5 Ways to Leverage Social Media for Lead Generation [+Examples]

Social media for lead generation has become an integral part of modern business operations, and it’s no surprise that companies are turning to these platforms to generate leads.

But for B2B businesses, the process can be a little more complex. How do you reach the right people?

How do you establish trust and credibility? How do you turn a lead into a customer? In this article, we’ll break down five effective ways to leverage social media for B2B lead generation.

From brand awareness campaigns to influencer marketing, we’ll provide actionable tips and examples to help you tap into the power of social media and generate leads for your business.

Use of Social Media for Brand Awareness

Generating B2B leads through brand awareness campaigns on social media involves creating and sharing content that showcases your business’s products or services, and the value they bring to potential customers.

By building a strong online presence and showcasing your expertise, you can attract the attention of potential B2B clients and generate leads.

For example, a software company can create a social media campaign that focuses on the benefits and features of their software, and how it can help other businesses to improve their productivity and efficiency.

They can share case studies, testimonials, and educational content that highlights the value of their software and position themselves as experts in their field. Additionally, by creating a strong social media presence, businesses can create trust and credibility with potential B2B leads.

Example of Brand Awareness Campaign for Lead Generation

One example of a Brand Awareness Campaign for B2B Lead Generation is a campaign run by Salesforce. They created a social media campaign that focused on how their CRM software can help businesses to improve their sales and customer service operations.

The campaign included a series of videos and infographics that showcased the features and benefits of the software, and how it can help businesses to increase their productivity and efficiency.

The campaign was promoted on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook and targeted at C-level executives and sales and customer service managers.

Lead Generation through Social Media Advertising

Social media lead generation via advertising can be an effective way for businesses to target specific audiences and generate leads, especially on B2B platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

These platforms offer targeting options that allow businesses to reach specific demographics and job titles, making it easier to connect with potential B2B clients.

For example, LinkedIn allows businesses to target their ads based on job title, industry, company size, and location. This means that a B2B software company can target their ads to reach C-level executives in the technology industry, and increase their chances of generating leads.

In LinkedIn the prominent age demographic is 35 to 54 years old, and definitely more professional oriented.

Similarly, Facebook allows businesses to target their ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors, which can be a valuable tool for B2B lead generation.

To generate B2B leads through social media advertising on LinkedIn and Facebook, businesses should:

• Determine the specific group of people to target and create social media ads that appeal to their needs and preferences
• Use persuasive language and a clear call-to-action to encourage audience engagement
• Utilize retargeting techniques to target those who have previously visited the website or shown interest in the product or service
• Continuously analyze and evaluate ad performance and make adjustments for improvement
• Experiment with various ad formats, including video and carousel ads, to determine which perform best
• Utilize the targeting options on LinkedIn and Facebook to reach specific job titles, industries and company sizes.

Example of Lead Generation by Using Social Media Ads

One example of a successful lead generation campaign via social media ads is the campaign run by Marketo. They used LinkedIn and Facebook ads to promote their “Download Social Media Marketing” guide.

The ads directed users to a landing page where they could download the guide and provide their contact information to become leads for the company. Marketo used a clear call-to-action in the ad, highlighting the value of the guide and encouraging users to download it.

They also used retargeting ads to reach users who had already visited their website and shown interest in their product. This campaign helped Marketo to generate leads by reaching a specific target audience of individuals and businesses interested in social media marketing.

They also used LinkedIn and Facebook’s targeting options to reach specific job titles, industries, and company sizes, which helped them to increase their chances of generating leads.

The guide was full of valuable tips and best practices on social media marketing that the audience could implement immediately and it helped to establish Marketo as a trusted resource in the field.

Lead Generation through Free Giveaways

For B2B lead generation, businesses can run contests and giveaways that are relevant to their target audience, such as offering a free consultation or a trial of their products or services.

For example, a B2B software company can run a contest on LinkedIn where they give away a free one-year subscription to their software to a business that can demonstrate how it would improve their operations.

This creates an opportunity for the software company to connect with potential customers and showcase the value of their product.

To generate leads through social media contests and giveaways for B2B, businesses should:

• Identify their target audience and tailor their contest or giveaway to meet their needs and interests
• Use a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) to encourage users to participate
• Make sure the prize is relevant and valuable to the target audience
• Keep the rules and regulations simple and easy to understand
• Continuously monitor and analyze the campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed to optimize results
• Utilize LinkedIn targeting options to reach specific job titles, industries, and company sizes.

Examples of Free Giveaways or Steep Discounts

One example of how businesses can use AppSumo deals to generate leads is by offering a steep discount to new users. AppSumo is a popular website that offers daily deals on software and digital products for businesses, and it can be an effective way for businesses to attract new users and generate leads.

For example, a B2B software company can offer a steep discount on their product through AppSumo. This can be an opportunity for the company to reach a new audience and generate leads from potential customers who might not have otherwise considered their product.

The discount can be a limited time offer that creates a sense of urgency for potential customers to take action.

By using AppSumo, the B2B software company can reach a new audience of businesses and managers looking for efficient software solutions, and the steep discount can be a valuable incentive for them to try the product.

The company can also use AppSumo’s targeting options to reach specific job titles, industries, and company sizes. This can help to increase the chances of generating leads from potential customers who are a good match for the company’s product.

Lead Generation through Social Media Influencer Marketing

Businesses can leverage influencer marketing on social media for B2B lead generation by partnering with industry experts and thought leaders to promote their products or services.

Influencers have a large and engaged following, which can help businesses to tap into new audiences and promote their products or services in a more authentic and relatable way.

One excellent way to do that is with webinars. They can be a great tool for B2B lead generation as it can provide valuable information to potential customers and help to establish trust and credibility with the brand.

For example, a B2B software company can partner with an industry expert to host a webinar on the benefits and features of their software and how it can help businesses to improve their operations.

The webinar can be promoted by the influencer on their social media channels, which can help to attract a new audience of potential B2B customers.

After the webinar, the attendees can be directed to the company’s website where they can learn more about the product or service and sign up to become leads.

One of the most important parts of each webinar is the follow-up sequence. That’s often when the leads will convert. The best webinar platforms have built-in follow-up email sequence builders, which you can schedule.

Example of B2B Influencer Marketing for Lead Generation

One specific example of how a business can leverage influencer marketing on social media for B2B lead generation is a campaign run by the software company Asana.

They partnered with Michael Hyatt, a well-known productivity expert and thought leader, to host a webinar on the benefits of using Asana for project management. They promoted the webinar on Michael’s social media channels, which helped to attract a new audience of potential B2B customers.

The webinar showed how Asana can help businesses to improve their team productivity, and it also featured a live demo of the software. After the webinar, the attendees were directed to Asana’s website, where they could sign up for a free trial of the software, becoming leads for the company.

This campaign helped Asana to generate leads by reaching a specific target audience of businesses and managers looking for efficient project management tools, and also helped to establish Asana as a trusted provider of project management solutions among the target audience.

Utilizing Social Media Listening and Engagement

Businesses can utilize social media listening and engagement for lead generation by actively monitoring and participating in online conversations relevant to their industry and products or services.

By identifying and engaging with potential customers on social media, businesses can build relationships and establish trust, which can lead to more potential leads.

For example, a B2B software company can use social media listening tools to monitor online conversations and discussions about project management and productivity. After that, engage in those conversations with their prospects. The best social media management tools have built-in social listening and social analytics as well.

They can also participate in relevant LinkedIn groups, answering questions and providing helpful information to potential customers. Additionally, by being responsive to mentions and messages on their social media channels, they can build trust and credibility with potential customers, which can lead to more potential leads.

To utilize social media listening and engagement for lead generation, businesses should:

• Identify and monitor relevant online conversations and discussions on social media
• Engage in those conversations by providing valuable insights and information
• Be responsive to mentions and messages on their social media channels
• Utilize LinkedIn groups to reach out to potential customers
• Continuously monitor and analyze the campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed to optimize results
• Use social media listening tools to track mentions of their brand and industry keywords.

Example of Social Listening and Engagement

One example of a successful lead generation campaign using social media listening and engagement is the “Twitter Q&A” campaign by Hootsuite.

They scheduled Twitter regular Q&A sessions with their followers, during which they answered questions and provided helpful tips related to social media marketing.

This campaign helped Hootsuite to generate leads by getting people to visit their website and sign up for their product.

Key Takeaways for Using Social Media for Lead Generation

Whether you’re just starting a brick and mortar business, or you’re a marketing manager in a large SaaS company, you can leverage social media for B2B lead generation.

First up, we talked about how using social media to build brand awareness can bring in a steady stream of leads. By showing off what you have to offer and how it can benefit potential customers, you can attract the right crowd to your business.

Next, we discussed how social media advertising can be a game changer for B2B lead generation. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook allow you to target specific job titles and industries, which can increase your chances of reaching the right people.

We also looked at the power of social media contests and giveaways. By offering prizes or incentives that are relevant and valuable to your target audience, you can encourage engagement and generate leads.

Influencer marketing was another topic we covered. By partnering with industry experts and thought leaders, you can tap into their audience and establish trust with potential customers – leading to more leads for your business.

Lastly, we talked about the importance of social media listening and engagement. By keeping an ear out for conversations relevant to your industry and participating in them, you can build relationships and generate leads.

All in all, social media is a powerful tool for B2B lead generation. By utilizing different tactics and tailoring them to your target audience, you can attract the right crowd, establish trust and ultimately generate leads. And remember, it’s important to keep an eye on your progress and make changes as needed to optimize results.