You must have heard of influencer marketing, where influencers endorse specific products or services on social media. But did you know that influencers also have a pivotal role in the B2B marketing sphere?
According to statistics, 74% of marketers and 96% of B2B brands agree that it improves customer experience and delivers positive results in the long run. So, what exactly is B2B influencer marketing, how does it work, and what are its key features?
Who is a B2B influencer?
Put simply, a B2B influencer is a person or organization with sufficient expertise and authority in your industry. They could be opinion leaders, industry analysts, and even other customers like yourself who have years of experience with them.
However, unlike regular social media influencers, they don’t just include popular Youtube or Instagram content creators. Even entrepreneurs, podcasters, keynote speakers, researchers, technology futurists, and thought leaders can act as B2B influencers.
If you want these respected influencers to be associated with your brand, you must build a strong relationship with them and chalk out a strategy for showcasing your brand to their audience.
Benefits of B2B influencer marketing
B2B influencer marketing brings a lot of benefits to your business, the influencer, and the customer. Here’s how each party stands to benefit from it:
Why is it advantageous for your business?
Studies show that many buyers avoid sales messages or promotional campaigns and prefer reliable content from industry experts or influencers. A well-structured marketing campaign with an influencer will enable you to reach a wider audience and establish credibility with potential buyers.
Your customers will be less circumspect and more trusting of your sales pitch when the information is delivered by a reliable expert.
How does it help the influencer?
The influencer will also benefit considerably from the campaign since it will increase their opportunity of being identified by other brands in the future. They will also reach the audiences with their perspectives and enhance their visibility in the industry.
What’s in it for the customer?
Customers will appreciate the insights and perspectives from someone trustworthy or who occupies a respectable position in the industry. Studies have shown that B2B influencer marketing has a significant impact on the purchasing behavior of consumers. In fact, a majority of them depend on influencer recommendations while making purchase decisions.
How to find the right influencers?
Finding the right influencer for your specific service or product can be pretty complicated. It’s a time and cost consuming process.
One effective way to do this is to hire a public relations agency to take care of it. The best agencies will have a list of influencers for every single niche, and be able to get you the best B2B influencers within your budget. These agencies also help you with other aspects of online marketing, including setting up ad campaigns, managing your social media posts, content marketing, and more.
Some tips for an influencer marketing strategy
Familiarize them with your brand
If you want your content to be valuable, authentic, and insightful, you should familiarize the influencer with your brand. It is helpful if they have a thorough understanding of your products, services, clients, and company history.
Know what your goals are
You should first have a clear understanding of your goals, in both the short and long term. Do you want to reach a sizable number of customers, strengthen your reputation, or attract more registrations for an event? The objectives will determine the extent and nature of your marketing campaign.
Set a budget limit
It is recommended that you set a budget as part of your initial planning process. Besides paying a fee to the influencer for promoting your brand or product, you will also spend money on content creation and subsequent promotion. You will also have to consider other costs, including research, advertising, and promotion.
Create attractive content
The more appealing your content is, the more chances you have of attracting industry leaders, authors, and other famous personalities in the industry. Once your brand has established its reputation as a top content creator, you can be sure of influencers wanting to associate with you.
B2B influencer marketing will benefit your brand in various ways, including attracting potential customers and enhancing brand presence. But for that, you should first have a proper marketing strategy and the right influencer.
