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The Growing Impact of B2B Influencers: LinkedIn Report

Maria Smith

Dec 9, 2024 — 3 min read

LinkedIn recently surveyed more than 1,700 tech buyers across the UK, US, and India to get more insight into the role that influencers now play in shaping purchasing decisions. Influencer marketing is really taking off in B2B.

What are B2B influencers and how are they different from B2C influencers?

B2B (business-to-business) influencers are individuals that have significant authority and credibility within a specific industry.

They often include industry experts, analysts, and thought leaders who can influence the purchasing decisions of other businesses. Unlike B2C (business-to-consumer) influencers, who typically focus on engaging consumers through emotional and visually appealing content, B2B influencers concentrate on giving valuable insights, expertise, and education relevant to business needs.

B2B Influencers Target other businesses and decision-makers within organizations using a formal and structured mode of delivering content like case studies webinars and they are able to generate leads based on their credibility.

Why Businesses Need B2B Influencers?

So why is influencer marketing such a big deal for B2B?

Enhanced Credibility: B2B influencers help build trust with potential customers by endorsing products or services based on their expertise.

87% of B2B buyers prefer content from trusted industry influencers over branded sales messages.

Increased Brand Awareness: Collaborating with established industry experts allows businesses to tap into new audiences.

Lead Generation: B2B influencer marketing campaigns can yield high-quality leads.

72% of businesses report that influencer-generated leads are more valuable than those from traditional marketing methods.

Improved ROI: Effective B2B influencer marketing can deliver substantial returns—on average, businesses see a return of $5.20 for every dollar spent.

Effective B2B Influencers Are Distinguished by 6 Key Traits

What B2B Influencers Do?

Educate Audiences: They provide insights into industry trends, best practices, and solutions to complex business challenges.
Build Relationships: By engaging with their audience through informative content, they foster trust and loyalty toward the brands they endorse.
Guide Purchasing Decisions: They help potential customers navigate the buying process by reinforcing the value proposition of products or services.

When are B2B Influencers most effective?

B2B influencers are particularly effective during:

Product launches or major announcements.
Industry events or conferences where thought leadership is showcased.
When introducing new solutions that require detailed explanation or education.

Data shows that 67% of B2B buyers engage with influencer content during the consideration and research phase of the buyer journey.

Moreover, influencers don’t just impact the final decision-makers. They also influence the broader buying committee, helping to build familiarity and reinforce your brand's credibility across multiple stakeholders.

LinkedIn stands out as the most crucial platform for B2B influencers because it is designed for professional networking and content sharing among industry professionals.

Some 59% of tech buyers are already using LinkedIn to consume B2B influencer content.

THE EXECUTION:

Utilize Video Content: Video is a powerful tool for humanizing your brand. From product demos to industry insights, short-form videos can be highly engaging and informative.

Findings indicate that 63% of B2B buyers find video content helpful in their decision-making process

Diversify Content Formats: Don’t limit your influencer strategy to just videos. Influencers can create a variety of content types, including posts, newsletters, webinars, and live events.

Leverage Thought Leader Ads: One of the most effective tools for B2B influencer marketing on LinkedIn is Thought Leader Ads.

Brands leveraging this format have seen double the click-through rates (CTR) and engagement compared to traditional ads. In the tech vertical specifically, Thought Leader Ads drove a 62% decrease in Cost Per Click (CPC) and a staggering 252% increase in CTR. Furthermore, they delivered a 23% reduction in Cost Per Lead (CPL) and a 48% increase in lead form completions.

Thought leader ads are authentic, they reach the right people, and they basically hold you as the leader because you choose people who are known in the industry, you are choosing the ‘celebrities’ of your industry.

Our Views:

By leveraging the expertise of B2B influencers effectively, businesses can improve their marketing strategies significantly while building credibility and fostering relationships in their respective industries. It’s time to utilize the influencers for your B2B.