B2B Social Media Trends to Watch in 2024

Just when you thought you'd mastered social media marketing, a new tool or platform becomes a worldwide trend. Advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), could revolutionize online shopping. Clients want more from their business partners, and bland profiles don't cut it anymore.

B2B social media trends in 2024 sound intimidating, but investing early leads to collaborations with the most technologically advanced brands. You're probably using many of these tools already--they just need some refinement. Plus, catching up doesn't have to be boring. Today's customers appreciate a little fun and whimsy in marketing.

Sharing Videos

TikTok's explosion has made videos central to the social media experience. Business owners browse TikTok to find news, inspiration, micro influencers, motivational speeches, event clips and industry trends. They also launch their own profiles, hoping to snag a fraction of these billions of views.

Hundreds of potential business clients are waiting on TikTok, but you'll need videos to legitimize your profile. Experiment with these types of content:

1. Instructional guides
2. Employee spotlights
3. Behind-the-scenes peeks
4. Product reveals
5. Unboxing videos
   

Would people really watch you unbox your products? Yep, unboxing videos are popular because many people find them relaxing. Manufacturers have started marketing themselves by posting "satisfying" clips, such as:

1. Opening boxes
2. Mixing liquids
3. Coating items with liquid
4. Packaging orders
5. Cutting materials into small pieces
6. Sorting items
7. Pouring small materials into a container
   

Satisfying videos focus on sounds, visuals and other sensory elements, such as the rain-like sound of beads rushing into a jar. Over time, viewers start associating your brand with peace and relaxation. Look up competitors on TikTok to research these B2B social media trends in 2024.

As a bonus, you don't need expensive video equipment for these clips. You can simply film employees doing what they do every day. Filters help sharpen your videos and hide imperfections.

Being Approachable

Every day, "relatable" content blows up online. People love reading memes or hearing celebrities talk about their lives and thinking, "Me too!" For this reason, brands have pivoted to friendly, approachable personas with youthful vibes and jokes about everyday life. Your business isn't a person, but followers subconsciously think it is and develop a personal connection.

Of course, your company's job isn't to be your audience's best friend. You maintain a professional distance by keeping your personal life private, avoiding intimate conversations and treating all followers equally. Still, you appear laid-back and approachable, inviting people ask questions about your operation.

Popular ways to build connections include:

1. Writing lighthearted captions
2. Giving followers sneak peeks so that they feel like valued friends
3. Asking questions, such as "What are your career goals?"
4. Sharing the occasional meme
5. Answering comments and direct messages (DMs) with personal responses
6. Using slang and emojis--with a light touch
   

Social media is inherently more approachable because, unlike your website, it allows people to interact with your brand. However, these methods reduce the distance between you and fellow companies.

This approach may not work for every corporation. If you sell business insurance, clients expect professionalism instead of emojis and slang. Instead, you can show your company's human side by spotlighting your employees and sharing LinkedIn updates.

Embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI-generated images, blog posts, music and videos dominate the Internet. Suddenly, anyone can generate content in minutes with a few prompts. Companies are turning to AI to speed up marketing, reach customers and reduce expenses.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should fire your content creation team. AI can’t replicate human ingenuity, and it sometimes makes odd mistakes. Have you ever scrutinized an AI-generated image to find bizarre artifacts, warped anatomy and garbled text? Unsettling content erodes your business’s credibility.

Smart ways to use AI include:

1. Generating ideas
2. Creating rough drafts
3. Automating basic tasks
4. Launching chatbots
   

AI chatbots save time by pulling answers from your FAQ, freeing up human agents for questions that require personalized assistance. They also gather contact information so that you can follow up later and build an email list.

While you're thinking about customer service agents, learn more about retaining employees to build a solid workforce.

Reducing Clicks

One extra click or slow waiting times could cost you a partnership, especially since it’s harder for mobile shoppers to switch tabs. The coveted spur-of-the-moment DMs disappear because business owners have time to change their minds.

Fortunately, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms have introduced in-app shopping. Clients don't leave your profile--instead, they tap a button, select purchases and check out, then go back to scrolling.

Check the platform's rules to ensure that you qualify before applying. Once accepted, you'll upload product images, prices and descriptions, matching your website's store.

For a basic promotion, share product photos with a purchase link. More subtle ads involve photoshoots with products scattered around the image. For example, if you sell office supplies, you'd share pictures of a clean, organized desk. Customers tap the screen to buy the items that they see.

TikTok allows you to promote items during videos and livestreams. Invite business owners to your live event, then watch sales jump during product demonstrations. Guests from around the world could show up and join the party.

Encouraging Interactions

Traditional ads are passive promotions. Viewers can't interact with the promo beyond taping your commercial or tearing the ad out of a newspaper. You have seconds to grab your audience's attention, and if they're not interested, they'll forget about your product.

Which would you remember more clearly: swimming in a lake or watching a swimmer on TV? You remember in-person activities, which is why businesses search for ways to engage their audiences. Past efforts to make interactive advertisements include free samples, word games, clippable coupons, giveaways and toll-free hotlines.

Today, social media turns ordinary advertisements into games, puzzles, challenges and forums. In fact, a simple "like" counts as an interaction. Likes might seem insignificant, but someone took the time to read your post and respond positively. They're engaging with you and building trust.

Likes, comments and shares are nearly universal, but every platform has exclusive tools. For example, try adding these stickers to Instagram Stories:

1. Hashtags
2. Polls and quizzes
3. Mood meters
4. Links
5. Product tags
6. Food delivery buttons
7. Answer prompts
8. Fundraisers
9. Countdowns
10. Mentions
11. Location tags
    

Some tools, such as YouTube's memberships and Super Chats, provide direct income. Others promote fun and entertainment. Whatever the case, interactions snap people out of their mindless scrolling. While they're thinking about your brand, your next business partner might decide to reach out.

Showcasing Your Values

Socially conscious people want to partner with responsible companies. They search for mission statements, review political donations and see how you reacted to social issues. If they can't find anything, they might assume that you're hiding something.

This doesn't mean that you should publicize every political belief. However, business partners appreciate a mission statement on your website that discusses your values and proves your dedication with hard data.

If you donate to low-income neighborhoods, share pictures of charity drives. Are you committed to helping women in the workforce? Highlight your business's percentage of female employees. Always back up your claims so that nobody can say, "Oh, they're just saying that!"

Similarly, discuss your donations, charity drives, campaigns and initiatives on social media. This gives you more content for your social media calendar, and you'll spark conversations while inspiring leaders.

Buying Social Media Ads

You've probably bought ads before, but TikTok's popularity has guided companies to start producing short video ads. TikTok Ad Manager offers templates and video editing tools so that you can build content directly in the app. Trending templates, music and filters give your clip the distinct TikTok style, making it indistinguishable from a regular video in users' feeds. The difference is that non-followers will see it.

Collaborating with Influencers

Reaching individual customers with influencer collaborations isn't new, but companies are starting to target business clients. Career influencers target business owners with posts about:

1. Setting goals
2. Reaching your potential
3. Working with others
4. Making tough decisions
5. Adapting to new technology
6. Motivating yourself
7. Applying for jobs
8. Writing resumes and cover letters
   

Entrepreneurs trust them because they're often successful business owners themselves. When a career influencer recommends your services, corporations DM you to learn more.

Collaborations may include reviews, guest blog posts, shout-outs and "profile takeovers" where you share each other's content. In return, you'll provide money, advertisements, sponsorships or free services. Sponsorships often involve covering video production costs.

Instagram's biggest influencers may look out of reach, but don't worry--micro influencers can actually produce more sales. Celebrities might have ten million followers, but how many of those people are small business owners? Micro influencers have niche audiences that align with your mission.

Find people in your industry, then shoot them a short DM that briefly introduces you and your company. Mention one or two reasons why they'd be a good fit to show that you've actually browsed their profile. Template DMs can resemble scams, but if you're a genuine professional who's studied their content, they're more likely to respond.

Invite them to reply if they're interested for more details. Don't worry about writing the entire plan right away--you'll figure it out as you discuss your terms. Influencers are busy, so keep your introduction short and friendly.

Building Communities

Communities are an advanced marketing technique that requires extra time, energy and a large audience. You'll need moderators who post regularly, encourage discussion and remove harmful content. Additionally, communities need a reason to exist--you'll earn members by offering something, such as networking opportunities.

However, successful communities multiply sales by creating brand loyalty. Members aren't visiting Instagram to ask questions. They're visiting your group, seeing your branding, talking to employees and fellow clients, learning about the industry and discussing partnerships.

Sephora's Beauty Insider Community is a miniature social media platform. Makeup lovers join groups, share images, ask questions, bookmark posts, use hashtags and interact with professionals. Members spend hours on Sephora's site--and while they're online, they start thinking about replenishing their supply.

Hiring a company to build a platform gives you more flexibility and brand awareness, but if you're starting small, launch a Facebook group. Facebook has pre-existing tools and billions of users. Emphasize the benefits of joining your group, such as special deals--otherwise, it just seems like another social club.

Focusing on Shareability

Likes and comments boost your numbers, but companies thrive on shares. They're free advertising, introduce you to a new audience and boost loyalty more than a passive like. If an online celebrity shares your post, you could wake up to thousands of new followers.

How do you develop shareable content? Think about what you'd share. Memes, funny videos, motivational quotes, fun facts, photography, moving stories--they're content that you'd want your friends and relatives to see.

Ideally, people see your post and think, "Hey, my coworkers would love that!" or "My best friend could use that motivation today." They share your content, and you introduce your brand to people that you've never met.

Posting a dozen memes to maximize engagement sounds tempting, but your content should still tie into your business. Meme repositories don't attract fellow professionals. However, you can brighten people's days with the occasional industry-related gag.

Likewise, think about your company's struggles. Maybe you almost failed within the first year or watched a beloved coworker pass away. Perhaps a challenging time inspired you to open a business in the first place. How could you turn these periods into a touching, motivational tale?

Many small businesses have an "Our Story" website tab, discussing the drawbacks that ultimately became successes. Consider writing your own tale, then breaking it into chunks for social media. If readers shed a few tears, your story--and your company--might circulate the web.

Utilizing Search Engine Optimization

B2B social media trends in 2024 may change, but small business search engine optimization (SEO) is still the gold standard for marketing. SEO specialists incorporate popular search engine keywords, such as "paper suppliers near me," into your site, boosting your Google rankings.

E-Marketing Associates' on-site strategies include reducing load times, integrating keywords, polishing meta tags, writing blog posts and building a mobile-friendly site. For off-site SEO, we update your Google Business Profile and develop backlinks, which are links to your page on reputable websites.

Schedule a 15-minute discovery call to discuss a customized plan for your business.