By Jonathan BakerContributors: Lara Bass, COO; Hailey Lipiec, Social Media Manager; Calista Zahos, Junior Marketing Coordinator It’s no secret that social media and video have the power to spread brand awareness far and wide. Want proof? Consider the current trend among business-to-business (B2B) marketers throughout the United States and Europe who are prioritizing social media and video in their ad campaigns. Top two choices among B2B marketers A recent e-Marketer study revealed social media to be the leading choice for spreading brand awareness among B2B marketers, followed closely by video. What’s noteworthy is the gap between the combination of social media and video when compared to other marketing services. Social media is at 46 percent and video is at 41 percent. The list of remaining services begins at 20 percent and gradually decreases. The power of social media and video is therefore undeniable. This is due in no small part to popularity. Image Credit: e-Marketer Many users are on social media Have you ever wondered how many billions of users visit, view, and post to social media platforms regularly? (Yes, billions. According to Datareportal, as of this past July, there were 5.17 billion registered social media users throughout the world.) Then stop and consider how many users prefer watching video content over other media to find information. (Review the percentages in the chart above.) A variety of platforms to choose from, matched by audience expectations Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok are but five of the most popular social media platforms visited daily by these billions of registered users who seek out videos to view. Then of course, there is YouTube, which gets special mention as it is both a social media site and an exclusively video-centric platform. Video content, while always popular in social media, has become expected among users—and B2B marketers are taking notice. A third factor to consider is the multitude of influencer marketers who appear on many social media platforms via video. The influence of influencers in B2B marketing via video Approximately 75 percent of B2B marketers seek out the services of social media influencers. And successful influencer marketing is the result of carefully executed video content, whether polished and professional looking or raw user-generated content (UGC). This explains why so many B2B marketers are putting so much effort, money, and resources into integrating the combination of social media and video in their strategies. Oh, and it seems the shorter the video content, the better. Short form video goes a long way in user engagement A survey conducted this past March by LinkedIn points out that short form video is essential to initial engagement with users. Keeping video content brief—at least in the beginning of a social media campaign—improves return on investment (ROI). Additionally, short form videos have a better chance of piquing the interest of younger users, such as Generation Z. So, if you are engaged in B2B marketing, the time to strengthen your social media efforts—complemented by a strong (short form) video presence—is now. The services listed above—social media, video content, and influencer marketing—are all provided by the EGC Group. Our team of social media experts plan, post, and monitor attention-getting information. The EGC Content Creator Studio oversees all things video, from creation to final edit. To top off this trifecta, we have strong connections with a diverse network of influencers, each a perfect match for every one of our clients. Care to see a combination of EGC’s social media, video, and influencer marketing in action? Visit this case study page for client Jovia Financial Credit Union, which also includes stats of the success of these campaigns. Is your B2B organization ready to do business with us? Fill out this form, and an EGC team member will be in touch.
