The use of social media for B2C marketing is a no-brainer. Consumers are prone to impulse buys, which enables companies to offer specials, coupons and more via the Worldwide Web. Marketing to other businesses, however, has been a slow evolution…but an evolution, nevertheless.

A May 2010 report by White Horse found the segment of B2B firms utilizing social media has surpassed B2C operations: 86 percent compared to 82 percent. There’s a catch, however, and that catch is frequency of usage. Only 32 percent of the B2B segment reported using social media daily, compared to 52 percent of B2C marketers. [1] This begs to ask one question…

Why is B2B social marketing so challenging?

Until recently, social media had little – if anything – to do with B2B sales. Companies just couldn’t see the practicality in such marketing, and the reasons are multifold.

For starters, B2B sales cycles are not as short-lived as their B2C counterparts. Businesses selling products to other businesses require a continuous marketing approach which utilizes multiple channels, and surfing the Web is rarely one of these channels.

Secondly, when making purchasing decisions, companies often take longer than consumers. Multiple parties are involved – from sales to accounting – and on both sides of the table, buying and selling. The “quick sale” often made in B2C marketing via the Internet seems practically impossible in a B2B scenario.

And finally, there simply aren’t a lot of social-media tools tailored specifically to B2B marketing. Social media – by its very definition – is a tool used to promote people and initiate conversation; its primary purpose is not the direct promotion of products.

In a 2010 survey, Holger Schulze – marketing executive with Everything Technology Marketing – conducted a survey of B2B marketers, highlighting their most common challenges. Of the participants, 56 percent cited the measurement of results as their main concern. Forty-six percent had difficulty identifying where to participate in terms of platforms, forums, blogs, etc. Even when these Web sites are located, 45 percent admitted to not being able to connect with influencers of these communities. Forty percent of survey participants selected coordination of social media activities as a challenge, and 33 percent found keeping track of conversations is an issue. [2]

“I think we are experiencing nothing short of a major disruption in marketing today,” Schulze said.” New technologies and marketing automation are just one expression and a driver of this change, but it goes much deeper, affecting the way we organize marketing, engage with customers, find new business opportunities, and deliver value to the stakeholders inside and outside our organizations.”

These changes make it necessary for businesses to develop a social presence, or at the very least, look into doing so. The business landscape is changing, largely due to technology, and for this reason, many businesses are adapting their marketing techniques…despite the challenges.