During a global crisis like the one we are currently experiencing, Facebook and the like are inevitably becoming even bigger hubs for social interaction and information gathering. And this applies to both private and business life. The use of social media is therefore understandably increasing further than previously thought - and in the long term. In this article, we explain why it makes sense right now, especially for B2B companies, to get involved in social advertising or to intensify social media advertising measures. In doing so, we will look at important aspects that are particularly important to consider.

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Should B2B companies use social advertising in times of crisis?

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This is a specific question that many B2B companies are currently asking themselves. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. Every company should define its own individual social advertising strategy. A strategy is particularly important in a crisis situation. Placing ads on social networks during an exceptional situation such as a global pandemic should be subject to even more careful scrutiny than usual. The entire campaign conception process, including approval, publication and monitoring, should be given special attention in line with the current situation. Carefully thinking through the communication, for example, protects against the impression that your brand wants to profit from the current situation. In our opinion, the question should therefore be less whether you should be present on social media in times of crisis, but rather how you should present yourself under these special circumstances.

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Good reasons for social advertising in B2B even during times of crisis

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From our many years of experience in B2B social media marketing and with the insights of our customers, we have derived some reasons for B2B social advertising in times of crisis:

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• Compensation for the loss of important trade fairs and events: In the B2B sector, global trade fairs, congresses and customer events are among the annual marketing highlights. With the drastic travel and meeting restrictions, these events are no longer feasible - it is not yet clear how long this will remain the case. Despite everything, social advertising offers the opportunity to present the company, the brand and the range of services to global target groups in a targeted manner.
• Proactive communication to avoid misinformation and rumors: In times of great uncertainty and very dynamic developments on a global level, what and how people talk about your company should not be left to chance. B2B target groups also use social networks to find out about current events and discuss them. Skepticism can quickly arise here and premature conclusions can be drawn about a company's ability to act or deliver - which can sometimes have a negative impact on the relationship of trust with customers. Publishing a press release about this on your company website and hoping for the attention of your target group is simply not enough.
• B2B companies are the heroes in the background: what otherwise takes place behind the scenes for the general public can attract the attention of the world's population from one day to the next. IT companies and providers of cloud solutions are making organizations of all kinds fit for working from home in the shortest possible time, thus ensuring that important processes in business, administration and society can continue to run securely. Biotechnology companies produce essential components for virus tests and thus make an immensely important contribution to rapid diagnosis, which in turn enables important medical decisions to be made in the fight against a spreading disease. These are just two examples from our B2B social media consulting world. Telling these stories with the necessary objectivity but also a dose of pride in the contribution that employees make every day in a crisis situation - this has immense potential for sustainable branding and building trust.
• Trustworthiness and authenticity make brands strong: this is of course not only true in times of crisis, but the effect of trust-building and authentic communication has the potential to increase immensely. In times of crisis, people are looking more than ever for credible, relevant information from reputable sources. The target group perspective is now more important than ever. Present yourself as a trustworthy brand that understands the information needs of the target group by making your content relevant to the crisis specifically for your industry.
• Falling prices for advertising measures in social media: Since the beginning of the crisis, a clear trend can be observed in the advertising managers of social networks - the price per thousand contacts (CPM) continues to fall. Due to the reluctance of many advertisers, but also because users are spending more time on social networks (encouraged by working from home or short-time working, among other things), there is an increased supply of ad space. Companies that want to intensify their social advertising measures can benefit from these low contact prices. For companies that have not yet ventured into social advertising, this could be an incentive to launch initial pilot projects and gain experience.

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What you should pay particular attention to in B2B social advertising during times of crisis

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If you are unsure whether you should continue with social advertising or take the plunge, we recommend that you consider the following aspects of communication:

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• Rethink your communication and social advertising strategy: Ask yourself whether the strategy and the associated social media ads are still are still adequate. It can be observed that social advertising measures aimed directly at sales and leads are attracting less attention and sometimes even causing incomprehension and annoyance among recipients. Companies are currently expected to put their economic interests on the back burner and make a contribution to solving the crisis.

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• Strike the right tone/image in your ads: If you are running ads during a crisis, make sure that your copy, images and videos are appropriate to the very serious situation at hand to avoid negative reactions or even shitstorms. If you are currently running ads, check whether the texts, which may have been developed before the crisis, offer risk potential in the current situation. Specifically, in the case of coronavirus, you should check whether your current ads comply with the current rules of conduct, such as sufficient hygiene, social distancing or avoiding hoarding. Timing also plays an important role. As the following example shows, it is not necessary to touch on topics with risk potential in order to attract negative feedback.

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The following example of a B2B ad on LinkedIn and the reaction to it in the form of a comment illustrates that companies should be much more sensitive and use a new level of tact when strategizing and designing their ads:

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  Prepare yourself for an unusual and increased level of feedback: We know from experience that engagement with social media ads, particularly in the form of comments, is generally much lower in the B2B environment than for B2C brands. However, B2B brands should prepare for a change in this regard in times of crisis. Both quantitative and qualitative aspects need to be considered when making such preparations. It should be ensured that sufficient resources (internal and external) are available to monitor and process the interactions. Processes (who does what?) for handling the interactions should be put to the test and adapted if necessary. In terms of content, it is also possible to prepare for topics with communicative risk potential or frequently asked questions or recurring criticism / allegations / rumors with previously agreed answers.
• Ensure consistent campaign management and monitoring: Establish processes, responsibilities and, if necessary, tools to keep track of reactions to your advertisements in real time. Time is sometimes one of the most important factors when it comes to taking a stand or limiting damage. The faster you are informed about the interaction with your advertisement, the faster you can take the necessary steps to coordinate and publish the responses. The social media manager often has the task of assigning the community's specific technical questions to an appropriate contact person with expertise and coordinating communication. This can take hours or even days. Monitoring software and tools can help you to identify potential communication risks at an early stage and take the necessary measures with regard to your advertisements. By monitoring targeted keywords, you can track in real time where the discussion around your business and brand is heading so that you can adjust or shut down ads accordingly before negative comments arise.

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Conclusion

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Ultimately, as is so often the case, it depends. Many industries have already been hit hard by the ongoing crisis situation - some more than others. In any case, social media advertising measures and, above all, the right strategy for the individual case of a company can leverage potential in the short, medium and long term, even during times of crisis. Perhaps you are in the fortunate situation that your products and services are needed now more than ever - keyword IT and digitalization. In this case, you should definitely consider social advertising to provide information about your urgently needed services. But even if you are currently struggling with a dramatic drop in sales, the introduction of short-time working or even redundancies, you should think about social media measures in order not to be forgotten by your target group, to maintain trust and to prepare for the time after the crisis.

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In the end, it is important to monitor the situation closely, measure developments and adapt your strategy dynamically. We will also overcome this crisis and emerge from it with important experience that will strengthen us for the future.