LinkedIn Reveals Research into B2B Influencer Effectiveness

LinkedIn’s recent research highlights the growing influence of B2B influencers in shaping purchasing decisions within professional markets. Traditionally associated with B2C marketing, influencer marketing has found a significant role in B2B campaigns, where professionals endorse solutions to business challenges. LinkedIn’s survey of over 1,700 tech buyers from the UK, US, and India sheds light on how influential these figures can be.

Key findings emphasize that expertise is the most critical trait for B2B influencers, with buyers valuing subject matter expertise (53%), trustworthiness (52%), and authenticity (36%). Influencers’ personal behaviour also matters: having a robust network of connections (52%), creating diverse content (49%), and engaging effectively with followers (44%) boosts their impact.

Employees also play a pivotal role as brand advocates, with their combined networks averaging 12 times the size of a company’s direct following, highlighting their potential as effective influencers.

B2B influencers are particularly impactful at various stages of the buyer’s journey. They contribute significantly during awareness and discovery (53%), help in consideration and research (65%), and guide decisions during selection and purchase (48%) – with their expertise helping buyers identify problems, evaluate solutions, and choose products or services.