Make Boring B2B Social Media Posts Captivating
Many B2B marketers are still trying to figure out social media for their companies. Years of product marketing-driven writing, or content as we now call it, have honed their skills in features-based marketing. No matter how exciting your products and services are, this kind of marketing is boring. And it is not going to work in a social media context.
Prospects and customers want solutions to their problems. They don’t want to hear about your products in a blog post. Once you identify your target audience and their pain points, you can begin creating top-of-the-funnel content to connect with them by solving their problems. With the right content in mind, on paper and on screen, how do you make sure that your content is found, read and shared by your audience?
Use Keywords in the Headline
No matter what you writing about, you have to include the words that your prospects and customers use when talking about your solutions, business and industry. These are used in the questions they are asking in search engines and of their social network connections. The most important keyword location is the headline. See the headline above (and most of the ones on this site) for an example. They always include B2B Social Media or B2B and relevant terms. That’s how B2B marketers find what they are looking for on this site. Posts without those obvious keywords are just not found by the audience.
Use Adjectives in the Headline
Even keyword-based headlines need to be interesting and compelling. Or captivating. As this one is. No matter where your prospects and customers see your headlines, they are looking for something that will be worth their time. As you are establishing your authority in your subject area, every post is an opportunity to draw in new visitors. Interesting and different descriptive words, like adjectives, can do that.
Find a Compelling Image
In this post, I used a recent Instagram photo I took of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. While not entirely relevant to this post, it is a captivating image, which relates back to the headline. Rather than use the same stock photography images of light bulbs or the diverse team around a conference room table, look for interesting images that set the tone for a post. Search Flickr for Creative Commons images and make sure you give credit back to the photographer. Hone your own skills as an Instagram photographer and use your own images. You want to use images that will draw someone in, make them click and make them keep reading.
Don’t Talk about Your Products
Successful blog posts are not about products. Your website already does that. Provide real value to prospects and customers by providing solutions to their business problems. Demonstrate your industry expertise by giving them something they cannot get elsewhere.
Solve Prospects’ Business Problems
One of the reasons “How To” posts are so popular in different industries is that they answer people’s questions. Search engines are designed to provide the most relevant results to every search. If B2B prospects are trying to find answers to their problems, your posts have a better chance of showing up if you are answering their questions. And using their terms.
Share Customer Stories
Leverage your existing customers to tell your story of how you solved their business problems with your products and solutions. These are not just case studies where your product helped your customer reach business nirvana, but a real, human story that is interesting, remarkable and captivating. Ask yourself if you would read the story before you hit publish.
Use Video
Video is a powerful way to tell a story, share an important detail or present a point of view. A post with embedded video can capture someone’s attention in a different way than a written post. This is an easy way to share the thoughts of an industry influencer you met at a trade show, but keep it short. Definitely under five minutes, and under three minutes if possible. Video viewing dropoff is pretty significant at two minutes.
Experiment with Different Formats
Every post should not always be 500-800 words on a subject. Try shorter posts if you have a simple comment about an industry news story. A link to the story and three takeaways work. Consider an occasional longer analytical post that really takes a point of view. What about an all-image post where you show 20 examples of what others in your industry are doing well, where you only have a line or two of explanation? Mixing up your post format keeps things interesting and keeps you from writing the same post over and over.
Use Subheads to Make it Scannable
People on the web scan. Subheads make it easy to glean some information from your post without taking the time to read it. That’s why list posts do so well. They match the way people consume information. Scan this post as an example.
Remember Social Networks
And finally, getting found in search is just part of the equation. Getting found on social networks is also key. Keep headline length in mind for social networks. Know how images show up on Facebook and Google+. Make sure your post description is captivating, as that may be what shows up on networks.
Remember, all of these ideas will help remarkable content get found, read, shared and clicked, but if your content is not worth reading, none of this will help.
Follow Snob monkey on Facebook for more information
Need help?
If you require further help or enquiries regarding any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact Snob Monkey. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Email: contactus@snobmonkey.com
Telephone: 0800 368 9336
