
Yes, B2B Businesses Should Care About Social Media
Social media offers your buyers a deeper and more personal look into your business, your employees, and the values you hold. Done effectively, social content can increase brand awareness, amplify your sales and marketing strategy, and help you reach markets that may never hear of your business otherwise. In fact, more than 70% of B2B marketers who’ve been using social media for the last 12 months reported that it helped them improve sales.
But B2B social media content is a broad category – there’s almost limitless potential in terms of what could be shared. Industry knowledge. Company videos. Upcoming events. Customer testimonials. With so many options, it’s hard for a business to figure out where to start.
That’s why we put together a list – a big list, admittedly – but one that you can digest and work through to find the types of B2B content that fit your social strategy best. Let’s dig in!
21 Best Types of B2B Content for Social Media
- A “Behind the Scenes” Look
- Company Events
- Relatable Content
- Employee Spotlight
- Interact, Interact, Interact
- Video Content
- Infographics
- FAQs
- Get Involved in Your Community
- Great Reviews
- Promotions & Hiring Opportunities
- Accomplishments
- Holidays
- Company History
- Industry Updates
- Podcasts
- Best Practices (Including “Why”)
- Discount Offerings
- Blogs
- UGC (don’t do all the work!)
- Case Studies
#1. A “Behind the Scenes” Look
Your clients see products posted every day. By taking a different approach, your company might differentiate itself from competitors. Some examples include:
- Product creation
- A strategy meeting
- Workplace culture events
- A “day in the life” of a team member
People want to invest in other people, not companies. This is the time to show some personality and the authentic process of how you get from A to B.
#2. Company Events
The next time your company hosts a family BBQ, participates in a trade show, or goes golfing, take pictures.
As said before, authenticity is everything. Whether that be something casual like a team-building event or something more reputable, your clients will build trust through these genuine moments.
Content like this is perfectly appropriate for all forms of social media. Whether you’re on Instagram or LinkedIn, posts about the company and the people in the company are something to share.
#3. Relatable Content
You know how comfortable you feel around family friends? That’s how clients want to feel when they work with your company. Yes, professionalism is very important, but sometimes relatability gets lost in the process.
So, what does this social media content look like?
- Gifs (funny animated image)
- Reposts on community events
- Story posts on funny work moments
This type of content works best on the story feature of Instagram and Facebook or through replies back on posts. On the story feature, the image or repost is active for 24 hours, then will disappear. This can show the humanity of the company while maintaining a strong professional reputation.
See how Pfizer takes this approach here.
#4. Employee Spotlight
Employee spotlights show that employees are valuable and important to the company.
Through this form of content, corporate branding will improve and corporate image will strengthen. Potential clients want to see that employees are happy and believe in the company they are working for. Content like this looks like:
- Spotlights during heritage months
- Employee quotes
- Spotlight on an employee of the month (what they did, why they’re great, etc)
- Volunteer work
Your employees are your company’s biggest assets and cheerleaders. Sharing content about their triumphs and recognizing them is a great way to increase engagement on social media.
Check out here how Google spotlights their employees (bonus points for using videos!)
#5. Interact, Interact, Interact
Interactive content is what keeps your followers engaged.
This content will increase engagement numbers because it allows for followers to connect on a personal level. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media, interactive content catches their attention and forces them to think. When people have to think and get involved, the content is easier for them to remember.
This social media content looks like polls, questions, quizzes and invitations for followers to comment on their opinions. Not only is this beneficial to followers, but it also lets you know more about your clients, thus allowing for better service. Want to know some problems your clients are facing? Throw a poll out on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram Stories. Knowing this information gives your company a leg up and a headstart on finding solutions.
Finally, this type of content makes your brand stand out from the competition. Interactive content takes your information to a new level and gives your clients something to take interest in. Many B2B companies don’t use this form of content, so those who do become more memorable, and the brand is associated with producing good content.
#6. Video Content
Creating video content is the best way to grow in your online social media presence and reach more people.
If you hop on to any social media platform, you will see videos. People want videos more than they want to read text content or pictures. The great thing about videos is that they can simplify information in a way that the viewer can both understand and remember. Some examples of video content include:
- Tutorials (how to do this)
- Behind the scenes (instead of taking photos, record moments)
- Explainer videos (this is what the product does)
- Tips & tricks
Check out how Hubspot uses and thrives off of Instagram Reel video content.
So, why are videos so important?
Videos typically have a longer shelf-life than other forms of content. Because posting videos creates more engagement and interactions (keeping people on the social media platform of choice for longer), the platform typically rewards videos by keeping them on the surface for longer. Videos can also be repurposed into other types of content, which increases your return on investment.
#7. Infographics
Infographics show data or information in an easy-to-read graphic.
Some B2B concepts can be harder to grasp than others. This is where infographics can come to play and make a huge difference in the explanation of information.
You wouldn’t want to miss out on a potential client because they didn’t understand your product, right? Here are some ways you can use infographics:
- Explain a concept or process
- Clearly lay out data
- Show the state of the industry
- List benefits of your offering
#8. FAQs
If people are asking you (or your industry in general) the same questions over and over… and over… then it’s a good idea to answer these questions in one central place.
Posting content on FAQs not only improves the user experience but also saves your business time on answering those questions repeatedly.
The best way to implement this content is by adding a link to FAQs in your bio on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Another option is posting FAQs one at a time and adding it to your Story Highlights on Instagram. These FAQs can even be designed in an infographic type format! The more accessible this content is, the better.
#9. Get Involved in Your Community
The best businesses are those that value community and giving back.
Your clients are interested in seeing the values that your company holds. Whether this be charities you support or organizations you volunteer for, your clients want to see that you care.
Let us be clear: This is not about how much money you donate. If anything, highlighting monetary donations will decrease client respect and trust. Giving time or showing support is much better than writing a check and posting about it.
Some examples of this content include:
- Employee volunteer outing
- Showing support for nonprofits
- Reposting events for nonprofits your business supports
- Pledging to match donations for charitable causes
#10. Great Reviews
Just got a great review about your product or service?
This is your opportunity to share with your clients and potential clients quotes from other happy customers. Create a nice text-based image that quotes the review and share it across your profiles. In some ways, providing this “proof” could be the push that someone needs to sign up or get started with your business.
Client testimonials are so effective because they come off as unbiased and help to create trust between clients and the company. This content has the potential to turn a lead into a sale.
#11. Promotions & Hiring Opportunities
When someone in your company gets a well-deserved promotion, let your followers know! There are three main reasons this content is great:
- Your followers stay up to date with company growth
- Your employees feel valued by your company
- Interactions with employee-centered posts usually do very well in terms of engagement
Also, when your company is looking to hire new employees, make sure the content you post is engaging and inviting while staying within the voice of your brand. Some ideas for content on job postings include:
- Employee testimonial videos (what it’s like working
- A day-in-the-life of someone in a similar position
- A selfie video from the hiring manager talking about the position
- Information on benefits
- Highlights on workplace culture
Posting about promotions or hiring opportunities is also encouraging for your clients who care about how your company grows or changes. It also drives a well-rounded social media presence that’s not always about your brand but the people behind it.
#12. Accomplishments
Sharing impressive achievements and awards on social media is the perfect way to increase engagement, followers, and page views.
Everyone knows that it’s a great feeling to be working with a reputable, well-established company. Posting these achievements encourages clients to engage with your business and talk about or recommend you to others.
In terms of potential clients, creating content showing improvement or recognition goes a long way toward convincing businesses to trust you.
#13. Holidays
Each year, there are around 11 federal holidays recognized. Social media holidays are a different ballpark.
Social media holidays are unofficial holidays usually paired with a viral hashtag that is created to promote something or encourage interaction. Taking the time to go through these and choosing relevant events is a great way to find inspiration for content. Some of these include:
- World Kindness Day – November 13th
- National Employee Appreciation Day – first Friday of March
- Pride Month – June
- National Pet Day – April 11th
- World Mental Health Day – October 10th
Creating B2B social media content around these holidays helps companies stay relevant and shows the humanity behind the company as well. Behind every company are a bunch of people supporting it. Your B2B business will do well to show that you care about events like heritage months, appreciation days, and mental health, as well as lighthearted events.
Check out how we celebrated International Day of Charity on September 5th!
#14. Company History
Sharing your company’s history gives clients and potential clients insight into where your company came from and how far you have come. This content can look like:
- A video of your CEO telling your company’s origin story
- An image or video celebrating company milestones (like years in business)
- A video announcing a new stage in your company’s growth (compared to where you’ve been)
Check out this post by IBM on its company history.
#15. Industry Updates
Yes, your followers care about what you post about your company, but they also care about important things happening in your industry.
Many times, if a company posts too much about its website or its offerings, followers (and social media platforms) see that content as spammy. The best way to combat this is to include links and content to articles on important industry updates.
Let’s say you’re a life sciences company. Including industry updates on clinical trials, vaccines or other industry milestones shows your followers that you want them to be educated on what’s going on in the industry, not just information about your company.
#16. Podcasts
People love podcasts because they can listen to them on the go or while doing other things. Businesses love podcasts because it allows them to talk freely about subjects they’re passionate about.
Plus, podcasts make great B2B social media content in the form of snippets, quotes, or visual wavelengths with captions to accompany the audio.
Some other advantages of podcasts include:
- Connection – Hearing the “voice of the company” creates a connection and trust between clients and companies.
- Uncomplicated – Whether you’re at home or at work, if you have a computer and a microphone (or even just a computer with a built-in mic), you can record a podcast.
- Branding – Using podcasts as a way to not only give information but also promote your company is a great way to increase brand awareness.
#17. Best Practices (Including “Why”)
In every B2B business, there is often a tried and true way to get something done, deal with situations, and problem solve.
Sharing some of these best practices your company uses will give your followers insight into how your company functions and position your brand as an authority. It may also give them some ideas to take back with them to implement in their own businesses. It’s important to explain “why” something is a best practice to underpin your recommendations. It makes the content more believable and trustworthy.
For example, we put together content marketing strategies for our clients based on best practices that we’ve researched and learned from years of experience. Then, we wrote a blog about it to share with our followers!
#18. Discounts & Special Offers
Most people are interested in a good sale or deal. If this is something your business can support, then it’s another good idea that you can promote on social media. It’s also a great way to incentivize action on the part of your prospects, making it easier to capture leads.
B2B offers, while not always as common or as clear-cut as their B2C counterparts, can take several forms, including:
- Free trials – allowing customers to use your product or service completely free for a set period
- Free to start – allowing customers to use your product or service for the first month or two of a contract or engagement
- Fixed percentage discounts – giving all your customers the same percentage discount, regardless of their characteristics
- Custom/One-off discounts – giving specific customers discounts to close a deal or make a proposal more attractive
- Free/Spec work – offering up an aspect of your product or service for free (ex: free audit, assessment, consultation, or research)
So, which is best? It depends on your business. B2B SaaS companies commonly offer free trials to get people in the door, while professional services businesses will often use spec work to close a deal. And all B2B businesses will, at some point, leverage a custom or one-off discount to win business.
How do you incorporate discounts in your B2B social media content? Check out how Salesforce incorporates a discount offering for their Dreamforce event on their social media here.
#19. Blogs
Creating blog content can help with improving SEO, brand awareness, and social media engagement.
Blogging also helps you bring more leads to your website and attract the right kinds of companies to your product or service. The more qualified your lead is, the more probable it is to turn into a sale. Some topics can be tips and tricks, problems in the industry, trends and how-to’s. This content does well because people have questions that they want answered. If your blog answers the question, you may have a new follower or potential client.
So, even if you’re blogging for SEO purposes, don’t forget to share that content on social media, too!
Here’s an example of how we repurpose blog content into social media content.
#20. UGC (Don’t Do All the Work)
UGC – a.k.a. user-generated content – is when someone posts their own content about your brand, product, or service.
Why is this so great to share? UGC is authentic, and it can create a strong online community where others are encouraged to share their thoughts.
Statistically:
- 92% of consumers trust peer recommendations the most out of all types of advertising.
- UGC is 35% more memorable than other forms of media
- UGC is 20% more influential in customer purchasing decisions
#21. Case Studies
A case study showcases a story where your company helped a client achieve their goals, grow, or improve by using your product or service – and it makes great B2B social media content.
Case studies are a highly-effective marketing tool that allows potential clients to envision through the story how they might also be helped by your company. In fact, 88% of marketers consider case studies to be the most effective type of B2B content marketing.
Here’s what should be included in your case study content:
- Background about your client
- An overview of the problem they faced
- How they discovered and implemented the solution
- The benefits and results of the solution
- Quotes from clients weaved throughout
You can distribute these case studies in a number of ways – and social media should be one of them. Share the entire narrative by linking to it; create a video form of the case study (bonus points if you record an interview with your client); or share specific snippets or quotes.
Conclusion
B2B social media content can be tricky. Each brand has a different tone, voice, and aesthetic that needs to be met. Not every type of content will be right for your company … but don’t resist experimenting.
When done right, B2B social doesn’t have to be dry and boring. You can have fun with it and make a lasting impression on your clients, buyers, and potential partners or employees.
Try out some of these content ideas and find out which ones are the right fit for your company’s overall brand. Once you have posted for a little while, do a quick social media audit to see how your efforts are working. You won’t be disappointed.
