Social Media Channels The number of social networking sites has exploded in recent years, bringing hundreds of potential new marketing channels onto the scene. With so many options, it’s easy to get distracted and waste time experimenting with new channels that may never provide any real business value. That’s why it is important to be extremely focused and to concentrate your efforts on the smallest number of channels that will have the highest impact with your specific target audience. Typically, that will include some combination of the social network- ing sites listed below: Facebook: Although more commonly used by B2C businesses, Facebook can still be a useful channel for B2B mar- keting, particularly for sharing more personal and visually engaging content such as blog posts, videos, and info- graphics. Stick to lighter, more entertaining content and leave your white papers, case studies, and reports for other distribution channels. Find out more: How to Use Facebook for Business Google+: Although initially slow to take off, Google+ has evolved into a vibrant social network for sharing content. Users can segment themselves into groups called communities based on their interests and needs, facilitating tar- geted content distribution. In addition, posting your content on Google+ has the added benefit of positively influenc- ing your search results. Find out more: Google Plus: A Guide for Everyone LinkedIn: The world’s leading business networking site, LinkedIn is the perfect tool for sharing your content with highly targeted audiences. In addition to promoting your content through status updates on your company’s page, take advantage of the more than 1 million LinkedIn Groups, which segment users based on their industry, interests, and needs. By joining the groups that are most relevant to your buyers, you gain access to a platform for distributing your content to a targeted audience. Find out more: LinkedIn Best Practices: Targeted Status Updates It Takes a Content Factory! | 34