B2B brands love to say, “We’re on social media!” as if that alone is an achievement. But just existing on a platform doesn’t mean you have a community. 

A LinkedIn page with 10,000 silent followers is no different from a conference room filled with people who refuse to make eye contact.

A strong B2B community is built on connection. That means moving beyond polished announcements and actually listening and responding to your audience. Because, at the end of the day, the brands that thrive are the ones that make people feel valued.

So, how do you create a B2B social media presence that is as effective as B2C? Let’s break down eight strategies that work.

7 Creative Strategies to Build an Engaged B2B Community on Social Media

Going viral feels great but just for about 48 hours. A flood of likes and a few press mentions. But what happens after that? Silence. The hype dies down, and you’re right back where you started. That’s because virality isn’t the same as longevity. 

Real success on social media is about creating a space where people show up consistently. A space where they engage not because of an algorithmic fluke but because they want to be part of the conversation.

So, forget the quick dopamine hit of going viral. What you need is something that lasts, and that’s what a community brings!

1. Create an Exclusive Unfiltered Space

Most engaged B2B communities thrive in exclusive spaces where people can have unfiltered conversations without the pressure of being “on brand” 24/7. 

When professionals have a place to talk freely — minus the PR filters or the fear of saying the “wrong” thing — they feel safe to exchange ideas and vent about challenges. So, how do you build one?

Here are a few ways to make it happen:

A Private LinkedIn Group

Curate an invite-only space where industry professionals get access to high-value discussions they can’t find elsewhere. 

Avoid the generic “Marketing Leaders” group and narrow it down to “CMOs Scaling from $10M to $100M” or “AI Startups Facing Compliance Challenges.” The more specific the focus, the more engaged the members will be. 

You can kickstart discussions by hosting expert-led Q&As and encouraging members to troubleshoot real-world challenges together. 

Mark Schaefer, a marketing expert, says that if one succeeds in building a community, they “no longer need to lure” customers with SEO and ads. That’s because once they’re a part of our community, we have other, more meaningful ways to engage with them.  

A Slack Community

Unlike traditional social media, Slack allows for real-time, ongoing conversations, meaning members don’t have to wait for a new post to engage. 

We recommend setting up dedicated discussion channels like “Hiring Help” (for job referrals), “Industry Trends” (for breaking news and analysis), and “Off-the-Record” (where members can discuss sensitive topics without the fear of being judged). 

The key is to ensure value from day one, whether that’s through early access to industry reports or behind-the-scenes insights from top executives.

Exclusive Virtual Roundtables

This is a closed-door session for a select group of professionals who face similar challenges. 

You can, for example, host a quarterly invite-only roundtable for SaaS founders where they can openly discuss pricing strategies or investor relationships. 

Virtual Days is a reliable platform to host such events. 

An Anonymous Truth Board

Professionals often hesitate to voice honest opinions publicly, especially on sensitive industry topics. But what if they had a place to share real challenges without the risk of scrutiny? 

Setting up a simple anonymous forum — via a platform like Notion or a password-protected discussion board — can spark the most no-holds-barred discussions. 

Employees can reveal internal struggles, and founders can discuss investor pressures. These spaces will bring out the raw truth that’s missing from the usual social media chatter.

2. Host Reverse Q&A Sessions

Most Q&A sessions follow the same predictable formula: an expert sits on a virtual stage, and the audience scrambles to ask questions that — let’s be real — could’ve been answered with a quick Google search. This leads to a dull, one-sided conversation where the real gold never surfaces.

What if you flipped the script? Instead of the audience asking the questions, the expert does the asking. That’s a reverse Q&A. It’s a format where industry leaders turn the tables and ask participants about their biggest challenges or emerging trends they’re noticing. 

Here are some ways to run a reverse Q&A that actually adds value:

Have a Guest Expert Grill the Audience

One powerful approach is to have a guest expert grill the audience on niche industry shifts. 

Instead of rehashing common knowledge, they can ask: What’s a strategy you’ve tried recently that failed? or What’s a customer demand you’re seeing that no one’s talking about yet? 

This shifts the focus from theory to real-world experiences, making the discussion richer. 

Consider a Rising Stars Session

You don’t always have to invite big-name industry figures. Spotlighting high-performing but lesser-known professionals could be a great idea. 

Consider you’re in the SaaS space. Get a vice president of growth from a fast-scaling startup to ask attendees questions like: What’s stopping you from doubling your Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)? 

This levels the playing field and promotes diverse perspectives, unlike the same recycled advice from the usual thought leaders.

Problem-Solving Hot Seats

This is where an expert calls on attendees one by one, digging into their biggest challenges and offering live, customized advice. 

It’s no different from real-time consulting (only instead of an expert talking at people, they’re working with them). 

A community of sales leaders, for example, could have a seasoned CRO ask: What’s your toughest objection to overcome right now? and then guide them through an on-the-spot solution. This keeps people engaged by delivering practical takeaways.

Pro tip: Crowdsource the questions in advance and have the audience vote on which ones the expert should explore further. You could run a poll asking: What’s the biggest shift happening in B2B sales? and let the top responses shape the session. This ensures that the discussion revolves around what people actually care about.

3. Make Followers the Face of Your Brand

Most brands obsess over how they present themselves on social media — polished graphics and a steady stream of content that screams, “Look at us!” But the truth is, no one trusts a brand that only talks about itself. What people do trust? Other people.

That’s why the smartest brands put their community in the spotlight. When you make your followers the face of your brand, you create a level of engagement no ad campaign could ever buy.

Here’s what you can do

• Turn your top supporters into micro-influencers. Instead of chasing big-name influencers with overpriced sponsorships, identify your most engaged followers and let them create content for you. SaaS brands like Notion and Figma thrive on this strategy. Users make tutorials and even create memes about the product. The brand then features them in their posts. 

• Run user-generated content challenges that matter. Forbes highlights that UGC is a “modern form of word-of-mouth advertising” and that it plays a “significant role in consumer purchasing decisions.” But forget the usual “post a selfie with our product” here. Give your audience a reason to participate that aligns with their goals. If, for example, you’re in B2B marketing challenge your audience to share their best-performing LinkedIn posts and feature the most insightful ones. The key is to make it about them. 

• Turn case studies into community-driven storytelling. Instead of generic success stories, invite users to share their journey so others can learn from them. Shopify does this brilliantly by featuring real entrepreneurs and their struggles. When people see themselves in the story, they’re more likely to engage.

• Give engaged followers VIP access. Reward participation by letting your top contributors be the first to test new features or co-create content. Brands like Webflow have private communities where active users get early feature access and exclusive Q&As with leadership. 

4. Introduce a B2B Story Hour Series

Your audience doesn’t want another webinar packed with bullet points. They want lessons wrapped in experience that don’t sound like a corporate memo. That’s what a B2B Story Hour Series could be about. 

Make them live and unscripted. The best stories happen in real-time. When people feel like they can speak candidly, the real gold comes out, whether it’s breakthroughs or laughable failures. 

Tap into shared experiences. Not every story has to be a case study. Create themed story hours like “My First Big Business Mistake” or “The Moment I Knew I Had to Quit My Job.” These topics spark vulnerability. Plus, it’s cathartic. When people can laugh at their own mistakes, it encourages others to open up, too. This eventually leads to a collective sense of shared learning. 

5. Use Social Media Polls More Often

Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter have made it incredibly easy to engage your audience through polls. 

You don’t have to stick to the usual “What do you prefer, A or B?” Try something thought-provoking or a bit controversial. 

For example, if you're in the B2B space, create a poll around current challenges like “Which is your biggest headache right now — client retention or content marketing?” or “What’s the one tool your team can’t live without in 2025?” 

This not only invites engagement but also gives you valuable data on what your community truly cares about. 

6. Create an Insider-Only Beta Testing Group

Start by selecting a small but engaged group of people, ideally those who have been active in your community. They can be existing customers or those who have expressed deep interest in your product or service. 

Once you’ve built your group, give them early access to your product or feature. For example, say you’re launching a new SaaS tool. Your beta testers could be the first to use it and provide feedback that directly influences the final version. 

Maybe they discover a bug, or perhaps they have an idea for a new feature. Either way, their feedback can make a difference, and you can integrate it into your final product before you release it to the masses.

7. Host an ‘Ask the Experts’ Comment Thread

When you’ve been in your industry long enough, you start to realize that people have questions. Lots of them. 

Not just the generic ones that Google can answer in two seconds. No, the good stuff, the questions that are unexplored and just waiting for some expert insight. 

Hosting an “Ask the Experts” comment thread can be one of the smartest ways to build engagement and show off the incredible wealth of knowledge within your network.

Whether it’s on LinkedIn, Twitter, or a dedicated Slack channel, create a space where your followers know they can come in and get real answers from experts in the field. 

We recommend giving the thread a theme that complements the ongoing conversations your community is already having. If you’re in a B2B tech space, you could host a thread like “Ask the Experts: Surviving the Start-Up Grind,” where seasoned entrepreneurs share their experiences. 

You could even spice things up with a timed challenge where experts answer questions in under 100 words or post a question-and-answer relay, where each expert answers a different part of the same question. This keeps the content varied and encourages more participation.

Build a Strong B2B Community with Video Marketing Experts

B2B brands love numbers — followers, likes, impressions. But if those numbers don’t translate into meaningful connections, what’s the point? 

Community is something that’s measured in conversations and in people who keep coming back not because they have to but because they want to. You must prioritize interaction over reach and relationships over vanity metrics to build a strong B2B community. Besides, videos can take your efforts to the next level. 

Whether it’s behind-the-scenes footage or expert interviews, videos make people feel an emotional connection with the brand. That’s where INDIRAP, a leading video production agency in Chicago, can help you. Our skilled team goes above and beyond to comprehend your brand values and create short-form videos that convey them just right.

If you'd like to learn more about how you can build a strong B2B community for your brand with us, book a free, no obligation Discovery Call.