Facebook advertising is commonplace for B2C companies. After all, social media is a great way to reach consumers. But what if your company primarily serves business customers? Is it worth investing in Facebook Ads for B2B? Absolutely! But you need to know how to do it effectively. Find out!
The end of Facebook has been predicted many times – for example, with the advent of TikTok and the growing popularity of YouTube. However, although the portal created by Mark Zuckerberg doesn't function as it did at its inception in 2004, it still holds enormous potential. This includes marketers!
Think about it: how do you use this social media platform? On the one hand, you probably connect with friends and family via Facebook and check their profiles. But don't you also visit it for news, specific information (groups), and entertainment? Of course you do. Others use Facebook in a similar way . This includes executives in companies that are potential customers for the products you have to offer. And if your customers are here, you must be here too!
Research also confirms this line of reasoning – in 2018, as many as 8 out of 10 B2B marketers used Facebook as a communication channel. You, too, should capitalize on its potential! The question is not "if," but "how."
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Facebook Ads in B2B vs. B2C communication
When communicating with business clients on Facebook, should you follow the same principles as marketers running B2C campaigns? In very general terms, yes. Your job is also to guide the recipient through the marketing funnel and convert them , so that they transform from a "stranger" into a loyal customer, perhaps even a promoter. The problem is that to achieve this goal, you need to follow a slightly different path.
The most important rule is simple: remember that Facebook in B2B isn't just a lead generation tool . While this goal is indeed one of the most important, you can also leverage available advertising tools at other stages of the sales funnel, including:
- building brand awareness – B2B customers, just like B2C, need to know about your offer in order to take advantage of it,
- increasing traffic on your website – both on its home page, which is your showcase, and on specific product subpages or specially prepared landing pages,
- strengthening the image of an expert – skillfully conducted B2B communication on Facebook will strengthen your position and credibility,
- educating recipients – informing them about the solutions you offer, but also about how to use the products.
Remember: you don't have to choose a single goal to pursue in your Facebook campaign. Simply diversify your messaging – this way, you'll reach a wider audience.
How to target B2B ads on Facebook?
For your messages to be effective, you must speak your target audience's language. Therefore, before you plan your content, you need to know who you're talking to. Contrary to popular belief, determining this in the B2B niche is easier than in B2C. Essentially, your messages will be aimed at decision-makers and marketing staff of potential clients. All you need to determine is:
- the size of the companies your communication will target: whether they are sole proprietorships, SMEs or large corporations,
- personas of the people you want to communicate with – content for directors or CEOs will look different than for marketers.
So how do you properly set targeting parameters on Facebook?
Above all, don't limit your target audience based on the profession declared by the recipient on their Facebook profile . At first glance, this might seem like a very good solution. However... take a look at your profile. Did you list your profession there? Or perhaps you entered something completely different? That's what many people do.
So what if it's not a professional group? You can go down several paths.
- Limit yourself to basic demographic data, such as the age and location of the message recipient. However, remember that this approach, while simplest, can be the most costly. Most messages may fall flat, leaving you spending your budget unnecessarily.
- Tapping into your audience's interests can be a real hit. On the one hand, you can show ads to people interested in business-related topics. On the other, you can show ads to those with very specific interests related to your industry.
If you have any doubts, seek help from specialists.
What should communication with the B2B sector on Facebook look like?
On the one hand, marketing directors and CEOs are people just like you, browsing Facebook for entertainment and information. It might seem like you could "talk" to them just like you would individual customers. However, in B2B communication, you can't afford to be too facetious or provocative. The most important thing is that the content you prepare:
- build trust in you as a potential business partner – specific, hard data and information are important,
- give the impression of professionalism – linguistic jokes, ambiguities and colloquial language will not be welcome there.
Of course, this doesn't mean your messages should be stiff or even "stiff." Don't go to extremes! Simply speak to your business clients in the language you expect in B2B communication.
So what is worth including in B2B Facebook ads?
Especially if you have something to boast about in this area, it's definitely worth doing. Inform your audience, for example, how many customers use your solutions, how many years you've been in the market, and how many products you offer. These are just a few examples of data that will help you build the image of an experienced professional.
- Information about your brand mentions
Boast about your company being included in a prestigious ranking list or being mentioned as a reliable partner by a key contractor. This information strengthens your credibility, acting as social proof.
- Consumer research results
Have you conducted a customer satisfaction survey among your existing customers? Share the results. The fact that, for example, 9 out of 10 customers say they will use your company again can be a compelling argument for a B2B client.
Is your company listed on the stock exchange? If its stock value has increased, it's time to show it off! It's a clear message to potential clients!
Has the company opened a new branch? Implemented a new production control system? Equipped its machinery with innovative devices? These are further arguments that may be attractive to your B2B clients.
- Case studies and testimonials
Ask your business clients for their opinion on the collaboration and for permission to publish it. Positive reviews, preferably with a photo and the author's name, included in advertising graphics can be an effective way to reach new customers. This form of promotion can lead, for example, to the case studies or testimonials section on your website.
For business customers to be interested in your Facebook ad, they must perceive you as a promising partner and see a clear benefit in choosing you over your competitors.
How to create Facebook campaigns for B2B?
The Facebook ad campaign creator offers a wealth of possibilities. Right from the start, you determine the promotion's goal, its format, and the ad's location. Let's take a step-by-step look at all these elements.
Campaign Objective
The goal of a specific B2B campaign depends on which stage of the marketing funnel you want to reach. Remember, you can launch multiple campaigns simultaneously to effectively reach audiences with varying expectations and levels of brand awareness.
You can choose campaigns:
- raising brand awareness – in this case, the messages should be subtle and not encourage a direct purchase, but rather a visit to the website, e.g. an article on the company blog,
- of a PR nature – inform about your successes and achievements,
- generating traffic on your website – then posts with links to the website will work best. It's also a good way to build a remarketing list!
- generating leads – these can be, for example, posts offering a free e-book for signing up to a newsletter, a free demo, or an incentive for a free consultation with an expert, and others that will encourage users to leave their contact details,
- conversion-oriented – remember that if you want to offer the customer specific solutions, e.g. one of the programs you distribute, it needs to be redirected directly to the offer subpage, not to the main page of your website.
These are, of course, just examples, because everything depends on the specifics of your business.
Form of advertising
Facebook Ads can take many forms. The most common are promoted posts, but that's just the beginning. Also consider the possibilities offered by video ads (both those displayed as standalone posts and as advertising material interrupting other videos) and banner ads with CTA buttons. Choose the communication method that best suits the goals of your specific campaign. There's no single best solution.
Place of publication
The best place to publish a Facebook ad in both B2B and B2C is, of course, the main news feed section. However, it's worth exploring the others as well. The side sections of the site can also be useful, especially when considering remarketing campaigns.
How much should you spend on Facebook advertising for B2B?
When answering this question, the saying "sky's the limit" applies. Therefore, the answer is: it all depends on your financial capabilities. A well-optimized Facebook campaign is one that generates a high return on investment – in this case, primarily in the form of acquiring a large number of leads.
One thing is certain: if your budget is small, it is better to limit yourself to running a maximum of two campaigns at a time than to spread yourself thin.
How do you measure campaign effectiveness? Metrics you'll be interested in include:
- number of ad views,
- the ratio of the number of impressions to the number of clicks on the ad,
- number of leads generated,
- number of redirects from FB to your website.
But be careful! It's important to remember that often, the results of Facebook ads aren't achieved directly – they become a result of marketing communications across multiple channels. Therefore, it's worth analyzing the results from a broader, long-term perspective – this will provide a clearer answer to the question of whether Facebook advertising has delivered the desired results.
So, is Facebook advertising profitable in the B2B sector? Absolutely. However, the campaign must be carefully planned, with a specific goal in mind.
Worried this might be a challenge you can't handle? To ensure maximum results, it's best to entrust your Facebook campaign to experienced marketers.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Facebook Ads in B2B vs. B2C communication
- B2B on Facebook: Choosing the Right Campaigns
- Measuring the effectiveness of B2B campaigns
