SaaS businesses that want to generate leads need to move beyond traditional marketing. Nowadays, you need more effective ways to attract attention and engage the right audience. This is where the best hashtags and social listening for B2B SaaS lead generation can come in handy.
Social listening is an effective marketing strategy that helps brands understand their target audience and gain high-quality leads.
Moreover, hashtags on social platforms act as a beacon directing potential customers to your posts and profile. With social listening and hashtags, you can create and share relatable content that reaches a wider audience.
In this guide, I’ll explain how you can effectively combine hashtags and social listening for B2B SaaS lead generation.
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Table of Contents
7 Best Practices for Using The Best Hashtags and Social Listening for B2B SaaS Lead Generation
Leveraging the power of social media entails knowing how to effectively combine hashtags and social listening. I’ve gathered seven best practices to help you expand your reach and gain new B2B SaaS leads.
1. Research Relevant Hashtags
The point of hashtags is that people can discover your content and profile when they click them. However, you must conduct proper research before you use this strategy.
Beyond popularity, you also need to use hashtags relevant to your niche. This is why learning how to use social listening is important. By listening to major conversations around your niche, you can get an idea of the best hashtags to use.
Also, social media platforms provide hashtag suggestions that you can use for your posts. For instance, LinkedIn offers this feature, along with the Explore page. Here’s an example of Instagram’s hashtag suggestions.
Image via Instagram
Using this feature, you can find trending hashtags within the B2B SaaS industry. You can then add these hashtags to your posts to increase visibility, allowing you to generate more leads for your business.
You should also stay up to date on effective hashtags and update your hashtag lists frequently.
2. Identify Challenges and Opportunities Through Social Listening
Using social listening, you can identify common challenges and opportunities to help in your content strategy. With tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social, you can effectively identify the common pain points of your target audience.
You can also use customer experience software like Zonka Feedback or Qualtrics to collect customer feedback across social media channels, assess their experience, and deliver insights with opportunities for retention, conversion, and upsell.
Social listening helps you find out if a potential customer has an inquiry or difficulty so you can address it. For example, bookkeeping software companies can talk about accounting for startups to help out their target audience with this common concern.
This will help you come up with content ideas that address the user’s needs. As a result, your brand reputation and awareness are improved.
You can also discover the latest topics and trends. This can help you create relevant and strategic content to present your brand as a thought leader.
According to the HelloBar guide, crafting creative CTAs and including them in your social media content is an excellent practice for generating leads from your social media campaign.
Lastly, through social listening, you can identify brand mentions to attract potential leads. Look out for conversations or posts that include your brand, especially positive customer experiences or inquiries.
3. Categorize Targeted Hashtags
After researching and identifying the relevant hashtags, the next step is to categorize them based on different areas of your B2B business.
For instance, you can create different lists of industry trends, customer reviews, product launches, or educational content.
Doing this will help ensure that your posts are optimized for the right market segments. This increases your chances of being discovered by potential leads.
You might also want to look into using branded hashtags to help build brand recognition and provide social proof.
4. Share Content and Use Hashtags Properly
A short post with over 12 hashtags will look like spam to readers. To effectively combine hashtags and social listening for B2B SaaS lead generation, you need to follow the right practices.
Optimize your content and use the best hashtags for each social platform. Focus on using only the most relevant hashtags that resonate with your target audience.
On LinkedIn, you can have longer posts and more hashtags compared to Twitter. Take a look at an example of a Twitter post with few hashtags.
Image via X Twitter
On the other hand, Instagram gives room for up to 30 hashtags on a post, though you shouldn’t use as much when sharing content.
Each social platform has varying practices for sharing content and using hashtags. The Attrock guide explains how you can create content for Instagram.
Also, look for the best content format for each platform. Using social listening, you can optimize your content to suit each platform.
For example, your content should be in short video format if you use TikTok. Meanwhile, a text post with images will be more suitable for LinkedIn.
You can experiment with different hashtag combinations on various social platforms to understand what works best.
5. Participate in Relevant Conversations
You must actively participate in industry conversations to build relationships and gain B2B SaaS leads.
As explored in the Younium SaaS revenue recognition guide, this can extend your brand awareness and gain leads, potentially boosting your revenue for your SaaS business.
For example, you can join LinkedIn discussions, Twitter Spaces, and more. Also, respond to posts, share posts, and contribute insights on various social platforms.
Through social listening tools, you can identify meaningful opportunities for engagement. While doing that, you can also add relevant industry hashtags to your posts.
Your participation shouldn’t always be promotional. Offer helpful contributions genuinely and take part in two-way communication.
Ready to Gain New Leads?
Hashtags and social listening are valuable tools for B2B SaaS lead generation. However, you must use them appropriately to maximize results. Research relevant hashtags, identify challenges and opportunities, and categorize your targeted hashtags.
Also, remember to use hashtags and share content professionally while participating in relevant industry conversations. With a proper combination of these strategies, you can gain quality leads in no time.
FAQ: Effective Use of Best Hashtags & Social Listening for B2B SaaS
What are the best hashtags for B2B SaaS companies?
The best hashtags for B2B SaaS companies are those specific to your industry and target audience. Examples include #SaaS, #B2BMarketing, #CloudSoftware, and #EnterpriseTech. Always research to find niche hashtags relevant to your product.
How many should I use in a post?
Using 2-5 hashtags per post is usually effective. Too many can look spammy and dilute your message. Focus on the most relevant hashtags to maximize engagement.
How can I find trending ones in my industry?
Use tools like Hashtagify, RiteTag, or social media platforms’ own search functions to discover trending hashtags. Monitor competitor accounts and industry leaders to see which hashtags they use frequently.
Why is social listening important for B2B SaaS?
Social listening helps you understand your audience, track brand sentiment, and identify industry trends. It provides insights into customer needs and pain points, allowing you to tailor your marketing strategy effectively.
Which tools are best for social listening?
Popular tools include Hootsuite, Brandwatch, Brand24, and Sprout Social. These platforms offer comprehensive features for monitoring keywords, best hashtags, and brand mentions across various social media platforms.
How often should I engage in social listening?
Engage in social listening daily or at least several times a week. Regular monitoring allows you to stay updated on trends and respond promptly to customer feedback or industry changes.
Can hashtags improve my SEO efforts?
Yes, they can improve your SEO on social media platforms. They make your content more discoverable, increasing the chances that new audiences will find your posts. However, they’re not a substitute for traditional SEO strategies.
What mistakes should I avoid with a hashtag?
Don’t use irrelevant or overly generic ones. Avoid using too many in one post, as it can appear cluttered. Don’t neglect to update your hashtag strategy regularly based on performance analytics and industry trends.
How do I measure the success of my strategy?
Track metrics like engagement rates, reach, and impressions for posts using a specific hashtag. Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms or third-party tools to assess performance.
Can I create my own branded hashtag?
Yes, creating a branded hashtag can boost your brand’s visibility and encourage user-generated content. Make sure it’s unique, easy to remember, and relevant to your brand identity.
How do I integrate social listening with my overall marketing strategy?
Use insights from social listening to inform content creation, customer service, and product development. Align your findings with your marketing goals to create a cohesive strategy that resonates with your target audience.