Social media has evolved from a brand awareness channel to a powerful strategic tool in B2B communication, particularly within the iGaming industry. During a thought-provoking panel at the iGaming Club in Malaga, experts explored this transformation, discussing how platforms are reshaping sales, marketing, and reputation management.

Why social media matters in B2B

Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS and panel moderator, opened the discussion with a clear message: "Not long ago, B2B and social media were rarely used in the same sentence – especially in highly regulated, product-heavy industries like iGaming. Today, that’s changed dramatically.

Whether you're building brand awareness, attracting top talent, launching new products, or driving trust, social media has become one of the most powerful platforms for B2B engagement. And unlike traditional performance channels, it's one of the few places where you can show not just what you do, but who you are."

Alexandra Voronetskaya, CMO at EvenBet Gaming, emphasised that trust is hard-won in a controversial industry like iGaming. "Social media makes it very difficult to fake who you are. Your digital footprint says more than a website ever could." In today's market, brand stories begin long before a sales pitch, and credibility is often established via a company's digital footprint.

Localisation and platform diversity

Another key insight from Alexandra involved regional platform usage. "LinkedIn dominates in Western Europe and the U.S., but Latin America leans heavily on Instagram, while Telegram is popular in Eastern Europe. Your strategy must reflect where your audience really is."

Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru, added, "Social media is like investing – you can’t put all your effort into one channel. Diversification isn’t optional; it’s essential."

TikTok also emerged as a less obvious but increasingly relevant channel for B2B marketing.

The role of TikTok sparked some of the liveliest discussions. Daniela shared an example of a UK campaign involving influencers that started as a B2C initiative but yielded significant visibility and engagement that carried over into B2B outcomes.

"With our B2C campaign, we didn’t just achieve impressive numbers – we likely even saved lives. The impact was so strong that we were shortlisted for Marketing Campaign of the Year at the iGB Awards. What we learned is clear: B2C tactics can be repurposed to drive real results in B2B. Even platforms like TikTok, often dismissed in B2B, can become powerful strategic tools when used right."

DianaLarina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay, added a crucial perspective: "Each platform has its own emotional tone. On TikTok, you can be more playful and relatable – it humanises your brand."

Social as a sales engine

Gone are the days when social media served just the marketing team. Irina Malkova, Senior Business Development Manager at Kadam, highlighted that performance metrics such as LTV and Return on Spend are now tracked across social campaigns. "We're not just building awareness anymore. We’re tracking how socials contribute to pipeline and actual deals."

She also pointed out the increasing credibility that social media delivers: "When you see real results and precise clients coming directly from social media, it proves this is more than engagement—it's business-critical."

Diana reinforced the concept of "dark social" – leads that are nurtured for months through non-trackable channels before converting. "People follow you for months and only then fill out a form. If you ignore that journey, you’re blind to your own funnel."

Content strategy: Human meets expert

The consensus was clear: expertise alone isn’t enough. Brands need to show their human side. As Alexandra put it, "Don't hide behind corporate speak. Be simple, be human, show your team how you think. If you decided to be human, be human and speak the language of your audience, because it's really very important."

Valentina underscored the importance of balancing tone: "We must appear as experts but also approachable. No one reads only expert content. They follow you because of the personality you bring to the brand."

Daniela added, "You can still be an expert and bring your unique personality to the table — you will not just gain credibility but also trust and likability, and that’s what drives the business, especially in this industry."

Employees should be part of the brand voice. Building personal brands internally is as critical as any paid campaign. Recently, EGC (Employee-Generated Content) gained traction in marketing communications. This type of content can be more trustworthy, as it doesn’t sound or look like a polished advertising brochure.

According to a LinkedIn study, employees are the most trusted source of information about a company, with 70% of people trusting them more than any other source.

Diana added, "When a new lead comes in and already knows your team from social, it shortens the sales cycle and increases the chance of a long-term partnership."

The takeaway

What should B2B brands in iGaming take from this? Social media is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a foundational part of business strategy. Whether through regional personalisation, employee-led content, or AI-enhanced workflows, the platforms you use shape how the market perceives you.

Here are five key takeaways for industry leaders:

1. Trust is built, not bought – A consistent and transparent digital footprint builds more credibility than any press release.
2. Platform localisation matters – Your audience’s geography dictates where and how they engage.
3. Diversify your content mix – From TikTok to Telegram, use each platform’s unique tone to humanise your brand.
4. Empower your people – Invest in employee-driven content and leadership visibility.
5. Measure beyond likes – Track LTV, ROI, and social-sourced leads to prove business impact.

As Valentina concluded, "Social media isn't just a marketing channel. It's where modern reputation, trust, and revenue are built."

Image credit: AffPapa