Seeking competitive advantage and profitability through good relations with the social media, the B2B (business-to-business) world has energetically embraced the grand online colloquy known as the two-way talk-back "conversation".
Blogs, vlogs, e-communities and social networks, Internet forums, message boards, chat rooms, wikis, podcasts, webcasts, videocasts, RSS (really simple syndication) feeds - these online social media platforms are now in play in the B2B relationships that organisations have with their vendors, suppliers, partners, contractors and other third-party value-chain entities leading all the way to the end customer. Social media-based approaches to B2B marketing - treating business contacts as consumers first - emphasize listening to what those contacts have to say.
![Petronella Mphahlele looks at why the IEC uses wall murals for voter registration campaigns in South Africa (Image source: @ IEC https://www.facebook.com/IECSouthAfrica/posts IEC]])](https://biz-file.com/c/2605/812047-300x156.jpg?2)
