Influencer marketing probably brings forth visions of pseudo-celebrities hawking consumer products on TikTok or Instagram for their millions of followers. When you work in a niche, highly technical industry like the life sciences or manufacturing, it might be one of the last tactics you consider implementing.
But no matter your industry, don’t underestimate the value of influencers to help quickly build authority and trust. Done on the right channel with the right partner, influencers can be an incredibly powerful tool for building your social following, driving site traffic, and growing brand authority.
If you haven’t already incorporated influencer marketing into your strategy, here are six reasons why you should consider doing so–even as a B2B brand.
Why Influencer Marketing Should Be Part of Your B2B Strategy
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is an engagement tactic in which brands collaborate with individuals who have significant followings on social media platforms or other digital channels. These individuals, known as influencers, have established credibility and trust with their audience, allowing them to sway purchasing decisions or opinions about products or services.
Rather than directly promoting a product or service, brands leverage influencers to endorse or recommend their offerings to their followers in a more authentic and relatable way.
This type of marketing relies on the influencer’s ability to engage their audience and create content that resonates with them, thereby potentially driving traffic, sales, or brand awareness for the partner company.
Influencer marketing can take many different forms, including sponsored posts, product reviews, giveaways, and influencer takeovers, among others. It has become increasingly popular due to its ability to reach niche audiences, its perceived authenticity, and its effectiveness in generating engagement and conversions in the digital age.
Influencer Marketing's Rise
Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years, changing the landscape of digital advertising and brand promotion.
This surge can be attributed to several key factors:
- Shift in Consumer Behavior: Traditional advertising methods have become less effective as consumers distrust overt advertising messages. Instead, they turn to social media platforms and digital content creators for product recommendations and reviews. Influencers, with their authentic and relatable content, have become trusted sources of information, influencing consumer purchasing decisions.
- Rise of Social Media: The rise of social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook has provided the perfect ground for influencer marketing to thrive. These platforms offer a vast reach and diverse audience demographics, allowing brands to connect with niche markets through influencers who resonate with specific segments.
- Authenticity and Relatability: Unlike traditional celebrities, influencers are perceived as more approachable and relatable, making their endorsements feel more genuine. This authenticity lends credibility to sponsored content and enhances its effectiveness in driving engagement and conversions.
- Targeted Reach: Influencers have the ability to reach highly targeted audiences based on factors such as demographics, interests, and geographic location. Brands can collaborate with influencers whose followers align with their target market, ensuring that their marketing efforts are more relevant and impactful.
6 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing Should Be Part of Your B2B Strategy
The vast majority of influencer marketing is executed for consumer products on social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As a B2B business, you can still implement some of the same fundamentals–but with an industry-specific twist. Here are 6 reasons why influencer marketing might be the right tactic for your organization, no matter how complex your solutions.
Reach a Target Audience
One of the key benefits of influencer marketing is the ability to reach a highly targeted audience.
Influencers have built their following based on specific niches or interests, making it easier for brands to connect with consumers who are already interested in their products or services. So when a B2B company partners with the right influencer, they can make sure their message reaches the right people.
Choosing the right influencer is key. They should share the same values and interests as the company they’re promoting.
For example, if a manufacturing company wants to promote its latest product, teaming up with an influencer who talks about manufacturing equipment would make sense. This way, the influencer can talk about the product to their followers who are likely interested in it.
By partnering with influencers who align with your brand values and target demographics, you can ensure that your message reaches your future customers.
Build Trust and Credibility
Consumers today are becoming increasingly distrustful of traditional advertising methods.
That’s where influencers have an edge. They’ve gained the trust of their followers by being real and honest. When influencers recommend something, their followers listen because they believe in what they say.
For brands, teaming up with influencers is like borrowing that trust. It’s a way to show people that their products or services are worth believing in. When an influencer talks about a brand in a genuine way, their followers are more likely to pay attention and even get involved.
So, instead of just putting out ads, brands are turning to influencers to help them connect with people on a more personal level. It’s about building trust and credibility, which are incredibly important in today’s skeptical world.
Increase Brand Awareness
One of the main goals of any marketing strategy is to increase brand awareness.
Influencer marketing is a great way to do this because it lets you get your message out to a bigger group of people using the influencer’s platform. Whether they’re posting sponsored content, reviewing your products, or working with you directly, influencers can introduce your brand to an audience who might not have heard of it otherwise.
So, if you’re looking to spread the word about your brand, teaming up with influencers is a smart move. They can help you reach new audiences and get more people talking about what you have to offer.
Drive Engagement and Conversions
Influencers have the power to drive engagement and conversions like no other form of marketing.
Their authentic content resonates with their followers on a personal level, leading to higher levels of engagement such as likes, comments, shares, and click-throughs. By leveraging an influencer’s influence, brands can drive traffic to their website, increase sales, and ultimately boost ROI.
Stay Ahead of The Competition
In today’s competitive landscape, staying ahead of the competition is crucial for business success.
While influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular among B2C brands across industries, most B2B companies have yet to fully embrace its potential.
So why should you consider it?
Imagine you are a B2B software company looking to increase your client base. Traditionally, you might rely on advertising in industry publications or attending trade shows to generate leads. However, these methods can be costly and may not always reach your desired audience effectively.
By embracing influencer marketing, your company could partner with respected industry experts or consultants who have a significant following among decision-makers in your target market. These influencers could create content showcasing how your software solves common challenges or improves efficiency in their niche.
Let’s say you partnered with a renowned IT consultant with a large online presence. They endorse your software’s capabilities through blog posts, webinars, or social media content. Their endorsement lends credibility to your software’s effectiveness, influencing other businesses to adopt it.
Additionally, the consultant’s endorsement could reach a wider audience than your company’s own marketing efforts alone. Followers who trust the consultant’s expertise are more likely to engage with the content and inquire about the software, leading to potential sales opportunities.
In this scenario, influencer marketing enables your B2B software company to leverage the influencer’s credibility, reach a targeted audience, and drive interest in their product, ultimately resulting in increased client acquisition and business growth.
Measure ROI Effectively
Unlike traditional forms of advertising where measuring ROI can be challenging, influencer marketing offers more tangible results that are easier to track and measure.
With tools like affiliate links, promo codes, tracking pixels, and social media analytics platforms, brands can accurately measure the impact of their influencer campaigns in terms of engagement rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall return on investment.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing has proven itself as a valuable strategy for B2B brands looking to reach their target audience in a more authentic and engaging way.
By leveraging the influence of trusted individuals within specific niches or industries, B2B brands can effectively increase brand awareness, drive engagement and conversions, and build trust and credibility among consumers.
If you haven’t already incorporated influencer marketing into your strategy as part of your internal marketing team efforts–now is definitely the time!
Consider these six reasons as compelling evidence for why influencer marketing should be an essential part of your overall strategy moving forward.
Ready to elevate your B2B marketing?
We help leading business-to-business brands hit their marketing goals. Get in touch to learn how Altitude Marketing can help you reach your peak performance.
