Facebook has long been known as the top choice for business-to-consumer (B2C) social media marketing. But which social networking sites and social media sites are effective marketing channels for business-to-business (B2B)? How can B2B leverage social media to strengthen customer service, engage with customers and prospects, and differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace? Starting this week, and over the next few weeks, I’ll share some of the top 6 social networking tools for B2B success in the social sphere compiled by Neal Schaffer of Windmills Marketing.
Remember not to limit yourself to just these six . Research all opportunities in social media marketing. Go where your audience is and LISTEN, and then LEARN. They will tell you what their problems are and what solutions they are looking for. There are many opportunities for B2B’s, and these tools are just the tip of the social media iceberg.
1. Your Website & Blog – What most people forget is that social media does not exist in a corporate vacuum and it is only an 
extension of your marketing, not a replacement. You will still be doing email marketing as well as other types of traditional marketing, although I do know some start-ups who are putting their marketing budgets solely into social media.
Regardless, you need to lead people somewhere from the conversations in social media to acquaint them with your business and start engaging in a conversation that will hopefully lead to a conversion in the future. This is why your website is even more important with the advent of social media, and you need to make sure that your website is “social media optimized” to lead others to your social media profiles as well as to help others share your information throughout their social media channels. Finally, another important part of social media is sharing content, and creating a blog is the best way to achieve this. Make sure your blog is active and website optimized before engaging in social media. (Source: Neal Schaffer, Windmills Marketing)
