Can B2B Leverage Social Media?

[Lance Shields]

This is more a discussion starter than an opinion post. Recently, I've noticed bloggers writing on both sides of the fence about this topic...the practical nay-sayers and the social media experts. As I have a B2B client I've been trying to persuade to adopt social media to build awareness and engage customers, I am very interested in how business focused companies can use social media. Any ideas or opinions?

[Adam Walls]

Some companies with a B2B focus, including my own, are using social media as part of their recruitment strategies. I hear that Twitter in particular is where a lot of potential job applicants are hearing about job opportunities.

I also know of a major US electronics distributor in Japan that is looking at placing news about its suppliers (semconductor manufacturers) on social media sites in Japanese as a way of reaching consumers and increasing its bargaining power in its relationships with suppliers.

More stories would be appreciated, particularly in Japan, as all the examples I've come across have been from the US.

[Lance Shields]

Thanks Adam. Yeah, I have head but never used Twitter for recruiting or job seeking. How exactly would that work? Followers of a company (say Oracle or someone) post a job notice and then candidates reply or do they follow a link to a job page?

What sort of social networking sites is the distributor using? Mixi or some industry specific SNS?

Yes, I'd like to hear more Japanese examples as well. Also, are any Japanese companies using AND having success with Facebook sponsored pages?