When those in business marketing discuss social media and how to make the most of it, many immediately say, “That stuff is great for B2C but I’m not seeing the value for B2B.”  While most will agree that the value to B2C is easier to find when you look at social media, there is value for B2B. You just can’t take the same path as your B2C counterparts.

The Big 3 in order of value to B2B:

Twitter is a fantastic tool to create relationships, monitor trending topics and engage with customers.  It’s astounding growth and viral demeanor has spread all around the world.   Twitter has become a great way to get involved in people’s real time discussions on various products, industries, and professions.  Connecting with new prospects, business partners, and media in your area has never been easier.  As the majority of B2B investments are not made immediately as in the consumer world, staying involved in the right conversations on Twitter can definitely boost a company’s share-of-mind with their prospects.

Linked in provides great business value in terms of recruiting and personal brand development.   In regards to B2B, getting involved in the right groups and interacting with others is a good way to build your brand.

Of course we can’t forget Facebook, with 300,000,000 users come 2010 it would be hard for any company to shy away and attempt to create a brand name for themselves.  While Facebook is definitely a consumer and B2C platform, many B2B companies are still creating fan pages while they try to figure out how to make the most of the platform.  With Facebook recently launching vanity URLs, there is at least the benefit of additional SEO value.

The key thing to remember about all of these platforms is that they were built with the goal of connecting people to other people. Depending on what your B2B solution is and who your customers are, joining these sites with no strategies or set goals is pushing a square peg in a round hole.  Companies need to have a strategy and know what platforms are best for them, if any.  As platforms continue to grow and companies continue to embrace social media, better opportunities will arise for B2B.  At FYIndOut, we’re pushing to be that platform.