Study: Social media use in B2B at record level
The 14th edition of the DACH study on social media use in the B2B sector shows: After a decline in recent years, the use of social media will experience a significant upswing in 2024. LinkedIn and artificial intelligence in particular are shaping B2B marketing in German-speaking countries.
The long-term study "Social Media in B2B Communication" also provides exciting insights into the communication behavior of companies in the DACH region in 2024. After a brief decline in 2022 and 2023, social media usage rose to 97.4% - the highest figure since the surveys began. Compared to 2021 (95.9%), there is a clear trend towards more intensive use of digital platforms, with LinkedIn leading the way in the DACH region with 94.9% usage. Instagram and Facebook also remain key channels, while X (formerly Twitter) continues to lose importance with a decline to 19.1%.
Another key topic of the study is the growing role of artificial intelligence in social media communication. At 82.6%, most companies already regularly use AI-supported tools, particularly for text design. The increasing efficiency and quality of social media presence through data-based decisions is a significant advantage for many companies.
The development of the management style in the company also has an influence on social media use: while use in laissez-faire managed companies fell slightly, cooperative and authoritarian managed companies increased. The proportion of companies that rate social media as crucial to their success rose significantly to 44.2%.
In addition to the management styles, the increasing use of agencies is also striking. Over 82 percent of the companies surveyed rely on external support in order to make optimum use of specialist knowledge and current trends. For Jacqueline Althaller, communications expert and initiator of the study, this is a clear indicator that social media is continuing to establish itself as a strategic success factor.
