B2B Social Media Marketing Trends in 2024 [Updated]

Did you know that a staggering 84% of B2B purchase decisions are influenced by social media marketing? Surprisingly, despite this substantial impact, many companies allocate only a mere 5% of their budget to marketing efforts.

Today, customer expectations and business practices have undergone a profound transformation compared to a decade ago. Attention has become a valuable currency, and social media continues to evolve rapidly. While some businesses may not fully realize the potential of a robust B2B social media strategy, you can seize this opportunity.

To ensure your B2B social media strategy remains well-informed and keeps you ahead of competitors, we’ve curated a list of 10 latest trends for B2B social media marketing. These trends serve as the driving forces behind achieving business success.

Why B2B Social Media Trends Matter

In today’s digital landscape, social media equips businesses with a versatile toolkit to influence customer decisions and behaviors throughout the entire purchasing journey. It spans from creating initial awareness and nurturing engagement to sparking interest and converting cold leads into warm and hot prospects. Neglecting the potent impact of social media on your B2B business’s success represents a missed opportunity.

B2B Social Media trends consistently provide insights into industry shifts and evolving customer preferences. Staying updated with these trends ensures that you are precisely where your audience resides, allowing you to maximize exposure through tailored content. This alignment fosters meaningful interactions and streamlines conversions, not merely into standard transactions, but into loyal, long-term customer relationships.

Trend 1: Half of B2B Social Media Content is for ‘Awareness & Engagement’

While many B2B businesses place heavy emphasis on bottom-of-the-funnel strategies, where potential leads transform into actual customers, it’s interesting to note that 67% of B2B content marketing is focused at the top of the funnel.

This stage is primarily about generating awareness and engagement, and it appears to be an area where many B2B companies excel, particularly when it comes to social media content marketing.

The most successful B2B players are those who prioritize the informational needs of their audience over their own sales or promotional messages. They understand that content is more than just a trend or a buzzword; it’s a universal tool that transcends both B2C and B2B landscapes.

In today’s digital age, buyers, whether they’re making personal or professional purchases, expect engaging, valuable content that persuades them to consider the brand in their decision-making process.

However, the key to successful content creation lies in understanding what your customers want to read or learn. It’s not about bombarding them with sales-driven messages. Let’s face it, no one ever complained about not getting enough product pitches!

Trend 2: Paid Advertising Makes Business Dominant

Imagine casting your fishing line into a vast ocean, hoping to catch the right fish. Now, imagine being able to teleport directly to a smaller, densely populated pool teeming with exactly the type of fish you’re after. This analogy perfectly illustrates the difference between organic social media posting and paid advertising.

B2B social media advertising is a standstill trend like a supercharged magnet that attracts your desired audience right to your business. It boasts the highest conversion rates across all digital platforms, making it a dominant force in the world of B2B marketing. trends

With a plethora of ad tools at your disposal, you can fine-tune your strategies to improve lead acquisition throughout every stage of the sales funnel. What’s even more exciting is the ability to integrate your internal data with your paid social media strategy to enhance ad accuracy and maximize returns on investment (ROI).

Consider the case of Shopify, a global e-commerce powerhouse. By leveraging Facebook’s suite of ad tools, including lead generation ads and Conversion APIs, Shopify has been able to target potential merchants effectively while respecting privacy.

They’ve used their business data to drive their ‘start trial’ events to the right audience segment. Through constant optimization of this strategy, Shopify has experienced a 16% increase in customer acquisition.

Trend 3: Bite-Sized Video Content is Becoming Popular

In today’s fast-paced world, attention spans are shrinking, and short-form video content is an emerging social media trend for both B2B and B2C. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook & Instagram Reels are harnessing this trend to boost business ROI.

Traditionally, B2B businesses relied on long-form videos, but the shift towards short-form content is essential as only 58% of viewers watch a full minute of a video. Merely showcasing products isn’t enough; videos must engage B2B buyers on both professional and personal levels. And yes, adding fun is encouraged

To help you navigate this, let’s take a leaf out of Shopify’s book. Their successful TikTok content marketing strategy is a great example. They don’t just solemnly tout their offerings. Instead, they’ve mastered the art of blending humor with valuable merchant tips. This approach not only entertains but also educates their audience, making their content both enjoyable and practical.

Trend 4: Taking YouTube as a Hub of Long-Form Education and Live Events

Now, you might be wondering: Is there still a place for long-form videos in this bite-sized content world? Absolutely. As potential leads navigate through the sales funnel, they need in-depth knowledge about your business offerings. This is where long-form videos, especially on YouTube—a platform known for both education and entertainment—always come into play.

To optimize YouTube as part of your B2B social media strategy, establish a clear value proposition for your branded channel. Make sure your audience understands why your business is worth their commitment. If your content is educational or instructional, it’s a prime opportunity to showcase your business as a professional solution. 

The secret sauce to making your B2B YouTube channel a hit––concentrate on ‘watch time’ rather than ‘views.’ The longer they stay, the higher your videos will rank in searches and the more frequently they’ll appear alongside related content.

Amazon Seller University serves as a great example. Amazon uses it as an educational hub, teaching merchants how to sell successfully on their platform through visually engaging content.

Trend 5: LinkedIn is Always a King of Lead Generation

You might think that the more traffic you drive to your website, the more leads you’ll generate. But hold onto your hats, because here’s a fun fact: While 78% of B2B businesses are chasing ‘lead conversions’ as their golden goose of social media metrics, only a tiny 13% of MQLs (those are marketing-qualified leads) morph into SQLs (sales-qualified leads). So, it turns out, that website traffic isn’t quite the magic lead generator we all thought it was.

Now, if you’re scratching your head, wondering where to find those elusive high-quality leads––LinkedIn is here! Sure, it might not be your go-to for general social media marketing, but when it comes to B2B marketing, LinkedIn is the champion. 

An impressive 81% of B2B marketers are already using LinkedIn, and 73% of them plan on upping their organic activities on the platform. Being the networking powerhouse, it provides the perfect backdrop for B2B marketing teams to step into the spotlight, catch the eye of potential buyers, and kick off conversations in a context that’s ripe for lead generation.

So how can you harness the power of LinkedIn for your B2B marketing? Here are some ideas:

• Share valuable articles and listicles
• Boast about your teams and work environments
• Share niche events and podcasts
• Share industry reports and trends
• Run LinkedIn Ad Campaigns

Trend 6: Influencer Marketing on the Go

The influence of influencers today is undeniable. They have the power to expand your business’s reach and visibility, especially among their followers who are interested in your niche––leading to a credible enhancement of your bottom line.

Interestingly, only 24% of B2B businesses currently incorporate influencer marketing into their social media strategy. The point we’re making here is that it’s a unique opportunity for you to be an early adopter of this approach and make it thrive.

There are several ways you can collaborate with influencers to achieve your B2B social media objectives. This could involve creating partnered content on Instagram, producing testimonial short-form content on TikTok, or even hosting an exclusive live event on Facebook.

Remember, it’s essential to measure the success and ROI of your influencer efforts. This can be done through various metrics such as subscriber sign-ups, referrals, gated content downloads, and brand awareness.

Trend 7: Community Management to Acquire and Retain Success

Engaging with your audience on social media shouldn’t be a one-way street, especially when you’re trying to convert potential audiences into qualified leads.

Today, B2B buyers are looking for more than just a product or service. They want a delightful customer experience at every touchpoint, and they appreciate interactions that feel personal and human. This is where community management comes into play in your B2B social media marketing strategy.

Community Management is not just about providing customer service—it’s about nurturing closer relationships with your audience through personal interaction. By actively engaging with your followers, responding promptly to their comments and questions, and acknowledging their feedback, you can foster a sense of community and loyalty towards your brand.

Take Salesforce as an example. This cloud-based customer data software company has harnessed the power of Twitter for customer support. With their dedicated account, @AskSalesforce, they provide interactive, immediate, and personalized communication between their B2B clients and the support team.

Trend 8: AI & Automation to Support Business

We’re not talking about B2B without AI and Automation. In today’s tech-savvy world, B2B businesses have the exciting opportunity to tap into the power of AI and Automation, ensuring their customer touchpoints are seamless and efficient. The applications of AI are vast and can be a game-changer in streamlining B2B operations.

Consider the potential of an AI chatbot, providing real-time, live chat interactions for quick response times between you and your customers. Or the power of AI in forecasting trends and extracting insightful data, aiding you in crafting a data-driven strategy. Even in email marketing, AI shines––automated emails can deliver personalized messages from your brand that address your customers’ specific pain points.

In a recent, exciting development, Facebook has launched Meta AI. This robotic assistant is designed to help users across platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram by providing access to real-time information through their search partnership with Bing. Not stopping there, they’re also introducing AI Studio, a platform that supports businesses and developers in creating AIs that embody their brand’s values and enhance customer service experiences.

Trend 9: Retargeting for More Conversion

A staggering 97% of visitors leave websites and never return—an issue that’s driving up bounce rates. The solution? ‘Remarketing’ or ‘Retargeting’. A strategy embraced by 70% of marketers, retargeting ads are designed to boost brand awareness and, if done right, could increase conversion rates by a remarkable 150%.

In the B2B landscape, the purchase journey is more complex than in B2C, with decisions often made by a group rather than an individual.

Therefore, retargeting in B2B social media strategy involves running ad campaigns targeted at individuals who have previously interacted with your company. This could be via social media engagement, website visits, lead sign-ups, past customer interactions, or free trial completions. 

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow easy creation of custom audiences, offering a variety of options for your retargeting needs. For your website, it’s essential to create a user-friendly and effective landing page to encourage visitors to sign up and consent to receive news and updates from your brand.

Trend 10: Boasting UGC and Testimonial Case Studies

A substantial 75% of marketers are of the opinion that User-Generated Content (UGC) infuses more authenticity into a brand. UGC has emerged as an effective ‘word-of-mouth’ strategy in today’s social media landscape. However, when it comes to B2B businesses, there needs to be a strategic shift towards more professional initiatives.

In the B2B realm, you have the option to create long or short video testimonials highlighting your clients’ success stories with your services. These can be centered around topics that tap into your target audience’s pain points. Simultaneously, consider crafting editorial content for social media based on interviews with your clients.

Having a variety of UGCs allows you to evaluate what resonates best with your audience and what generates the most leads or sign-ups. To further boost your reach, consider enhancing these testimonials through paid advertising, amplifying your word-of-mouth approach.

How to Find Social Media Trends With a Tool

As you gear up to elevate your B2B social media game, it’s natural to worry about your strategy becoming outdated. But fear not! It’s 2024, and we are in an era where AI and innovation continually reshape our world. Tools like Mandala AI can help you stay ahead by identifying emerging trends in your industry and understanding your audience better.

One of Mandala AI’s key offerings is Mandala Analytics. This feature allows you to delve into new insights and analyze fresh content on specific topics of interest. You might even discover trending topics among your target audience that you weren’t previously aware of. The user-friendly dashboard of Mandala Analytics collects real-time social data, providing actionable and responsive insights to help you stay up-to-date. 

Leverage These Trends Now

Now, you’ve got upcoming B2B social media trends with actionable ideas up your sleeve. You know what kind of content your audience digs, what platforms will help you hit those awareness or lead targets, and how to get AI on your team for your B2B marketing game. 

But remember, social media algorithms are like quicksilver, always changing. So, keep your eyes peeled and never stop exploring new trends. And if you ever feel like you could use an extra pair of hands, think about tools like Mandala AI. Feel free to explore more information and have a free trial here.