True story – more B2B buyers than ever are beginning their quest for trustworthy products, reliable services and long-term partnerships by searching social media channels like Reddit, TikTok and Instagram. In 2026, these channels are the hot spots for discovering, evaluating and interacting with suppliers and partners. And it was bound to happen.

Like B2C buyers, B2B decision-makers want the real answers, fast. So they’re bypassing corporate websites to get straight to the credible explanations, easy-to-understand demos and sincere peer feedback social media offers. Driven largely by user-generated content, these platforms are the modern-day word of mouth, and their rapidly evolving social algorithms are working to elevate solutions, not brands.

Reddit: A Hub for Honesty.

B2B buyers looking for credibility minus the brand influence now look to Reddit. Unlike LinkedIn or industry blogs — where content is polished and often promotional — a Reddit search provides access to candid, unfiltered discussions involving professionals across all lines of business.

Even the most industry-fluent marketers will admit that industry practitioners often explain matters more clearly. Thus, specialized “subreddits” have become highly trusted problem-solving environments for B2B buyers. These industry-embedded communities share peer recommendations, compare solutions and discuss vendor/partner selection in a brutally honest “tell it like it is” manner.

What’s more, businesses rarely advertise directly on Reddit. That means competitive conversations come from user-driven sentiment, not brand messaging. Professionals openly discuss vendor frustrations, product failures, hidden costs, operational bottlenecks and things they actually look for — or look to avoid — in a business relationship. This makes Reddit uniquely valuable for understanding real pain points, competitor perceptions, buying behavior and market opportunities.

GOOD TO KNOW: Brands do not have a strong foothold on Reddit but are beginning to use it as a research tool to learn what their audience is asking/curious about. Think of Reddit as a free focus group that helps to inform you on the type of content your brand needs to create on other platforms.

Instagram: Seeing is Believing.

Instagram has shifted into a visual validation search engine for B2B, emerging in 2026 as a meaningful channel for reaching business buyers, showcasing expertise and expressing organizational identity. While Instagram is not a direct lead generator, it supports top-funnel activities such as awareness and consideration.

Instagram’s visual format enables organizations to communicate their expertise through infographics, behind-the-scenes content, workflows, employee spotlights, case studies, short tutorials and product demonstrations. Instagram carousel posts, Reels and Stories allow buyers to absorb complex information in an easily digestible visual format. This all adds up to more B2B buyers using Instagram to better verify supplier legitimacy, witness customer outcomes and evaluate real-world applications.

GOOD TO KNOW: Instagram is an ideal place to give your prospects an authentic glimpse of your company culture, leadership values, team practices and sustainability efforts, which appeal to decision-makers seeking B2B relationships that promise alignment of beliefs and good partner chemistry.

TikTok: The fastest-growing channel for product discovery.

With its advanced search behavior, highly visual learning and global reach, TikTok has become a powerful tool for B2B education, brand awareness and industry storytelling.

The app’s short video format allows businesses to present intricate topics in an engaging and easily digestible manner. Videos are hosted by “deep-dive” creators who simplify complex B2B topics. Industry influencers cover everything from explaining industry tools and sharing career experiences to reviewing products and providing case studies. This user-generated ecosystem creates a new form of decentralized B2B thought leadership that is authentic, fast-paced and trustworthy.

Businesses increasingly use TikTok to humanize their brand, highlighting employees, showcasing culture, demonstrating technologies and sharing behind-the-scenes processes. This helps attract not only prospects but also partners and talent.

TikTok’s algorithm is key to its effectiveness, greatly simplifying the search process. In a sense, it personalizes which videos users see based on their previous activity. The more one watches, the smarter the AI gets, resulting in an endless stream of relatable videos.

GOOD TO KNOW: Researching the search queries people use on TikTok is a great way to understand what your B2B audience is looking for. You can then use this information to develop new video content that will rank high in future search queries.

Searching for Social Media guidance?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that is social media-focused is a hot topic across the B2B marketing world as more buyers learn how to get straight to the real story. To better understand how to leverage social media SEO to elevate your brand awareness, shape your brand position and improve outcomes, search no further than Adcom. Contact us to get started.