This blog post contributed by Justin Garvin.

Justin’s vast project management experience has made him a valuable asset for the agency’s clientele. Acting as a Brand Manager for the past 4 years, Justin helps oversee some of RiechesBaird’s most high-profile accounts, including American Airlines Cargo, Epicor, Shutterstock and Villeroy & Boch. Justin holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a minor in Marketing from Pepperdine University.

How important is social media in the B2B space? Well, if you believe the studies conducted worldwide on Internet usage these days, then the role of social for most all businesses is very important. According to a report by Nielsen in late 2011, nearly a quarter of the time Americans spend online is dominated by surfing social networking sites and blogs. That’s a huge opportunity to share critical content with your target audiences. And, with the variety of channels available, all with their own unique set of capabilities, the time for making your corporate voice heard online is now. However, there are a number of ways that social media can and should be used. In this article, I’d like to focus on Facebook.

With more than 900 million users, Facebook is a biggie. To put it bluntly, Nielsen’s research shows that Americans spend more time on Facebook than on any other site. But the feeling and purpose behind Facebook is very different than the purpose and style associated with LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and others. Where some social communities are geared to be more professional or visual, Facebook takes a more light-hearted, personal approach. Likewise, the information you share on your company Facebook page needs not be exceedingly formal as well. Think break-room bulletin board vs. office lobby signage. Visitors to your company Facebook page are not there to read the latest press releases or download new product spec sheets (not that you shouldn’t tease these occurrences). They’re not there to review your financials or read your core statements. These are pieces of information that should be located on your corporate website. Visitors are looking for something they can’t get at a corporate site — a better view of the people, the culture and the environment that makes your company what it is today. Whether it’s a potential future employee wanting to get a feel for the culture to ensure a good fit or a potential client wanting to know more about the faces behind the work, visitors to your Facebook page are craving this more intimate look.

In our world of big brands and the corporate image, it’s easy to forget that B2B is still nothing more than people to people. At the end of the day, we’re still doing business with other human beings at the other end of that email string or conference call. It’s the people that do the work, make the decisions and create ideas that forge the way forward. Why not give visitors something they can’t find anywhere else — a look behind the curtain and a chance to see into the daily lives of those that make your company tick. And the next time you consider whether or not to post that press release on Facebook, consider this — a recent study by AIS Media revealed that nearly a third of Americans check Facebook while on the toilet. Just something to think about.

Please check out RiechesBaird’s Facebook page and get to know the team at RiechesBaird a little bit better.

Check out additional posts on the power of social media when it comes to branding your business.
Providing Value Via Social Channels Boosts Brands
Tweeting to a Flock: 6 Ways to Make Your Social Efforts Personal and On Brand
How To Build Trust and Engagement Via Social Media