US Beats Out UK In B2B Social Media

Of all the friendly rivalries between the U.S. and the U.K., one from the B2B sector can now be added to the list. According to the B2B Social Media Report just released by Brandwatch, U.S. B2B companies are embracing social media far more than their counterparts across the Atlantic.

In its analysis of 10 industry sectors, Brandwatch found that more than half of B2B software firms dominate the social media conversation. IBM is the most mentioned brand on social media across 100 nations. The second-most popular industry was aerospace, followed by medical and energy.

Aside from insight into which industries dominate B2B social media activity, the research also revealed vast differences between the use of social media by B2B companies in the U.S. and the U.K. According to the findings, U.S. companies make up nearly three-quarters of the B2B conversations on social media.

Brandwatch highlighted that this difference is likely attributed to the greater size of the U.S. B2B market compared to the U.K. The U.S. currently has 2.4 million B2B business profiles and twice the number of B2B Twitter accounts compared with U.K. companies. The average B2B companies in the U.S. will have more than 82,000 Twitter followers compared with about 11,600 for U.K. firms.

The findings can also highlight the changing landscape of the B2B world, which is more avidly embracing social media today than it did in years past. “This investment into social from U.S. brands not only provides them with a free channel for company awareness, but also leaves them better equipped to manage their brand and deal with inevitable crises,” the report found.

Despite the U.S.’s clear advantage over the U.K. in terms of the size of their B2B markets, Brandwatch concluded that the U.K. will need to up its game on social media should it wish to compete strongly with U.S. competitors. “Customers, advocates and critics all expect a constant and holistic social connection,” Brandwatch said. “If U.K. brands want to compete with the U.S. they will have to develop a stronger social presence, dedicated customer service accounts and a constantly evolving social strategy.”

B2B experts are sounding off on the importance for businesses to enter the social media realm. But, according to research, B2B buyers largely ignore social media platforms in the procurement process. A recent study by business research firm CEB found that instead, companies prominently look to supplier websites to gain information about products and services and to purchase goods. Further, the study found, while B2B companies invest in social media efforts, buyers often find supplier websites inadequate, confusing, or lacking in information.