10 of the Best B2B Facebook Pages
Facebook has emerged as a marketing channel that’s been adopted by countless individuals and brands alike. In fact, Facebook, the world’s largest social network, now has more than 1 billion users, including about 15 million brand pages. This presents marketers across all industries with an opportunity to tap into this massively connected audience and showcase their brand.
This is even true in the B2B sector, where 44% of business executives (directors and above) use Facebook, which provides an opportunity for B2B Facebook pages to be seen by decision-making individuals at companies; it also increases chances for leads and sales. The key is to make sure your page is worth your reader’s time.
Based on Blue Ocean Market Intelligence’s “Fortune 100 Social Effectiveneess Index” and our own social media knowledge, we’ve identified 10 of the best B2B Facebook pages out there. We chose the pages that were not only engaging, but that offered an excellent example of how a Facebook page can work for B2B companies. Think we missed one? Let us know in the comments. Enjoy!
1. Honeywell
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/honeywellsecurity
Likes: 16,967
Why It’s Good:
The Honeywell Security Group page was ranked #1 out of all company pages (B2B and B2C) according to the Social Effectiveness Index. With nearly 17,000 likes, Honeywell interacts with and responds to posts at a frequent rate, and engages its audience with interesting industry content.
Standout Tactic:
Honeywell’s weekly “Fun Fact Friday” post drives significant engagement with its audience by featuring an industry-related statistic or fact that might be out of the ordinary.
2. Ingram Micro
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/IngramMicro
Likes: 5,145
Why It’s Good:
Ingram Micro has far fewer likes than Honeywell, but don’t let that fool you. Ranked #7 on the Social Effectiveness list, its business objectives are clearly illustrated with a professional cover photo. Much like Honeywell, the company does a great job engaging with customers through a good mix of product announcements and general industry-related posts.
Standout Tactic:
A “WeeklyWonder” post encourages visitors to answer a fun, topical question on a weekly basis. While these types of posts help drive interaction between the brand and the visitors, the key is the consistency with which they do it. By having a set day and time for the questions, users know when to expect them.
3. Oracle
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OracleBusinessAnalytics
Likes: 31,427
Why It’s Good:
The Oracle Business Analytics page (ranked #9, yes there are 3 B2B pages in the top 10!) has a large number of likes (about 31,000), proving the company is very effective at creating engaging posts. Oracle’s cover photo also clearly states its business objectives.
Standout Tactic:
Blog posts are great traffic drivers but posting a blog to Facebook the standard way can be easy to overlook. When posting blogs to Facebook, Oracle offers large, crisp images. The images throughout the news feed catch the eye of the visitor and draw individual attention to each post. Plus, some of the images are pretty cool (yes, Oracle has Iron Man on its Facebook page).
4. Cisco
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Cisco
Likes: 410,258
Why It’s Good:
The Cisco page is approaching 500,000 likes, and ranks #14 on the Social Effectiveness list, thanks to its insightful and share-friendly posts. Cisco uses topical events (such as the Masters golf tournament and March Madness) to inspire engaging, timely content.
Standout Tactic:
Cisco had a “SuperFan” program that recognized its best community members. Each month, administrators recognized one fan and highlighted him or her at the top of the page. This engagement driver demonstrated that the company cares about its customers and fans.
5. Intel
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Intel
Likes: 19,185,975
Why It’s Good:
Intel, ranked #22 on the list, has an astounding 19 million likes. The company utilizes Facebook in a way that is just as innovative as its products, offering a solid mixture of content spanning its solutions. The use of eye-catching images and occasional quiz questions makes this page an exciting visit.
Standout Tactic:
The “Museum of Me” feature, requiring permission to access a user’s Facebook data, will take users on a 2-plus minute walk-through of a collection of their photos, portraits of friends, videos, links, and posts. This feature not only provides users with a fun experience, but it gives Intel the ability to gain access to users’ Facebook information, allowing the company to gain a better understanding of its fans.
6. IBM
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MidmarketIBM
Likes: 4,964
Why It’s Good:
IBM has several pages devoted to various parts of its organization, and is ranked #36 on the Social Effectiveness Index. The company’s Midsize Businesses page has almost 5,000 likes and caught our eye with a steady mix of blog content, videos, and other posts featuring IBM’s solutions or just industry buzz.
Standout Tactic:
Their page features an “Engine of the Week” section where a mid-sized company making good use of IBM technology is highlighted. Showcasing customers via this tactic is a great way to talk about your business without directly talking about yourself, and it also encourages shares.
7. HP
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HPbusinessintelligence
Likes: 1,633
Why It’s Good:
HP, much like IBM, has many Facebook pages serving various purposes and is ranked #45 on the list. Its Business Intelligence page has 1,600 likes, focusing on big data analytics for companies. Featuring several interviews with big data experts and promoting related blog posts, HP does a fantastic job of making visitors believe their company needs a big data solution.
Standout Tactic:
HP is really effective at how it promotes events on its Facebook page. The company goes above and beyond the standard call to register or learn more, and actually showcases the featured speakers and segments. HP also regularly provides expert interviews and posts with clean images to catch the eye of visitors.
8. Microsoft
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/microsoftbi
Likes: 10,197
Why It’s Good:
Microsoft ranks right behind HP on the Social Effectiveness list at #46, and its Business Intelligence page shares many similarities with HP. With just over 10,000 likes, Microsoft posts a lot of engaging content like polls, product updates, and contests. The company even does some cross-promotion with other social outlets, including its YouTube channel. Microsoft also includes calls to action within the vast majority of its posts, encouraging users to interact with posts rather than posting static content.
Standout Tactic:
Microsoft features its very own Microsoft Excel quiz, which users can take to test their Excel expertise for a chance to win prizes. For anyone who uses Excel on a regular basis, you know that the program can be frustrating. It’s a great idea for Microsoft to let you have a little fun with it.
9. Dell
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DellBusiness
Likes: 211,121
Why It’s Good:
Dell adds to the list of software companies that are running successful B2B pages, ranking #60 on the list. The Dell for Business Facebook page has more than 200,000 likes and features interactive content, making visitors want to come back for more.
Standout Tactic:
Dell’s “Is” “Is Not” photo posts, on a weekly basis, feature industry buzzwords, as the company attempts to clear the air around buzzwords with “is” or “is not” statements. The last post, featuring the term “cache,” had almost 40 likes and three comments. The images are pretty cool and, in this case, Dell cleared the air by saying it IS “Temporary CPU memory for frequently used instructions for data,” and it IS NOT “superior status, or prestige.” Any company that wants to help people use buzzwords correctly is okay in our book.
10. Gartner
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Gartner
Likes: 21,078
Why It’s Good:
Gartner breaks our trend of looking at companies on the Social Effectiveness Index list, but it’s a worthy addition to our list. The technology research and advisory company has just over 21,000 likes and has made great use of Facebook to introduce new research or events. When a piece of research is released or an event is launched, succinct, to-the-point descriptions of the event or research give insight into what is being featured.
Standout Tactic:
Gartner attempts to use video and webinar posts with short descriptions to separate itself from the pack. As visitors register for webinars, Gartner then gains access to email addresses which the can store in its databases, a tactic that can be useful for all B2B marketers.
We hope our list has inspired you to interact with more B2B companies on Facebook or make your company’s page better using some ideas from the leaders. If we missed a great B2B Facebook page, please feel free to leave us a comment!