From employee advocacy to social selling: Oktopost founder Daniel Kushner on the future of B2B marketing

If you’ve ever sent a friend request, shared a photo, or posted a motivational message, you’ve likely experienced the immense power of communication and relationship-building on social media. Initially viewed as a platform for connecting individuals or consumers with B2C brands, social media has evolved into a cornerstone for successful communication and engagement for every B2B company. Today, it is an indispensable element of any B2B marketing strategy, enabling businesses to build engaged communities of potential customers, loyal customers, and employees with their brand.

The impact of social media on B2B marketing has catalysed the development of tools that not only optimise publishing on social media but can measure social media activities and how they impact brand awareness, engagement, and revenue growth. What was once considered a supplementary tool has become a strategic asset. These tools are leading the way to excelling in social selling and managing employee advocacy programs. Leveraging social media for B2B marketing is possible today, thanks to professional B2B social media platforms integrated with other marketing technologies. Daniel Kushner, the co-founder and CEO of Oktopost, has been at the forefront of this transformation and witnessed it first-hand.

Founded in 2013, Oktopost provides a comprehensive B2B social media management platform that empowers marketing and revenue teams to drive engagement, measure success, and link social media activities to revenue growth. Trusted by thousands of marketing professionals in some of the world’s leading B2B technology and financial services companies, Oktopost offers a suite of solutions for social media publishing, business intelligence, social listening, and employee advocacy – all in one integrated platform.

With decades of experience, Kushner has witnessed how B2B marketing has transformed. He argues that platforms like LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and even Bluesky are no longer just tools for branding and awareness. They are critical for engagement, lead generation, employee advocacy, and social selling. In this insightful interview, edited for clarity, Kushner discusses the evolving role of social media in B2B marketing, the importance of employee advocacy, and how businesses can leverage these strategies to achieve their goals.

Silicon Canals: Daniel, thank you for joining us. Over the last decade, B2B marketing has seen a significant shift. Can you describe how social media has evolved in this space?

Daniel Kushner: Absolutely. Ten years ago, many businesses viewed social media as a platform primarily for B2C marketing. There was a belief that platforms like Facebook and Twitter were better suited for engaging with consumers than B2B audiences, while LinkedIn was a peer-to-peer professional network. However, that perception has shifted dramatically. Today, social media is a central component of any successful B2B marketing strategy. This evolution is mainly due to the understanding of how social media has dislodged traditional channels for real-time engagement, direct communication with prospects, and personalised outreach.

SC: What makes social media such a crucial tool for B2B marketers today?

DK: The primary advantage lies in social media’s ability to offer highly targeted reach. Take LinkedIn, for example, which allows businesses to connect with professionals based on factors such as industry, job role, and even company size. This level of granularity makes marketing efforts far more efficient. Beyond reach, social media nurtures authenticity and trust. Today’s decision-makers rely heavily on peer recommendations, customer reviews, and brand credibility before purchasing. A strong social media presence enables brands to showcase their expertise, success stories, and thought leadership, fostering trust among potential clients. This trust expands throughout the customer lifecycle and the business’ employees.

SC: Can you help us understand the role of employee advocacy in B2B social media marketing?

DK: I see employee advocacy as a game-changer for B2B marketing – it significantly amplifies a brand’s reach and credibility. While corporate accounts have their place, they can only go so far. When employees actively engage and share content, the trust factor multiplies. Endless studies show how people tend to trust messages from individuals more than from corporate accounts. Employee advocacy helps humanise a brand. It also empowers employees to enhance their professional image by sharing industry insights, thought leadership articles, and even participating in decision-making discussions. This not only elevates the brand but also positions employees as thought leaders in their own right.

SC: Social selling is an essential aspect of B2B marketing. How does it complement employee advocacy?

DK: Employee advocacy is crucial in social selling since it involves leveraging social media to connect with potential and existing customers, nurture relationships, and drive sales. Since B2B sales cycles are often longer and more complex, social selling helps engage prospects on social media, sharing valuable content and providing insights. Social selling is imperative for customer-facing employees, such as sales and support teams, to build relationships long before a formal sales conversation begins. Brands need to understand that social selling is not just about outreach but a tool to build a following. With AI helping with dynamic ICP identification for intelligent account-based marketing and personalised outreach helping brands reach out to the right person, social selling is more straightforward than before. The result of social selling is that you build trust in your expertise long before you reach out with the hard sales pitch.

SC: How does Oktopost help businesses measure the success of their social media initiatives?

DK: Measuring is at the core of everything we do at Oktopost. We’ve revolutionised B2B marketing by providing the analytics necessary for advanced social media insights. Oktopost’s social business intelligence tools allow brands to track and measure the real business impact of their social media activities, offering valuable insights that inform strategic decisions and optimise marketing efforts. The past decade has shown us that social media is far more than a passing trend – it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses connect, communicate, and grow.

SC: How can businesses leverage social media analytics for growth?

DK: When leveraged correctly, social media analytics can give marketers the insights they need to create growth. At Oktopost, we enable businesses to see how their social media efforts contribute to key business outcomes such as lead generation, pipeline growth, and revenue. This data-driven approach empowers marketers to make informed decisions, refine their strategies, and maximise social media investment returns. Our latest report, which analyses thousands of company LinkedIn posts created from our platform, highlights the engagement strategies that can be refined based on business goals.

SC: What do you see as the future of social media in B2B marketing?

DK: The role of social media in B2B marketing is only set to grow. We’re already witnessing trends like AI-driven content personalisation, predictive analytics, and deeper integration between social media platforms and CRM systems. Video content will continue to gain importance, while short-form videos, live streams, and interactive content will shape the future of engagement. Brands will need to embrace these evolving forms of content to stay competitive. At Oktopost, we’re committed to staying ahead of these trends, constantly innovating to help our clients navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Our mission is to ensure B2B marketers can unlock the full potential of social media to drive business success.

SC: What advice would you give to B2B brands looking to optimise their social media strategy?

DK: My advice is to begin by developing a strategy with clear, measurable objectives. Define whether your goal is to increase brand awareness, generate leads, deepen customer engagement, or combine all three. Once you’ve identified your objective, determine your business’ best platform and audience. The next step is content: create valuable insights, share industry trends, and highlight success stories to engage your audience. When combined with employee advocacy, this approach can help a brand build credibility and extend its reach in ways that traditional marketing methods simply can’t. The key to success in social media marketing is consistency, engagement, and adaptability. And suppose I’m allowed a shameless plug. In that case, I’m co-authoring a book titled “The Social B2B Organization,” which provides a blueprint for embedding social media across the entire organisation and coming March 25th!