What is B2B influencer marketing? 

I get asked this question quite often. Especially by non-marketers, who have the assumption I work with a Kardashian selling makeup. 

Let’s begin with the distinction between B2B and B2C influencer marketing. A slightly more B2C-centric definition comes from McKinsey: “Influencer marketing is a collaboration between popular social-media users and brands to promote brands’ products or services.” Although sometimes true for B2B, there are more nuances we can explore.

As we defined it in our 2023 Influencer Marketing Report, “B2B influencer marketing is the strategic practice of brands working with knowledgeable and influential figures in a given industry to create, co-create and amplify content.”

At a high level, these definitions accurately summarize what B2B influencer marketing is and how it works. But we wanted to offer a deeper perspective on the practice, straight from the voices who bring it to life.

I asked some amazing marketers via LinkedIn, emails and messages for their thoughts. This group of marketing thought leaders called out the need for collaboration, authenticity, relationships, data, education, and trust, along with leveraging employees and executives. 

Come take a closer look at their definitions of B2B influencer marketing.

How experts define B2B influencer marketing

Simply put, B2B influencer marketing is, “Trusted voices influencing buyer decisions,” says Ursula Ringham, Head of Global Influencer Marketing, SAP, Inc. 

Collaboration is key, says Jonathan Steiert, Sr. Content Marketing Manager, NetLine. “B2B influencer marketing is a collaboration where one business leverages the trust and reach of an industry expert or entity to amplify its message to a targeted professional audience.”

The content queen, Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs, breaks down influencer marketing like you would a good marketing strategy: 

“It’s a collab between an organization and an individual marked by 4 key essentials:

• Clear goals, KPIs: Why are we doing this? How will we measure success? 
• Alignment of audience and values: Does our expertise align? Does the influencer use, believe in the product or service? 
• Relationship: Is this a relationship or does it feel like a one-off? Do we like each other?
• Trust: Is there transparency and authenticity? Do we trust each other and honor the other’s strengths? Do we give each other creative freedom? Is there content collaboration or content control?”

A strategic partnership

“B2B influencer marketing,” according to Sprout Social, “is a strategic approach where businesses promote their product or services through collaborative partnerships with subject matter experts within a specific industry. Through these relationships, businesses are able to harness an influencer’s credibility to reach new audiences.” 

It is that mutually strategic focus and tight-knit partnership that really distinguish B2B influence as a marketing approach, in the eyes of many practitioners. You’ll notice some recurring language in the way they describe the discipline.

“I define B2B influencer marketing as a strategic collaboration that aligns brands with industry experts to enhance credibility, extend reach, and build authority collectively,” says Sarah Evans, CEO at Sevans PR. “This approach not only highlights the expertise of thought leaders but also intertwines their insights with a brand’s narrative, elevating all. It’s about creating a symbiotic relationship where expert opinions are brought to the forefront, providing a dual benefit—boosting the brand’s reputation and amplifying the influencer’s authority. This method is a powerful way to leverage shared knowledge and influence, crafting a narrative that resonates deeply within professional communities.” 

A strategic partnership begins with collaboration, says Justin Levy, Head of Social Media, Influencer Marketing & Community, ZoomInfo. “B2B influencer marketing is the collaboration with industry thought leaders to, typically, drive brand awareness and engagement. The most successful B2B influencer marketing campaigns are those that are mutually beneficial for both the brand and the influencers that the brand works with.”

To Sydney Dusselier, Senior Writer, Prophix, “B2B influencer marketing is all about partnering with thought leaders and innovators in your space to build mutually beneficial relationships that help educate and engage your target market. Co-creating campaigns, assets, and social media content with B2B influencers is one of the best ways to convey your commitment to amplifying the voices of your audience and addressing their concerns in an approachable way, rather than resorting to a sales pitch right away.”

Commenting on the mutual benefits between brand and influencer, Amy Higgins, Director, Content Marketing, Cloudflare, shares: “Personally, I define B2B influencer marketing as a mutually beneficial relationship where brands co-create together. The trick is finding what is ‘beneficial’ for both parties. Sometimes the influencers receive a monetary benefit. However, more often than not, B2B influencers work with brands to expand their community and influence in the industry.”

B2B influencers add credibility and authenticity

Brands want to find a way to relate and show credibility with their audience. Influencers provide that authenticity. The experts agree. 

“First of all, B2B influencer marketing is suuuch a fantastic way to humanize a brand and create a lot of buzz with the right audience,” says Ruth Schuster, Social Media Lead, HRS. “Second of all, with experts and brand ambassadors, a B2B brand can share its messages more authentically, build better trust, and make complex content more accessible for its audience. As a result, it drives higher engagement and conversions because influencers bring credibility and attention, making clients more likely to trust and choose the brand.”

Ruth adds, “To sum it up: it just helps brands in such a meaningful way to educate and position themselves as industry leaders, driving growth and strengthening their market presence.”

The theme of credibility and authenticity continues with Morgan J. Ingram, Founder and Chief Edutainment Officer, AMP Creative. “My definition of B2B influencer marketing is amplifying your company’s mission and narrative in the market by partnering with credible voices in your industry,” he says. “These influencers have built an audience around a specific topic due to their expertise and accomplishments. By collaborating with them, you tap into their credibility to expand your market share.”

“The future of B2B influencer marketing is integration, not transaction,” Morgan continues. “Influencers will deeply align with an organization’s revenue goals and brand narrative, creating content that authentically reflects the company’s mission. This approach moves beyond simple endorsements to value-driven pieces of content.”

“You need to humanize your brand if you want people to buy into it and influencer marketing is one of the best ways to do that. B2B influencer marketing allows companies to expose their offerings to more tailored, professional communities and build brand authority by working with respected experts. Through those experts, or influencers, brands can get the word out about an offering while cultivating deep, authentic relationships with potential customers,” points out Tim Alexander, Social Media and Influencer Strategist.

Specialized expertise is a must

You don’t pick a B2B influencer because they look cute. You look for someone who can inform your audience. 

The B2B Influencer Marketing Guide reminds us that it comes down to the three R’s:

• Relevance – Who is reaching your brand’s most valuable audience?
• Resonance – Who is inspiring your audience to meaningful action?
• Reach – Given the first two, who has the biggest audience?

Mandy McEwen, Founder & CEO, Mod Girl Marketing makes this point. She says, “B2B influencer marketing is the strategy of engaging well-connected, expert thought leaders to elevate your brand’s presence and trustworthiness. Unlike B2C, where it’s all about reach and consumer influence, B2B influencer marketing focuses more on the depth of connections and the specific subject matter expertise these influencers bring.”

Want to learn more about B2B influencer marketing and how it works? We’ve got plenty for you to explore:

How do you define B2B influencer marketing? Let us help define it for your brand. Discover our influencer marketing services.

About the author

Debbie Friez is the agency’s Associate Director of Social and Influencer Marketing. Her 9+ years at TopRank Marketing, plus her diverse background in public relations and business development helps her lead our social media and influencer marketing teams. Debbie works closely with our robust network of B2B influencers across a variety of industries, providing influencer marketing program management and consulting for our top B2B tech and enterprise brands. She also is one of the best friends you can find, who is always in the know on the best restaurants, and happenings around Minneapolis.