The Role of Social Media in B2B Success: Insights from Oktopost CEO Daniel Kushner

Why Social Media Is Now a Cornerstone of B2B Marketing

B2B marketing has undergone a fundamental shift. Social media, once considered a secondary channel, is now central to buyer research, lead generation, and pipeline influence. Daniel Kushner ?? , CEO of Oktopost , joined me to discuss why social media is a game-changer for B2B organizations and how companies can measure and maximize its impact.

The B2B Buyer Journey Has Changed

"There’s been a consistent trend over the past two decades where more and more research happens before a prospect ever connects with a brand," Kushner explained. "Today, up to 80% of that research is done independently, much of it on social channels."

Previously, a company’s website served as its digital business card. B2B buyers seek insights from their network, peer recommendations, and social content before making contact. Companies that fail to establish a presence on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and other platforms risk being overlooked in early-stage research.

Overcoming Common Hurdles to Becoming a Social-First Organization

Many B2B organizations struggle to integrate social media effectively. Kushner identified two key roadblocks:

• Misconceptions about B2B social media – "People often think social media is for B2C—TikTok dances and viral content. But B2B social is different. It’s about thought leadership, industry conversations, and relationship building."
• Lack of executive buy-in – "If social media is treated as a side project for an intern, it will never drive real business impact. It needs to be a top-down strategy with leadership support."

A successful B2B social strategy involves the entire organization—sales, marketing, customer success, and leadership—aligning around shared goals and data.

The Key to Social Media Success: Unifying Strategy Around Data

One of the biggest challenges in B2B marketing is breaking down silos between teams. Kushner emphasized that "alignment starts with shared data."

"If someone comments on LinkedIn, who owns that comment? The social media manager? Maybe. But if it’s a customer, the account manager should engage. If it's a prospect in an active deal, sales should respond."

By tracking social interactions across teams, organizations can:

• Align sales and marketing efforts
• Improve customer experience
• Ensure the right teams act on social engagement

Employee Advocacy: The Secret Weapon for B2B Social Growth

One of the most effective B2B social strategies is employee advocacy, which encourages employees to share company content on their personal LinkedIn and social channels. "When employees share content, it amplifies reach and positions them as industry thought leaders," Kushner noted.

Leading organizations invest in training their teams on social media best practices and continuously reinforce the value of advocacy through:

• Internal webinars and training sessions
• Clear messaging on the business impact of social engagement
• Providing content that employees can easily personalize and share

Measuring Social Media ROI: What Metrics Matter?

One of the biggest challenges in B2B social media is proving its business value. "Traditional social metrics—likes, shares, comments—don’t always align with revenue," Kushner acknowledged. "Instead, companies need to track marketing-influenced SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads) and pipeline impact."

To measure the true impact of social media, companies should track:

• Social-influenced opportunities – What percentage of deals involved a social touchpoint?
• Close rates for social-influenced deals vs. non-social deals – Does social engagement improve conversion rates?
• The cost per social-generated lead compared to other channels

Kushner emphasized that "measurement doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be consistent. The goal is to track trends over time and optimize based on data."

AI and the Future of B2B Social Media

AI is rapidly reshaping content marketing and social media strategies. "The fact that I can do a daily podcast and show like this—it would have been impossible without AI," I shared with Kushner. "AI is rewriting the rules."

Kushner agreed, noting that B2B leaders must stay adaptable. "The email that got 20 meetings last year might get zero this year. The social strategy that worked six months ago may not work today. Always be learning. Test new approaches. Don’t be afraid to fail."

What’s Next for Oktopost?

Kushner revealed an exciting new Oktopost product launching in April: Marketing Intelligence. This tool provides insights into competitors’ content strategies, analyzing their social, PR, blog, and event activity to identify trends.

"Imagine being a fly on the wall in a competitor’s content strategy meeting," Kushner said. "We’re making that possible—without the need for hidden microphones."

In addition to this launch, Oktopost is exploring AI-driven innovations in social media strategy, helping companies stay ahead of shifting trends.

The Takeaway: Social Media is a Revenue-Generating Channel

For years, B2B companies viewed social media as a "nice to have" rather than a business driver. But the reality is clear: Social is now a core part of the B2B buyer journey.

By aligning strategy around data, embracing employee advocacy, tracking meaningful metrics, and staying adaptable in an AI-driven world, B2B organizations can turn social media into a powerful revenue engine.