With only a percentage of companies claiming clear strategies, the B2B sector falls behind in social media.

B2B marketers face unique struggles that are foreign to those in consumer-facing sectors, which is why many professionals fall behind when it comes to social media marketing initiatives. Although B2Bs can benefit from harnessing tools on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social sharing sites, many are not showing game faces in the arena.

According to a survey conducted by Eloqua, 36 percent of B2B companies do not use social media for marketing purposes. Although 64 percent use social media for creating brand awareness and encouraging sharing, 53 percent don’t use social media marketing for lead generation. Thirty-two percent do use sites like Facebook and Twitter for finding leads, while 12 percent said they were unsure whether or not their brand used social media for lead generation efforts.No strategy in place

Without a clear social media marketing strategy, it will be difficult for brands to create awareness, generate leads, bring higher ROI and gain trust among followers. Social media can create pathways to success, but a deliberate strategy is crucial to this end.

Brafton recently reported that lack of resources is the biggest challenge in B2B content marketing. Without social media and content marketing expertise, the generation of custom content that can lead to positive gains for brands can be an uphill battle. Forty-four percent of B2B marketers outsource content creation, according to a report by the Content Marketing Institute, demonstrating an opportunity for those who need some assistance in their efforts.

Emma Siemasko is a former member of Brafton's editorial team. Emma has experience with blogging, travel writing, industry news, SEO and content marketing. She used to live in South Korea, where she mastered the art of using metal chopsticks.