Influencer Marketing Strategy

How to find B2B influencers?

Discover how to identify and collaborate with B2B influencers for your marketing strategy. We present you with different methods to find the best influencers for your business and how to measure the impact of your B2B influencer marketing campaigns.

March 22, 2023

What is B2B influencer marketing?

B2B communication is evolving along with social media and new digital formats. That's why we usually see famous personalities speaking for certain brands. What does this mean? How do you create this type of content?

B2B influencer : definition

A B2B influencer is a valuable resource for any brand. As experts in their field, they bring both visibility and credibility to the brand they work with. Unlike traditional content creators who merely relay information, B2B influencers position themselves as professionals (career, business, marketing…). This difference is significant because it creates trust and stronger engagement with their audience. B2B influencers generally concentrate on balancing promotional and personal content, avoiding too many partnerships. This balance allows them to maintain their authenticity.

Using a B2B influencer means working with someone who takes the time to discover your product or service and who gives feedback as an enthusiast. This relationship creates a real exchange that benefits both the influencer and the brand. Most of the time, B2B influencers are professionals who share their knowledge and experience. They specialize in their field but also in communication, which helps them to popularize complex concepts with ease.

Working with a B2B influencer is also an excellent opportunity to collaborate with someone who has a deep understanding of your target audience. This understanding allows them to tailor their content to your audience and create more meaningful engagement. The influencer will also bring their own audience to the table, expanding your reach and introducing your brand to new potential customers.

Overall, B2B influencer marketing is an essential part of any B2B marketing strategy. Finding the right influencer for your brand can be a challenge, but the benefits are worth the effort. By partnering with an influencer, you gain access to their expertise, audience, and reputation. As a result, you can reach new customers, build trust, and establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry.

B2B influencer marketing campaigns

B2B influencers are obviously contacted to participate in many influencer campaigns to bring credibility and trust. With the development of the professional social media LinkedIn, more and more campaigns are being run by B2B influencers.

Notion regularly works with B2B influencers on LinkedIn such as Annie-Mau Hodge. A single post on LinkedIn that generates 300 interactions can bring in as many as 150 to 200 registrants on a free tool (between 50-75% conversion).

It's also important to let the creator express themselves in their own way to promote the tool as personally as possible. The influencer's audience will listen better if they don't feel a specific script.

This is also the case for this campaign from HeyCoach, an engineering recruitment training software. The industry is very specific and well highlighted by Ayushi Sharma, a developer professional who explains the importance of good communication to reach the position you want in the company of your dreams.

Nowadays, B2B influencer marketing campaigns are very present on social media. It's become an essential lever for all B2B marketing strategies.

Finding B2B influencers

To make a good influencer marketing campaign, you have to find the influencers. Between fake professionals and experts with no communication skills... it is sometimes difficult to find the really influential experts on social media.

Where to find them?

In the world of B2B marketing, identifying and collaborating with influencers is becoming increasingly important. Influencers can help to increase brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and generate leads. But, finding the right B2B influencer can be a challenging task. Here are four options to consider:

1. Search directly on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. These platforms are great for identifying influencers who are already talking about your industry or products. You can search for keywords and hashtags related to your business, and then analyze the performance of the influencers who are using them. However, it is essential to ensure that the influencer's performance is excellent before collaborating with them.

2. Check your contacts. If you have contacts within your industry, they may be able to introduce you to relevant influencers. The advantage of this option is that you may have a personal connection with the influencer, which can help to build a stronger relationship. However, it is still important to analyze their data, ask for a media kit and evaluate the relevance of the partnership.

3. Use a sourcing tool. A sourcing tool like Favikon can make the process of finding B2B influencers much easier. These tools allow you to find influencers based on their expertise and performance. In just a few clicks, you can access a complete list of influencers in your industry and evaluate their audit. Then, you can select the profiles that best fit your brand and work with them. This option is ideal if you don't have a lot of time to dedicate to the research process.

4. Ask an agency to help you. If you have the budget, working with an agency can be a great way to find and collaborate with B2B influencers. Agencies have access to a pool of influencers and can help to establish a relationship with them. The agency will take care of the contact and briefing stage, making the process much easier for you. However, it should be noted that the agency's price will be 4 to 5 times higher than a tool like Favikon.

When considering these options, it's essential to keep in mind that B2B influencers are different from B2C influencers. B2B influencers are typically industry experts or thought leaders, so their focus is on educating their audience and providing valuable insights. Therefore, it is important to collaborate with influencers who have a deep understanding of your industry and can provide value to your target audience.

In conclusion, finding the right B2B influencer is crucial for your marketing success. By using the options mentioned above, you can identify influencers who can help you to achieve your marketing goals. Whether you decide to search directly on social media, check your contacts, use a sourcing tool or ask an agency for help, remember to analyze their data, ask for a media kit and evaluate the relevance of the partnership before collaborating with them.

Social Media Measures

Social media metrics are essential for measuring the effectiveness of B2B influencer marketing campaigns. The right metrics can help you determine the ROI of your campaigns, track engagement, and identify areas for improvement.

B2B influencer marketing campaigns should focus on metrics that are relevant to the business goals. For example, if the goal is to increase brand awareness, then reach and impressions should be the focus. However, if the goal is to generate leads, then click-through rate and conversion rate should be the focus.

Reach measures the number of people who saw your content, while impressions measure the number of times your content was displayed. These metrics can help you understand the level of visibility your brand has received.

Engagement rate measures how much people interacted with your content, such as likes, comments, and shares. This metric can help you understand the level of interest your content has generated.

Click-through rate measures how many people clicked through to your website after seeing your content, while conversion rate measures how many people took action after clicking through to your website. These metrics can help you understand the level of interest and engagement your content has generated, as well as the effectiveness of your website in converting visitors into leads or customers.

By tracking these metrics, you can optimize your campaigns and ensure they are delivering the desired results. For example, if you notice that your engagement rate is low, you may need to adjust the type of content you are creating. If your conversion rate is low, you may need to adjust your website or landing pages to improve the user experience.