As I've referred to previously, a recent survey by Regalia found that a growing number of B2B marketers are distributing content through social media channels, with over a quarter (27%) calling it an "indispensable" tool.

So if B2B marketers want to keep the decision-makers on side and, most importantly, continuing to invest their budgets in social media, here are some ways to demonstrate how it can help satisfy broader business objectives, as outlined in a recent KO Marketing Associates article:

Social network analysis

'Surface-level' performance figures such as engagement metrics and follower numbers only tell part of the story. Through deeper analysis of target networks, you will be able to realise ongoing improvements in marketing performance. Other benchmarks to look at include converted audiences; percentage of network that includes target audiences; and percentage of network that's associated with target industries. There are countless great tools out there that can help with this and I'll delve into those in detail in a future post.

Discovery attribution

Networking lists shouldn't just focus on sales, but on improving the impact of content distribution and SEO reach, too. Some key measurements include the number of connections made with key influencers; relationship development through shares and communication; and general inbound links obtained through social media activity. Using this information, marketers can demonstrate social's effectiveness for improving SEO and content performance, thereby improving overall lead generations and conversions.

Lead nurturing

Any online marketing initiative needs to have either a direct or indirect impact on lead generation. Thankfully, technology again comes to the fore, with Google Analytics being an indispensable asset when it comes measuring the impact of social media on website traffic and also in tracking specific marketing goals. Once goal tracking has been established, marketers can view direct goal completion and contributed versions; while the newly launched User Explorer dashboard shows specific (anonymised) data about each visitor, including acquisition date, and what channel and device they are using.

Through discovery, acquisition and quality lead generation, social media can help your B2B business see real results.