Best social media platforms for B2B marketers in 2023

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 95% of B2B marketers use social media as part of their content marketing strategy. But building and maintaining a presence on social media requires considerable resources, so B2B marketers need to choose carefully. With so many social media channels and a sea of possible strategies for success, how do you decide which platforms to prioritize?

Fortunately, we’ve done the thinking for you and narrowed down a list of the best social media platforms for B2B marketers. You will be able to determine which platforms are worth putting the time and resources toward and how you can optimize for success on each one. 

There are more than 900 million professionals on LinkedIn, and they’re doing more than looking for jobs. LinkedIn is a place people go to keep up with their professional networks, read articles, discover and sign up for events, and more. LinkedIn also serves as a significant lead generator for many B2B businesses; 80% of leads sourced through social media for B2B marketers come from LinkedIn, and 92% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn above all other platforms.

Whether you represent a large organization or want to promote your personal brand, LinkedIn is a top social media platform for B2B marketers.

How to drive B2B marketing results on LinkedIn: 

• Make content marketing on LinkedIn a priority 

• Amplify your messages through employee advocacy

• Join industry-focused groups

• Reach your target audience through paid ads.

With over 436 million monthly active users and a focus on real-time engagement, Twitter is an excellent place for B2B marketers to join conversations and promote their brands. If you’re a B2B marketer not using Twitter, you would be in the minority — 59% of B2B businesses use the platform for digital marketing purposes.

How to drive B2B marketing results on Twitter: Use social media listening to find and join conversations relevant to your brand. Use tailored audiences and re-marketing to connect with prospective customers who have already expressed interest in your business. Create targeted ad campaigns for the website or mobile app visitors, or upload your own list of prospect email addresses and phone numbers.

Over 288,000 CEOs use Twitter to connect with customers, develop influence and show thought leadership.

- Twitter for Executives

Despite competition from other channels like TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, YouTube remains the top social media platform for videos, with 35% of people indicating it as the top place they go for video specifically. The platform boasts a massive audience of 2.6 billion active users, and it’s a great way for B2B marketers to share and promote video content about their brand through advertisements, tutorials, Q&As, and more.

How to produce B2B marketing results on YouTube: There are proven ways to optimize your video content to maximize the chances they get displayed in Google search. Generally, this includes keeping videos under three minutes long, optimizing titles — including relevant keywords in your tags and a corresponding transcript. Use unobtrusive YouTube annotations with solid calls to action that promote your website or latest product offer.

The goal with YouTube is to establish your brand as the “go-to expert.” You do this by creating a mix of content that you expect will resonate with customers, focusing on educational or how-to videos where you can infuse your business’s unique value proposition. 

A well-optimized video can be displayed prominently on Google, drawing in even more traffic and helping you to establish yourself as the go-to expert.

– Search Engine Land

For many, Facebook was the first social media platform that garnered the attention of marketers and businesses. Even as more competing sites have gained prominence, Facebook maintains its status as the world’s largest social media platform, with over 2.96 billion monthly active users.

Beyond a large audience, Facebook offers several appealing features to B2B marketers, including dynamic ads, lead capture forms, and advanced audience targeting. Additionally, B2B marketers can join countless Facebook Groups relevant to their industry or target audience.

How to produce B2B marketing results on Facebook:

1. Start by creating a Facebook business page (if you haven’t already), and publish engaging content to attract users and drive social validation among prospective customers.

2. Next, jump into Facebook Groups related to your target audience to find potential leads and offer up your brand as a solution.

3. Finally, use Facebook Ads to target a specific audience based on characteristics such as a job title or other things that let you hone in on your ideal customer.

Instagram is another appealing platform for B2B marketers because it boasts an audience of more than 2 billion monthly active users. The platform is a great place to promote your brand through visual content — ideal for brands looking to establish a strong visual identity. Using imagery and videos that cut through the noise can help your brand stand out and leave a lasting impression.

Additionally, Instagram is a great place to share behind-the-scenes content about what goes on at your company, like team events, office tours, celebrations, and more.

How to drive B2B marketing results on Instagram: Instagram is a visual-focused platform. Invest resources in creating high-quality imagery that entices users to look closer at your content. Additionally, you can promote events like trade shows, conferences, and webinars to reach people in your industry. If you want to boost your brand, use paid campaigns to support your organic efforts.

TikTok exploded in popularity in the past few years and now has a global audience of more than 1 billion monthly active users from over 150 countries. For B2B marketers, it’s important to note that 70% of TikTok’s users are under 24 — so it may not be a top priority at the moment, but is worth looking into based on the platform’s growth. TikTok is great for networking and building an emotional connection with audiences by showcasing your brand’s personality with genuine messaging. It also offers high virality potential, especially when brands can figure out ways to jump on popular TikTok trends.

How to produce B2B marketing results on TikTok: Start building your TikTok presence by investigating what people and entities are already talking about within your space and what among that content appears to be resonating most. Then, map out some content ideas your brand can try, and make sure to try a mix of videos, some of which are aimed at evoking an emotional response. For example, you can touch on specific pain points in your industry or even consider showing a more fun side of the organization.

Stay up-to-date on the latest trends and see if you can incorporate relevant ones into your TikTok content strategy.

Maintaining a presence on multiple social media platforms can be difficult, even for large marketing teams. Khoros helps you manage efforts across platforms by organizing the information into a centralized dashboard. Learn about our social media management solutions, or contact us to request a demo and see for yourself.