In a recent study of marketers by ALF Insight, social media marketing placed third in terms of planned investment for 2016 with 71% of respondents identifying the channel as their top investment priority. Only email marketing (82%) and website (78%) placed higher.
There is a noticeable difference in social platform use when it comes to B2B compared to B2C companies.
LinkedIn remains the staple social investment channel for B2B, with 93% of brands planning to use the professional network to promote their business in 2016. Twitter was the second most popular (80 per cent), edging out Facebook (63%), YouTube (35%) and Instagram (28%).
Looking at B2C companies, Instagram is a high climber: it is tied with Facebook as the most popular social platform for B2C at 88%, with just 28% of B2B companies utilising the photo sharing network. Instagram’s noticeable take-up could be linked to the platform’s introduction of paid-for advertising.
While live streaming networks such as Snapchat and Periscope had a lot of buzz in 2015, they are still in their infancy as marketing channels. However, an average of 8% and 9% marketers respectively are looking to using them to promote their business in 2016. It is likely we’ll see an increase in these video sharing platforms as video becomes even more of a priority for marketers.
If, like many businesses, you’re aware you need to be getting social in 2016 to raise the profile of your business but you’re unsure how to go about, our social media experts will be able to point you in the right direction. We can help you devise a social media strategy that sits alongside and enhances your digital marketing. We’ll work with you to understand your business and marketing aims, as well as your target audience.
For more information and an informal chat about your social media strategy, please contact our social media experts at b4b today on 01202 684400.
