So we’re hearing this and that about Social Networks being the next big thing in the B2B space after the success of social networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Digg for the consumer audience and LinkedIn for the business audience. What’s the big deal?
Social networks allow peers to communicate by sharing information, comments and ratings. As a social network visitor you can see what the overall community is doing, plus what individuals in your group are doing. The ABM-Harris 2006 Interactive B2B survey proved that a majority of B2B executives turn to the web when doing research for buying decisions. People are also more likely to trust information that comes from peers over marketing or advertising information. Social networks provide the opportunity to research and share information directly from your peers.
B2B websites have unique audiences – usually a very specific industry or niche, which is visiting the website specifically for information required to do business. One of the top reasons professionals attend B2B conferences and events is to network and connect with their peers. B2B Social networks offer a cost-effective way to connect with peers more often.
How do use this information to improve your own B2B website? Social networks are not effective unless the audience if reasonably large (at least a couple of thousand). If you don’t have that much traffic on your website, see if you can convince an industry association to form a social network so that your customers will be able to share, rate and comment on products and services in your industry. Take a look at a business social network, such as LinkedIn which allows associations to form groups, to connect with your peers online.
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