Facebook pages for consumer brands are sexy, they have millions of followers and they attract all the attention. The reality is that a lot of people do not want Lady Gaga to build them a website or provide professional services or paint their house, she is there for the show.
Facebook for B2B brands are seen as boring, drab and conservative and not worth asking out for a date. The use of Facebook for business that are not B2C requires a different approach and one that is more about educating and solving your customers challenges.
The focus should be about providing great content rather than fluff , light entertainment and a giggle.
Facebook for B2B is more about the thinking persons Facebook that provides resources and information that is easily searched and shared within the Facebook ecosystem.
Why Should a B2B Company have a Facebook Page?
So why should you even think about using Facebook for your company if you are selling to non consumer based companies?
Here are some reasons why
- Business leaders and CEO’s ‘are’ on Facebook
- It improves your companies chances of being found by search engines
- It provides an environment that can spread your ideas to people who ‘like’ your company Facebook page by just posting an update such as news, photos, videos and your latest blog post to your Facebook page
- It collects and captures feedback about your products and services
- Provides another communication channel ( 2 or more is always better than one)
The other evolution that is happening within Facebook is the fast rise of all types of Facebook ‘Apps’ that can be used for your facebook page that can provide a highly interactive and richer multimedia and content experience for your Facebook fans.
So who are the companies that are doing some things right on Facebook that serve a B2B market?
5 Great B2B Facebook Pages
You will find these Facebook pages do not have millions of fans but you may be inspired and collect some ideas that your business can implement.
1. Dell
Dell sells its personal computers and other technology products and services to both the consumer and business market and this B2B Facebook page for business “Dell for Business” is different in design and function to its consumer facing Facebook pages.
The major point to note here is that Dell aims to be relevant for its target market by providing a resource and guides on how to use social media, which is currently very topical. You will not find the hundreds of thousands of fans that you will find on its B2C page but what is important is that the content provided here serves its target market by solving problems and providing valuable resources.
4. Hubspot
Hubspot provides an inbound marketing software solution to provide more leads online for other businesses. Its Facebook page has nearly 30,000 fans which receive updates every time they post to their Facebook page.
The key element that I would like to highlight here is their landing pages focus on acquiring more Facebook ‘likes’. This also very vital for B2B businesses to maximize spreading their ideas and brand.
Once you have ‘liked’ the page there is a call to action form that provides access for you to download unique valuable content. Other B2B resources are available including a SlideShare tab.
3. IdeaPaint
IdeaPaint provides a paint that turns any smooth surface into a high performance dry-erase canvas.
Now you maybe wouldn’t call this an exciting product but it hasn’t stopped them from acquiring nearly 9,000 fans. One thing you need to keep in mind with your product or service is to use media that is appropriate for your product.
For Ideapaint images are a great way to promote and showcase the products benefits and the perfect platform for that is the social media photos and image site ‘Flickr‘. The Facebook page they have built includes a tab for Flickr which is shown below.
4. Cisco
Cisco sells networking equipment that drives and connects the web for companies large and small. Highlighted below is their Facebook YouTube channel which informs and educates. Also included on the Cisco Facebook page are Twitter feeds, and a Blog tab.
5. Sodexo
Sodexo provides a range of service solution for businesses. The feature that I would like to highlight here is that they have provided on their Facebook page a news tab that keeps their customers informed of what is happening in the industry. This news though it can be found on their website and blog is also embedded in their Facebook site rather than just hoping you will find it on the website. It is important to place your content on as many web properties as possible.
So treat Facebook as an extension of your website and blog. Multichannel marketing that places your content onto as many social network and online properties as time, tools and resources allow, increases your brands visibility on the Web.
How are you using your Facebook page for your business?
Look forward to hearing your stories.
More Reading
- How To Take Your Company Facebook Page From Zero To 40,000 Fans
- 50 Fascinating Facebook facts and Figures
- The 10 Best Facebook Marketing Campaigns
- How To Advertise On Facebook In Ten Minutes For Less Than $10 A Day In 10 Simple Steps
- 5 Ways To Improve Your Facebook Page Engagement with Fans
- How to Create a 5 Step Facebook Marketing Strategy for Your Blog
Image by Thomas Hawk