Hello B2B marketers! Looking to amplify your brand’s presence in the sea of sameness? Influencer marketing might just be the key, but it is not about picking anyone with a large following. Here’s how to strategically find and select B2B influencers on LinkedIn to ensure the best fit for your brand.
✔️ Why LinkedIn for B2B Influencers?
- Professional Context: LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professional networking, making it ideal for B2B interactions. LinkedIn has significantly beefed up its capabilities for content creators over the past couple years.
- Targeted Reach: It allows you to reach decision-makers and professionals who can influence B2B purchasing decisions.
✔️ Who Should Look for B2B Influencers on LinkedIn?
- B2B Brands: Companies looking to increase their industry authority, launch new products, or enter new markets.
- Marketers Seeking Targeted Exposure: Those needing to reach specific professional demographics or industry niches.
✔️ How to Find the Right B2B Influencers on LinkedIn?
- Define Your Goals and Audience: Know what you want to achieve (awareness, leads, event promotion?) and who you need to reach (CEOs in fintech, HR managers in tech?).
- Search Relevant Keywords and Hashtags: Use LinkedIn’s search function to find professionals talking about topics relevant to your industry. Look at the content they share and their engagement levels.
- Check Groups and Events: LinkedIn groups and industry events are goldmines for finding thought leaders and influencers active in specific sectors.
✔️ Criteria for Selecting Influencers:
- Relevance: Their content should align with your industry and address topics important to your target audience.
- Engagement: Look beyond follower count. High engagement rates indicate an influencer's ability to actively interact with their audience.
- Authenticity: Their voice should be genuine, with a history of credible and respected insights.
- Professional Standing: They should have a solid professional background and be recognized in their field. Look for “top voice”, “talks about” badges on their profiles.
✔️ Why This Strategy Works:
- High ROI Potential: Influencers with the right professional audience can drive more meaningful engagements and sales than traditional advertising.
- Amplify with Paid: LinkedIn now lets advertisers pay to boost posts from users with Thought Leader ads (previously limited to employees). This can be a game-changer for businesses in go-niche or build-your-own-category GTM plays.
✔️ Wrap-Up: Are You Ready to Engage with B2B Influencers?
Finding and partnering with the right B2B influencers (respected industry voices that resonate authentically with your audience) on LinkedIn can deliver your message effectively, drive awareness and boost brand equity.