After consulting and advising clients on social media channels, best practices and content strategy over the last few months, I thought I would share some very important social media factors that often are critical – and not always obvious – to a successful social media marketing campaign. These might seem basic to some, but in my direct experience one or more of this list can easily be overlooked.

The Hidden Social Media Elements (B2B) You Should Know

• The Website Can’t Suck – Social media best practices are irrelevant if the corporate website is not Web 2.0 and integrated with the social networks


• Social ROI - Social media ROI is less about lead generation and more about supporting the brand & marketing efforts as a whole with key component being customer engagement and retention


• Corporate is Not Social – Socially engaging content is crucial and requires both passive and active participation (not re-posting marketing collateral for example)


• The Hidden Cost of New Content – Social networks require original content which often means writing, designing, re-purposing new material to remain relevant and vital.


• It’s Not Free - True, however internal resources and the cost to produce material are not and must be factored into planning.


• No Interns Please – Social media marketing requires senior level commitment. B2B networks like Linkedin require participation of product managers and executives to maintain brand leadership in group discussions.


• No Strategy – Social is an extension of communications, marketing, PR and requires a clearly defined strategy with a timeline and key performance indicators.


• Social Needs To Advertised – Via offline marketing and advertising media.


• Social is SEO Too – The content posted on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin can play an important part in the Search Engine Optimization of the corporate website.