The social media landscape has not been quiet. In the past few years, we've seen it all—the advent of Meta, Threads, and Bluesky, the launch of the Fediverse, and the development of Mastodon. And, of course, the Elon Musk takeover of Twitter—now X.

B2B marketers have had their work cut out for them. Sifting through the neverending changes of social media requires a clear strategy, and considering that 42% of people prefer to find brands on social media rather than via search engines, it's more important than ever.

Social media apps aren't the only things going through change; B2B buyer behaviors have also had their own "glow up." We have the new wave of Gen Z B2B buyers who favor performing their own research and no longer prefer to speak directly with sales representatives.

And here's where social media takes the lead in connecting new target audiences with B2B marketers: It can play a pivotal role in refining messaging, increasing brand awareness, and improving brand equity.

But the changes mean that B2B marketers must regroup to optimize content strategies.

Does LinkedIn still rule the B2B social media roost?

Before anything else, B2B marketers need to understand where their target audience is. For years, LinkedIn has been the crowned king of B2B social media with 80% of B2B marketers worldwide using the platform. In fact, LinkedIn now boasts an impressive 1 billion+ users from 200+ countries.

But is the platform capable of continually updating and evolving with the ever-changing B2B social media landscape?

There has been a lot of movement recently in the B2B social media landscape: Meta's offering of an alternative platform for targeting audiences for a fraction of LinkedIn's price; microblogging platform Bluesky's bursting onto the scene with 20 million users; and, of course, the rise of TikTok.

So far, no other platform has been able to knock LinkedIn off its B2B social media throne, but it's definitely one for B2B marketers to keep an eye on.

New isn't always better, but it can't be ignored—welcome the Fediverse

Elsewhere, the social media world was rocked in 2024 when Mark Zuckerberg announced that X's rival Threads was joining the Fediverse, an open-source and decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms that has amassed over 200 million new users.

By operating on a decentralized model, the Fediverse offers users increased control over their data and interactions, as there is no central authority governing the platform.

Now is the time for B2B marketers to react early and join the Fediverse. With the future of other social media platforms up in the air, consider TikTok's ban/reinstatement in the US as an example: Could we soon see a mass movement of organizations entering the Fediverse?

Get clever with tactics

Have you ever tried to find information online and ended up clicking on links to find the answer and never actually get the one you're after? It's annoying, right?

Enter, zero-click content. As the name suggests, it refers to content that requires zero clicks because the information is presented to the user in one place without their having to leave the page.

B2B marketers should start taking note of the importance of zero-click content due to its growing popularity among users and social media algorithms, such as those of LinkedIn and X.

Witness its rise on LinkedIn: Over 50% of posts are now zero-click because of the platform's offering in-house blog and article publishing features. These posts are getting on average six times more reactions compared with posts with external links, as algorithms are increasingly being designed to keep users on specific platforms without venturing to external sites.

So, it's up to B2B marketers to try to create content that's a fit with these algorithms; and, in turn, they can experience the payoff of greater engagement and brand visibility.

Don't underestimate the power of a keyword—your SEO will thank you

SEO is already a staple tactic in B2B marketing for standing out in search engine results pages (SERPs). But 31% of social media users now use social platforms as search engines instead of traditional search engines, so it's gaining traction in the social media world too!

Social media SEO involves using traditional SEO strategies, such as keywords on profile pages and posts to increase traffic and opportunities to connect with target audiences.

Witness the new trend on LinkedIn to optimize your profile for LinkedIn SEO—a strategy geared toward increasing visibility on LinkedIn and its search results. First, B2B marketers need to understand what and how users are searching for likeminded LinkedIn profiles, and then it's all about optimizing social media content, pages, and profiles.

But it's not just LinkedIn that this is applicable to: Consider the example of TikTok, which increased video captions from 300 to 2,200 words, or Pinterest, which actively encourages users to use the right keywords to affect content distribution positively.

Now more than ever, B2B marketers need to consider the importance of keyword selection.

Learn from B2C—how social listening has become an essential tool in the B2B toolkit

All the updates, changes, and developments across social media in 2024, when social media users surpassed the five billion mark and increased by 266 million from the previous year, have made it harder than ever for B2B brands to keep tabs on their brand's position and reputation across the ever-widening range of social channels.

Which is why social listening comes to the fore.

Social listening is often more regularly associated with B2C brands for analyzing consumer conversations, but it's essential for B2B brands, too. It is key to helping companies monitor social media conversations and gain insights on key customer pain points, market trends, and brand narratives.

It doesn't stop there, though, as B2B brands can track and analyze competitors and industry influencers, their views, issues, and customer reactions, to help position brands in a positive light.

Through social listening, B2B brands can tailor their content to ensure it hits customer pain points, addresses customer concerns that have been identified from social conversations, and builds a stronger brand image across all social channels for potential B2B buyers to see.

Nothing worth its weight comes easy—master the social media landscape to reap the benefits

The social media landscape can be challenging, and in previous years it's been far from predictable. It's been a tough road for B2B marketers to steer. However, the rewards are significant for those who can adapt their strategies

By tailoring content to fit the unique nature of social platforms, B2B marketers can strengthen their brand equity and maintain a competitive edge.

So without further ado: have you taken the plunge into the open-source world of the Fediverse?

More Resources on B2B Social Media Marketing

How to Maximize Social Media Marketing as a B2B Company

Four Powerful Tips for a Highly Effective B2B Social Media Strategy

How to Make Sure Your Social Media Strategy Succeeds: Take a Cross-Discipline Approach

Creating B2B Social Media Content That Fuels Human Connections | Marketing Smarts Live Show