What is a B2B Influencer and Why Every Business Needs One

Influencers have traditionally focused on B2C (business-to-consumer)—they publicize products and services to consumers largely using social media platforms. But a recent LinkedIn article highlights the rise of influencer marketing in the B2B (business-to-business) space, underscoring a rapidly growing trend. Company leaders are now taking to social media to publicize their products and services to boost business, and it’s working!

87% of B2B buyers prefer content crafted by credible influencers over traditional branded sales pitches.

The Evolution and Impact of B2B Influencer Marketing

By 2027, the creator economy is on track to become a half-trillion-dollar industry, as projected by Goldman Sachs. This booming growth suggests companies are seeing successes with influencer marketing. (Brands would not invest in a tactic that doesn't offer a good return on investment).

In recent months, more and more businesses are recognizing that this success can extend to the B2B space and have taken influencer marketing from TikTok and Instagram and moved it to LinkedIn, replacing testimonials with thought leadership opinion pieces. The results are impressive. Emarketer.com reports that:

• Content creation has increased by 41% on LinkedIn.

• 70% of marketers say LinkedIn delivers a positive return on investment. That’s more than any other platform, including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Meanwhile, a recent LinkedIn survey of more than 1,700 tech buyers across the UK, US, and India revealed that influencers significantly shape their purchasing decisions. What’s more, 87% of B2B buyers showed a preference for content crafted by credible influencers over traditional branded sales pitches.

Forging human relationships is the core of thought leadership.

Why B2B Influencer Marketing Works

The essence of influencer marketing in B2B is trust and humanization.

• Trust: By delivering thought leadership content or highlighting current and past successes, companies and business leaders are providing ongoing proof that they are good at what they do, ultimately increasing trust. If the content is consistent and regular, it also keeps the leader and company top-of-mind for potential clients.

• Humanization: People buy from people, not from companies. I have repeated this to countless clients. Brands and companies are inanimate objects. Having business leaders speak/post on behalf of their companies humanizes the business and allows for personal, human relationships to grow.

What Makes a Good Influencer?

Emarketer.com research reveals that the most successful B2B influencers are subject matter experts who provide a “halo of credibility.”

Courtesy of Emarketer.com

But it’s not just business leaders who can persuade potential clients. Employees are equally valuable by sharing content with their followers. On LinkedIn, the collective network size of your employees is, on average, 12x larger than that of the company itself.

As such, it’s important to ensure your employees post, share and comment on your “influencer content.”

When to Post Your Influencer Content.

The short answer is: often. Data shows that 67% of B2B buyers engage with influencer content during the consideration and research phase of the buyer journey. Since most businesses rely on sales year-round, you must have new, engaging content throughout the year to ensure potential clients who find you on LinkedIn see compelling and persuasive content to guide their decisions. 

Courtesy of Emarketer.com

Implementing an Influencer Marketing Strategy

Now that you have your company influencer and a few ideas about what to post, where do you begin? I had an old client who would always say to me “Social media is a beast that you need to constantly keep feeding.” He’s was right. One thought leadership post does not an influencer make.

To effectively deploy B2B influencer marketing strategies, you need to have a strategy with touch points, relevant and timely content, engaging photos and videos, proper tagging and more. Starting a campaign without a thorough plan to sustain it over time only sets you up for failure.

LinkedIn is an (almost always) free and simple essential tool that should be in every communications toolkit. Few business leaders leverage the platform to its full potential, but when B2B thought leadership is done right, it offers a guaranteed increase in awareness and trust. I’d argue that no other communications tactics offer similarly dependable results.

If you want to learn how to become a B2B influencer or help with your LinkedIn strategy, reach out to us at info@amplifyonline.ca.