In my previous post, ‘Top 5 Social Media Channels for B2B Marketing‘, I focused on the (some would say) ‘traditional’ channels, i.e. the ones that have been around for quite a few years already and are well established as social media channels and tools for social media marketing. But unless made directly aware of the benefits, many marketers are either unaware of or slightly scared of using new channels. In this article I will outline the top 5 new up-and-coming social media channels that could help your B2B company get ahead in the social media game.
1. Google+
A largely misunderstood channel, Google+ hasn’t got off to the best start in life. But as people begin to give it a chance and understand the mystery of ‘Circles’, it is fast becoming a very useful channel for B2B marketers. If the fact that Google have integrated Google+ into their search algorithms isn’t enough to sell it to you, they have also integrated AdWords and the unique Circles feature allows for social and geo targeting in a much easier format (once you get to grips with it) than any other social network
2. Foursquare
Foursquare is another social media channel that everyone has heard of but no-one really dares to use, mainly because they don’t know exactly what it does. And for those who have already used it, it tends to be for B2C marketing, meaning B2B marketers are instantly put off. But Foursquare is actually very useful to B2B marketing, not only for the company’s social media presence, but for researching into your audience. You can use it to find out where your B2B clients regularly check in and consider those companies and places as potentials for sponsorship and advertising, and you could also use this information to generate incentives and rewards based on their genuine interests
3. BranchOut
Many of you will have probably received requests for BranchOut via Facebook already, but still aren’t sure what it is exactly. It is very similar to LinkedIn in that the overall use is professional networking, but the advantage people are beginning to see with BranchOut is that many people who are on Facebook are finding it easier to access than LinkedIn, allowing you to connect with those people who wouldn’t normally use a networking site, as well as those on LinkedIn who have also joined BranchOut. Therefore there is the potential to reach new audiences and almost double your connections compared with LinkedIn. Not to be used as an alternative to LinkedIn just yet, but definitely worth setting up on the back burner as it has the potential to knock LinkedIn off many people’s top spot.
4. Mashable
Mashable is the latest craze in news consumption, and they allow just about anyone to submit news. Think of it as a secondary to your blog as there is no guarantee you will get everything you send in published, but send in relevant news, reviews or advice articles with mentions of your products and services with the potential of getting them seen by a worldwide relevant audience via social media.
5. Pinterest
As with Flickr or any other image sharing tool, Pinterest is not recommended as one of your company’s core channels, but it is still worth consideration as a secondary channel for promoting brand awareness and creating blog and website traffic. Pinterest is, after all, the 3rd largest social network in the world…
There are plenty more new and old social media channels and tools where that came from, and if you have any opinions on the ones mentioned or any I didn’t mention that you feel should be on there, please comment!
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
