Last updated on June 29th, 2016 at 12:12 pm

We’re back! After a brief hiatus we’re up and ready to talk all about B2B mobile and apps. From Microsoft’s blockbuster acquisition of LinkedIn to surging B2B mobile ad spending, sophisticating ordering apps, “must-have” apps and more, here’s an easy-to-read roundup of what’s trending on Twitter and other social sites in the past seven days.

Microsoft acquires LinkedIn

The big news story of the week so far has been Microsoft’s $26.2 billion acquisition of recruiting network LinkedIn, the software giant’s most ambitious move in years to reestablish dominance in a technology market over which it once reigned supreme. The cash deal is the largest by far in Microsoft history, and highlights the company’s shift from traditional software to cloud computing. LinkedIn boasts more than 400 million members worldwide, with half of those accessing the site via mobile devices and 40 percent using the LinkedIn mobile app during job searches, DMR reports.

#Microsoft buys #LinkedIn for $26.2 billion via @Marketinglandhttps://t.co/9Q4OKSfIcd#socialmedia#b2b#b2c#marketing#mobile#digital

— Test Monki (@testmonki) June 14, 2016

B2B mobile ad spending

As advertising on social channels continues to evolve, companies are budgeting more funds for social marketing. Adweek reports a new report by Outsell indicates digital ad budgets will continue to grow this year, while print advertisement spending declines. The report found that LinkedIn reigns supreme in B2B mobile ad spending via the recruiting giant’s Pulse channels. Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat are also big players.

#Socialmedia spending to rise 15% this year. #Mobile ads up 38%. Facebook reigns for B2C; #LinkedIn rules for #B2Bhttps://t.co/a29gOwMvRJ

— Lisa Goller (@StrategicWords) March 21, 2016

B2B mobile ordering apps

B2B News Network’s own Derek Handova examines how B2B companies are deploying sophisticated apps to showcase their inventories, displacing previous reliance on paper-based catalogs. These apps are particularly well suited for display on tablets. Since the cost of developing and maintaining a mobile app in house is prohibitive because it comes at the expense of their companies’ core competencies, leading brands are requesting private-label apps as they expand their B2B sales channels. Apps for geolocation, research, signatures and on-the-fly CRM are transforming the way B2B companies operate, and pen and paper are steadily becoming relics of a bygone era.

#B2B Solution of the Week: How to hack B2B #growth with #mobile#apps#GrowthHacking#GrowthHack#MobileMarketinghttps://t.co/l9yUwtWBQL

— Creative & Digital (@francecreative) June 9, 2016

Is your B2B app a “must-have?”

What makes a must-have B2B app? David Cummings explores what sets ordinary apps apart from extraordinary ones, starting with making your product indispensable in the eyes of your customers. If they’re saying “I don’t know how I did my job” before your app, and “I can’t run my business without it,” you know you’re doing it right. Do your customers call immediately when the app goes down? Are they using it several times a week or more? Is the app clearly in the path of revenue? If you answered affirmatively to these questions, you’re well on your way to having a must-have B2B app.

#ICYMI:The Most Successful #B2B#Apps are Must-Haves https://t.co/sDc4270WVd

— SHLOMO MOUELLER (@moueller1961) June 7, 2016

Why every B2B company needs its own app

When your client base consists primarily of other company owners and managers you can expect less tolerance for shortcomings and mishaps, notes Laura O. Tolentino at Built In Chicago. That’s why your B2B company should have its own app that will help you simplify and enhance processes and reduce the likelihood of mistakes. Dedicated apps improve communication and collaboration, increase customer satisfaction, help clients achieve objectives and add value to your service. Eschew the spammy route of having a basic app re-purposed with your branding inserted, and your clients will surely appreciate and reward you.

#mobile#apps help #B2B companies stay on top of their game: https://t.co/SJbhvYzGK3pic.twitter.com/3PKsPGaNSh

— Magora Systems (@magora_systems) June 3, 2016

We’ll be back again next week with another edition of B2B Trending Conversations by Sarah Dawley. Until then, if you’ve got any newsworthy B2B stories, shoot us an email and let us know.

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