By Rachel Peck

Striking the balance between staying informative but entertaining on social media is particularly difficult for B2B marketers. While not all channels will work for every B2B industry, it’s important to note that no matter your social media platform of choice, businesses should make an effort to be just as creative and engaging as B2C marketers. Here are a few reasons why you should strive to be creative on social media:

Social media isn’t about you
A common belief amongst marketers in all industries is that social media is about the company and its products or services. While that might be true for some, it’s better to not think of your social media as being all about you – it’s about your audience. Social media gives brands the chance to connect to an audience on their level. The message shouldn’t be what you think about yourself, but instead, focused on how you want your audience to see your brand. Yes, it’s an opportunity to educate customers on your services/products, as well as your company itself, but if your content isn’t of any interest to them, then you have no one to market to. 

Brands need a personality
Managing a brand includes developing that brand’s personality on social media. Setting creativity as a goal for your marketing opens up a whole new world of potential content – and potential personality development. What is something unique about your company? What is your company culture like? How can you translate that into social media? The chance to be more creative with your social media should feel freeing, as it’s giving you the chance to think outside the box in terms of content. 

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an example of a brand who knows who they are, how the public views them and how to have fun with it. Upon hearing “TSA,” many of us might recall a frustrating airport experience. Or, you might think of their engaging, humorous posts on Instagram, like this post celebrating National Chocolate Day. The TSA is a great example of a brand who engages the audience on their level, while tapping into their pain points and making fun of themselves in the process. Most importantly, all the TSA’s content is still educational.

Creativity increases engagement and audience trust
Some B2B’s have yet to embrace channels other than just LinkedIn and Facebook. Don’t fall into the rut of thinking those channels are the only options for your B2B business. Twitter and Instagram allow brands to be more personable and creative, which will increase audience trust and engagement. Audiences have become more sensitive to overly-promotional or salesy content, which will lead to a decrease in engagement if your audience becomes bored. Algorithms will favor content your followers are most likely to engage with. Social media opens up a direct channel between your business and potential customers, but it’s important to remember that no matter who your audience is, one of the main reasons why people are on social media in the first place is to be entertained. 

At the end of the day, as a B2B marketer, you should do your research. Identify your audience, engage with them, and don’t be afraid to experiment with content and display your brand personality. Your creativity will set you apart from other B2B brands – helping you stand out amongst the clutter.