#171: Social Media | How to Grow Your B2B Brand on LinkedIn with Tommy Clark, CEO of Compound
Aug 29, 2024
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Tommy Clark, the founder of the B2B social media agency Compound, shares his journey from SaaS social media manager to agency leader. He highlights why LinkedIn is crucial for B2B branding and offers tips on posting consistently to build engagement. Tommy discusses how video content can enhance trust and the balance between evergreen and timely posts. He emphasizes the significance of authenticity, community building, and the power of honesty in connecting with audiences.
LinkedIn emerges as a vital platform for B2B brands, necessitating a focused strategy and consistent engagement to maximize its potential.
Frequent posting significantly enhances audience understanding and brand recognition, encouraging B2B companies to share relevant content five to seven times weekly.
Involving diverse team members in social media efforts fosters richer engagement and strengthens community ties, ultimately amplifying brand voice and reach.
Deep dives
The Evolution of a Career Path
The speaker shares a unique career journey that began with aspirations to become an orthopedic surgeon, eventually leading to a role in B2B marketing and agency building. Initially involved in content marketing as a college sideline, the speaker transitioned from freelancing for a B2B media company to becoming the head of social at a SaaS analytics company. Through consistent posting and engagement on social platforms, particularly LinkedIn and Twitter, the speaker naturally garnered a freelance client base, prompting the decision to launch a dedicated agency. This evolution emphasizes the potential of leveraging online presence to open unexpected career doors.
Harnessing Social Media for B2B Success
Social media serves as a crucial tool for B2B marketing, with a strong focus on LinkedIn for engaging target audiences. The speaker notes that effective strategies should prioritize one core channel, recommending LinkedIn while recognizing the merits of Twitter in specific contexts. B2B brands can maximize impact by consistently posting meaningful content and engaging with their audience, rather than diluting their efforts across multiple platforms. This concentrated approach not only helps in building a follower base but also enhances brand recognition within targeted communities.
Content Strategy and Posting Frequency
The effectiveness of a content strategy hinges on regular posting and audience engagement, with a recommendation to post five to seven times a week. Posting frequently facilitates gathering data on audience preferences and effective messaging, allowing adjustments to be made for better outcomes. Early content should be focused on finding a niche and creating posts that are relevant to the target audience instead of spreading messages too broadly. This systematic method helps build a connection with followers while providing valuable insights for future content.
Empowering Team Members for Broader Reach
Beyond individual contributions, the speaker emphasizes the importance of involving multiple team members in LinkedIn activities to diversify the company’s voice and reach. Engagement from various perspectives enriches the conversation, making it more appealing to a broader audience. A collective effort amplifies the brand's presence on social media platforms, creating a synergy that can lead to enhanced interest and engagement. This approach not only fosters team involvement but also builds a community that resonates with their message and objectives.
Measuring Success Beyond Direct Sales
Success on LinkedIn should be evaluated through both social and business metrics, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of engagement and effectiveness. Social metrics, such as follower growth and post impressions, provide valuable insights, while business metrics reveal the impact on sales queries and lead generation over time. It is crucial to adopt a long-term view, recognizing that building a presence and converting impressions into tangible results requires time and consistent effort. By focusing on delivering valuable content and understanding the feedback loop, organizations can enhance their broader marketing strategies and ultimately drive sales.
Dave sits down with Tommy Clark, founder of his own B2B social media agency, Compound, to talk about the ins and outs of social media strategy for B2B companies. Tommy shares his journey from running social for a SaaS company to building his agency and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
Tommy and Dave cover:
Why LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B brands and how to maximize its potential
The importance of posting consistently to build a strong social presence
How using video content on LinkedIn can accelerate trust-building with your audience
Timestamps
(00:00) - - Intro to Tommy
(07:56) - - Why You Should Focus on One Core Social Channel
(10:09) - - LinkedIn Success Using Just Text
(12:19) - - How to Get More Audience Data through Posting Frequently
(15:24) - - The Best Niche Content for Target Audience Engagement
(19:21) - - Why Honesty is Important in Building an Audience and Network
(24:30) - - Podcast ROI Beyond Sales and Downloads
(25:13) - - Balancing Evergreen and Timely Content
(31:25) - - Challenges and Trade-offs of Scheduled Social Media Posts
(33:59) - - How to Focus on Client Success
(38:04) - - How to Grow Followers and Relevance on LinkedIn
(40:56) - - How to Maximize Direct Response Marketing with Gary Vee's Strategy
(45:28) - - How to Create Video Content for LinkedIn
(49:10) - - Why Diverse Perspectives are Important in Business
(50:07) - - How to Use Social Media for Business Growth
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