Are B2B Influencers gaining traction?

Think about influencers and you probably picture a creator unboxing a lifestyle product.

But in the B2B world, “thought leaders” are having their moment. 

It’s not only them. Company employers, customers, and others are now advocating B2B brands more than ever on various channels. 

But are companies opening their wallets to them? With B2B influencers gaining traction, we thought it would be good to explore this trend. Let’s dive in.

Are B2B businesses ready to pay for influencers?

The first thing to clarify is whether there’s demand for B2B influencers at all.

Here’s how things stand:

A solid 77% of businesses already have a dedicated budget for influencer marketing, with 53% reporting that this budget is growing. Only 4% are backtracking their budgets.

This shows B2B businesses are banking on content creators. For them, influencer marketing is no longer an experiment, but a strategy with solid financial backing.

Actionable tip: If you are B2B and haven’t budgeted for influencers yet, it might be time.

You don’t need a massive budget. Begin by identifying a few key voices in your niche and proposing a small-scale collaboration to test the waters. 

But while we’re on the subject of identifying voices. There’s another problem there…

Biggest B2B business challenges?

Even if you’ve got the budget for B2B influencers, that doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. 

It’s more of a treasure hunt where the map is incomplete and the value of the treasure is… hard to measure? Metaphorically speaking.

Here’s what we’re talking about:

The money isn’t the problem. Spending it wisely and proving it worked… that’s a headache. 

The top two challenges are practically in a dead heat—identifying and connecting with the right influencers (48%) and measuring results (47%). 

Finding genuine experts is tough, and tying their impact to revenue is even tougher.  

Managing relationships (40%) and content collaboration (37%) also rank high and tell us that the operational side of these partnerships requires significant effort.

The Crew’s opinion: The paradox of B2B influencer marketing is that securing a budget is now easier than proving its ROI. 

The industry is still figuring out how to standardize measurement and streamline the discovery process.

What can you do about it: Before launching a campaign, define what success looks like. 

Use specific tracking links (UTMs), dedicated landing pages, or discount codes for your influencers to make attribution clearer from the get-go. 

Then, commence your quest for creators, which we’ll talk about later in this story…

What content types work for B2B influencers?

In the B2B kingdom, content is king, but not all of the king’s decrees are equally powerful.

A TikTok dance might get views in the B2C world, but does B2B demand a bit more substance? 

Maybe not.

• Social media posts are the undisputed champion at 56% effectiveness. But it’s unlikely due to TikTok trends. More likely, it is driven by the professional networking power of platforms like LinkedIn.
• In-person events (39%) and webinars/interviews (34%) are the next most effective formats that show  B2B audiences crave direct interaction and expert insights.
• Dynamic content like video (29%) and livestreams (28%) hold its own. 

This tells us that the B2B crowd may appreciate engaging, modern formats over static blogs (18%) or infographics (9%).

What we think: B2B influence combines authority and accessibility. Social posts provide a broad reach, while webinars and events offer the deep-dive content that truly establishes credibility and builds trust.

What can you do: Create a multi-layered influencer campaign. 

Use content creators on social media posts to generate initial buzz and drive registrations for a more in-depth webinar or interactive Q&A session. You can also do this in partnership with a thought leader.

What influencer types work well for B2B?

The data helped us figure out the optimal content. 

Now it’s good to look at what type of creators are best suited to produce it:

So, who are the real MVPs?

The most effective influencers are those who bring expertise and authenticity to the table.

• The top spot goes to thought leaders and industry analysts (28%). B2B customers do place high value on deep and recognized expertise.
• Your own company customers (23%) are a powerful second, which makes sense. Authentic, real-world testimonials are incredibly persuasive.
• It’s also worth noting that company employees (14%) are seen as an effective channel, highlighting the rise of employee advocacy or employee branding as a trusted form of influence.

The Crew’s Take: The theme is trust. B2B buyers are skeptical, so they’re turning to established industry experts and peers—your happy customers—for validation.

The endorsement needs to feel earned, though. Don’t buy it.

Actionable takeaway: Look for influence within your own ecosystem first. 

Create a customer advocacy program that rewards clients for sharing their success stories. Share positive stories from within your company.

Or even better, turn your employees into brand ambassadors, which many brands are already doing. Especially on LinkedIn.

How many B2B businesses are leveraging influencers?

Who said B2B was all boring trade shows and stuffy white papers? 

Data shows that the business world is finally getting its own set of rock stars.

B2B might be more than just a passing trend. Over half are already in the game, with 55% currently using influencers to get the word out. But the real story is the coming wave. 

Another 29% are planning to adopt influencer marketing in the next year. If we go by this report, a whopping 84% of B2B brands may soon be leveraging expert voices. 

B2B buyers are still people: They trust recommendations from credible experts more than a polished corporate ad. 

Influencers bring authenticity and third-party validation that brands simply can’t buy. Though they can certainly rent it!

Friendly advice? Start small. Identify 3-5 micro-influencers in your specific niche. 

Co-create a piece of content like a webinar or an expert roundup blog post. It’s a low-risk way to test the waters and measure impact before you scale.

B2B businesses are using AI for influencer identification

Earlier in the story, we’ve mentioned that finding B2B influencers can be tough.

But now, it seems marketers are using a powerful AI magnet. The days of you endlessly scrolling through LinkedIn might be numbered:

AI is quickly becoming the go-to matchmaker for brands and industry experts. 

And it’s happening right now, with 48% of B2B marketers currently using AI for influencer identification and selection. Furthermore:

• An additional 33% plan to use AI for this purpose, showing that manual discovery will soon be the exception, not the rule.
• Interestingly, AI usage for finding influencers is nearly as common as it is for content creation (57%) and performance tracking (54%), proving it’s a core part of the modern B2B marketing stack.

Why the AI boom? Because it’s faster, smarter, and goes beyond vanity metrics. 

AI tools analyze audience demographics, engagement quality, and content relevance to find the perfect fit, saving countless hours.

Leverage this: Upgrade your search game. Instead of just looking for keywords on social media, try an AI-powered platform to analyze audience overlap. 

This ensures your message reaches people who actually match your ideal customer profile.

What makes a B2B influencer effective?

In the B2B world, it’s not about the size of the following, but the quality of the insights.

While B2C influencers might sell on hype, B2B influencers close deals with credibility. It’s a different ballgame, and the scorecard reflects it.

When it comes to picking the right partner, B2B marketers are all about substance over style. Forget follower counts; trust is the name of the game.

• The top factor by a long shot is authenticity & credibility, with 58% of marketers citing it as a leading criterion.
• This is followed closely by a trifecta of substance:
  industry relevance (49%), subject-matter expertise (47%), and brand alignment (47%).
• Even audience engagement (45%) is less about likes and more about meaningful conversations that demonstrate an influencer’s authority.

The Crew’s Take: In B2B, the sales cycles are long and the stakes are high. You’re not buying lipstick; you’re buying a software solution. That’s why a trusted, knowledgeable voice is infinitely more valuable than a famous face.

Actionable Tip: Create an “influencer scorecard.”

Before reaching out, vet potential partners against these top criteria. Review their content, check their credentials, and see how they engage with their audience to ensure they’re the real deal.

Influencers are in the business…

Bottom line? Budgets are growing, buyers are listening, and companies are learning that credibility beats reach. 

What you can do is figure out how B2B influencer marketing is different from B2C one—and how to do it well.

For example, by building trust with thought leaders and empowering your own employees and customers. In any case, the opportunity is wide open…