15 to Watch (Agency): Kipp Bodnar

Social Media Marketing Manager, Howard, Merrell & Partners Age: 27

Kipp Bodnar has led the charge for social media at Howard, Merrell & Partners in the b2b space through his client work, his popular blog SocialMediaB2B.com and numerous speaking engagements around the country. An early tech adopter, Raleigh, N.C.-based Bodnar has used Twitter for three years. For the BASF Plant Science NutriDense brand, he developed a blog that goes beyond a lead-generation tool for the product, acting as a relevant source of industry information.

Changing the Face of b2b

“With traditional b2b clients, using social media to drive lead generation and complement traditional direct marketing and public relations has been proven to be highly successful,” he says. “Integrating blogs and exterior social platforms with influencer engagement helps bolster inbound marketing.”

Tackling a Transformation

“Now more than ever before, communicators have become filters and aggregators in a market overwhelmed by information and media. Understanding technical and strategic implications of a real-time industry like social media has turned communicators into gatekeepers as well as storytellers.“

Education Is Key

“It is exciting to have the opportunity to help companies share and engage directly with their customers in ways that have not been possible before. Educating them about social media’s applications outside of marketing with organizational functions such as customer service and sales is rewarding.“ ■

December 7, 2009