The use of influencers in marketing continues to be a dominant strategy for businesses seeking to promote their products. Indeed, its prominence has been proven in a study by the Association of National Advertisers, which suggests that 75% of marketers use influencers in their marketing plans.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on using influential people to promote a brand, product, or service. These influencers have a significant following on social media or other platforms, and they have the ability to influence the behaviour of their followers or change their opinion. In B2B marketing, influencers are typically industry experts or thought leaders who have established credibility and expertise in their field.
Why is influencer marketing effective in B2B?
The B2B buying process is often more complex and involves multiple decision-makers. Influencer marketing can help simplify the process by providing decision-makers with valuable insights and recommendations from industry experts. Influencers can also help establish trust and credibility with potential customers, making it easier to build relationships and close deals.
According to a study by Harvard, 90% of B2B decision-makers rely on peer recommendations when making purchase decisions. Influencer marketing provides an opportunity to tap into these peer recommendations and reach out to potential customers through trusted sources.
Best practices for influencer marketing in B2B
Identify the right influencers
The first step in any influencer marketing campaign is to identify the right influencers. Look for those who have a significant following in your industry and who have established credibility and expertise.
Develop a relationship
Building a relationship with an influencer is key to the success of your campaign. Start by following them on social media, engaging with their content, and sharing their posts. Once you have established a relationship, reach out to them with a personalised message and explain why you are interested in working with them.
Set clear goals
Before launching an influencer marketing campaign, it is essential to set clear goals. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive conversions? Once you have established your goals, you can work with the influencer to create content that is aligned with your objectives.
Measure success
Measuring the success of your influencer marketing campaign is critical to its long-term success. Use tools like Google Analytics to track traffic, leads, and conversions generated by your campaign.
You can then dissect the data to figure out who engages with content – such as age demographics or location – to get a clearer picture on who is actually interested.