Lack of Resources Noted as Primary Hindrance to B2B Social Media Presence

While many B2B marketers turn to social media to achieve their objectives, new research shows that those with little to no presence struggle with a lack of resources and general understanding of best practices.

The “B2B Social Media: Investment & Returns” report from Demand Metric has found that 56 percent of marketers that have a small (or nonexistent) social presence do not have the resources to create one. About 27 percent stated that they do not understand social media enough to have a presence, and 22 percent do not conduct content marketing.

Additionally, more than half of the respondents with a presence claimed that they do not have integration between their social media channels and their marketing and sales systems, which is noted as a significant contributor to ROI.

B2B marketers also appear to be challenged when it comes to gauging the ROI of their social media efforts. Forty percent claimed that they do not know the ROI of their social media. About 23 percent said their ROI is in line with their expectations, and 18 percent said it is below their expectations.

Measuring the ROI of Social Media Marketing

Previously, marketers have identified proving ROI as a top challenge when it comes to social media. The “2016 State of Social Marketing” report from Simply Measured discovered that 61 percent of social marketers find measuring ROI to be their largest challenge. This was followed by securing budget and resources (38 percent) and tying social media to their business goals (33 percent).

However, marketers are becoming more dedicated to the tactic. About 63 percent said that their marketing organizations now have social media teams. This is up from 49 percent the prior year.