LinkedIn is often touted as the go-to social media platform for B2B lead generation. Some reports claim that as much as 80% of social media leads can be attributed to LinkedIn. But is this really an accurate reflection of how B2B buyers behave today? Let’s take a closer look at the data and research behind this claim.
The origin of the 80% statistic
The idea that LinkedIn generates 80% of B2B social media leads can be traced back to 2015. LinkedIn themselves referenced this statistic in a post titled “LinkedIn accounts for 80% of B2B social media website traffic”. The post cited data from an ITSMA report that found 82% of social media visits to B2B company websites originated from LinkedIn.
At the time, this made sense. Facebook was still predominantly consumer-focused, while Twitter was seen more for news and commentary than professional networking. LinkedIn stood out as the only mainstream social platform purpose-built for business. So it dominated as the top referrer of social traffic to B2B sites.
However, the social media landscape has changed dramatically since 2015. Facebook, Twitter and other networks now cater extensively to B2B marketers. The distinction between “consumer” and “business” social platforms has blurred. Yet many still quote the 80% LinkedIn statistic without proper context.
What recent data shows
Recent research paints a very different picture of lead generation on social media today. According to Sprout Social’s 2022 Index, LinkedIn now accounts for just 22% of B2B social media leads. Facebook leads with 45%, while Twitter, Instagram and YouTube make up the remainder.
This suggests that leads are now far more distributed across social channels. So where did LinkedIn’s share go? The rising popularity of social among B2B plays a key role:
- Facebook has pivoted to business, adding lead gen forms and detailed targeting.
- YouTube is increasingly used for video marketing content.
- Twitter’s real-time nature appeals for news distribution.
- Instagram influences buyers through visual storytelling.
In short, B2B marketers have woken up to the opportunities across social, not just on historically “business” networks. Hyper-targeting on channels like Facebook and YouTube enables precise reaching of buyers based on their demographics, interests and behavior.
Does the type of content impact lead channels?
The above research looks broadly at social media leads. But could certain channels be more influential for certain content types? That’s what a survey by Act-On Software set out to uncover.
The survey asked B2B marketing professionals to estimate the percentage of leads generated by different content types across social media platforms. Here were the top findings:
- Blog content: 61% of leads
- Long-form articles: 60%
- Ebooks and whitepapers: 58%
- Webinars: 56%
- Blog content: 51% of leads
- Research reports: 50%
- Long-form articles: 44%
- Video: 55% of leads
- Images: 53%
- Blog content: 51%
This indicates content plays a major role in lead generation on each network:
- Long-form content works well on LinkedIn and Twitter.
- Visual and video content is key for Facebook.
Aligning content to each platform is likely more effective for lead conversion than a generalist approach.
How does the buying stage impact conversion rates?
Another factor is the buying stage of prospects interacting with your content. Research by Demand Metric looked at conversion rates by social media channel and buying cycle stage.
Here is a summary of their findings:
| Buying Stage | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | 2.01% | 1.84% | 1.76% |
| Consideration | 2.90% | 2.47% | 2.04% |
| Decision | 4.38% | 3.69% | 2.75% |
Key takeaways:
- LinkedIn sees higher conversion rates at each buying stage.
- All platforms convert better at lower funnel stages.
- Twitter outperforms Facebook in the consideration and decision stages.
This tells us that LinkedIn remains very influential for converting leads, particularly with late-stage buyers. But Twitter and Facebook play a role in moving prospects through the funnel.
How content length impacts social media leads
Could the length of your social media content also sway leads and conversion rates? Oktopost evaluated over 200,000 social media updates to analyze this.
They found short content (under 250 characters) had the highest overall engagement. However, long-form content (over 1,000 characters) delivered more clicks and conversions:
- Click rate for short content: 0.09%
- Click rate for long content: 0.29%
- Conversion rate for short content: 1.28%
- Conversion rate for long content: 2.42%
This indicates that buyers may engage more with quick-hitting updates. But longer content is better for driving clicks and leads.
In what ways do B2B buyers actually use social media?
Stats only tell part of the story. To really understand B2B social media leads, it helps to look at firsthand buyer perspectives.
Surveys by DemandGen and LinkedIn have studied how B2B buyers use social networks within their purchase process. Here are key insights from buyers:
- 95% use social media for business purposes
- 93% use it for researching products and services
- 91% engage with thought leadership content
- 75% have made a purchase based on social media content
- 52% use social networks to shortlist vendors
- 42% made a purchase after watching a brand’s social video
So despite the differences in channel metrics, research shows many buyers are active across social media for multiple purposes:
- Education and research
- Evaluating solutions
- Interacting with brands
- Generating leads and sales
How do buyers see each network differently?
Within their social media mix, buyers perceive each platform to fulfill different roles. According to surveys by TrustRadius:
- 94% use it to research vendors
- 92% see it as the top channel to engage with brands
- 89% use it to gather thought leadership content
- 92% follow industry experts and influencers
- 87% use it to see real-time commentary on brands
- 84% get news updates and announcements
- 93% engage with visual content – images, videos, livestreams
- 71% follow companies to learn about new products
- 67% get customer service and support
This highlights how buyers leverage the unique features of each platform at different stages:
- LinkedIn: researching vendors and solutions
- Twitter: commentary, reviews and real-time updates
- Facebook: visual storytelling and customer service
Conclusion
The original statistic claiming 80% of B2B social media leads come from LinkedIn is certainly outdated. Lead generation is now distributed across networks as more marketers tap the potential of social.
While LinkedIn remains a leading player, platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are gaining ground. To maximize leads, B2B marketers need an integrated social strategy across these core channels. This should involve:
- Mapping content to the strengths of each platform.
- Targeting prospects at different buying stages.
- Testing both short-form and long-form content.
- Creating unique value on each network.
Rather than attempt to attribute leads to any one platform, success comes from nurturing prospects across their entire social media journey. A strategic, omnichannel approach is key to generating more leads collectively over time.
The share coming directly from LinkedIn may now be closer to 20-25%. But when combined with other networks, social media as a whole likely drives the majority of digital leads for most B2B brands.
