Influencer Marketing for B2B

When most people think about influencer marketing they imagine a consumer driven brand. Business to consumer makes sense for instagram because it generally isn’t a business platform, at least not like other social channels - LinkedIn and Facebook are good examples of platforms that are often used for B2B, Business to Business, marketing. Yet influencer marketing for B2B can work and it can be highly effective. 

1. Business People are Consumers

It’s important to remember that just because someone isn't at their desk searching instagram for business solutions doesn’t mean that they’re not going to search Instagram. 

Here are some of the statistics for Instagram; It has 1 billion monthly active users, it’s second only to Facebook for the most engaged network, and 71% of the users are under age 35. Those users are business owners, business buyers, marketing executives, and so much more. 

By leveraging influencer marketing on Instagram, and Facebook, you’re going to reach a larger audience and you’ll tap into the buying triggers like credibility and authority that can be time consuming to attain.

2. It Takes a Little Longer

Because they buying cycle for B2B is going to be longer than B2C, Business to Consumer, you’re going to want to adjust for this with your influencer strategy and campaigns. The general recommendation for B2B influencer marketing is that you should seek to work with B2B influencers one year at a time and that you shouldn’t expect to see results for about six months. This is different than B2C which is generally 30 days working with influencers and just a few days for results.

3. How You Find Your Influencers May be Different

One of the best ways to find influencers is to look at the people that you’re already interacting with. Again, this is different from B2C, but it’s an important perspective to take. If you already have a relationship with an influencer it means they already have knowledge about who you are and what you do. This makes them more natural advocates for your business. You might even look at people who are already chatting about your business.

Secondly, look to see who your customers follow. What influencers do they trust and listen to? These are your second group of influencers to consider reaching out to. 

4. Support Co-Creation and Creative Ideas

Often, with B2C influencer marketing, you create the posts and the influencer publishes them. It’s often a very controlled and one way creative exchange. With B2B influencer marketing you may want to explore collaboration and creating content together. Ask for their ideas and insights. You’re going to be working with this person or group for a year so it’s a good idea to create a plan together, one that will support you both to succeed. Remember that the influencer has their audience to keep in mind and respecting that will go a long way toward a positive working relationship.

Influencer marketing for B2B can bring about tremendous results. To be successful, you’ll want to approach it differently than B2C. Look for influencers close to you, plan to work together for a year or more and be patient for your results. Success can take time.