Influence Over Impressions: The Real Power of Influencer Marketing in B2B

In today’s complex B2B buying environment, influence -- not impressions -- is what drives credibility, trust, and action. B2B influencer marketing is not about visibility alone; it’s about aligning with the voices buyers already trust and embedding those voices across the buying journey. When done well, influencer marketing isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a strategic growth lever.

Why B2B Influence Is Accelerating Trust

B2B buying dynamics increasingly rely on trusted third-party voices to validate choices. Decision-makers are pressured with purchases of considerable investment; they are often overwhelmed with content, cautious of unknown brands or experiences, and skeptical of brand-led messaging or salespeople trying to just close a deal. Independent experts, practitioners, and peer leaders consistently outrank sales and branded content as trusted versus biased information sources.

An October 2024 DemandGen Report indicates that B2B buyers are nearly 70 percent through their purchasing process before engaging with sellers. This statistic also appears in related research indicating that many B2B buyers complete a significant amount of their buying journey and perform numerous searches pre-sales, relying heavily on digital resources, peer reviews, and data to self-educate and validate solutions, making digital content a crucial part of the equation.

A report from LinkedIn “Helping Brands Engage and Influence Buyers with New Advertising Capabilities”noted that67 percent of B2B buyers engage with influencer content during the consideration and research phase of their buying journey, seeking trusted insights. Therefore, it is paramount that companies provide engaging and meaningful online content.

This shift is driving marketing investment in influencer marketing. A growing majority of B2B organizations now use influencers. According to TopRank Marketing’s 2025 B2B Influencer Marketing Report, the most mature teams are moving toward always-on programs rather than one-off campaigns. The reason is simple: B2B buying cycles can typically range from six months to two years. Additionally, influence works in B2B when it’s rooted in authority, relevance, and trust, not reach alone. Thought leadership, expert-led education, and practitioner insight play a direct role in shaping consideration and purchase decisions.

What “Influence” Really Means in B2B

Unlike B2C, where scale often wins, B2B influence is about understanding your buyer and their pain points. The most effective B2B influencers aren’t necessarily celebrities with massive followings. They’re industry analysts, subject matter experts, practitioners, partners, and customers who instill credibility within niche buying committees.

Influence in B2B looks fundamentally different than in consumer marketing. Success is rarely driven by celebrities or massive followings. Instead, it comes from:

• Industry analysts and thought leaders
• Subject matter experts and academics
• Practitioners and executives with peer credibility
• Business partners, customers, and third-party advocates

Influence shows up across LinkedIn, YouTube, webinars, virtual events, podcasts, and co-created thought leadership -- not just social posts. In fact, many of the most effective programs integrate influencers across the funnel: from awareness-building content to consideration-stage education and late-stage validation through customer advocacy.

Where Waste Creeps In

Despite the momentum, waste remains a persistent challenge. Common pitfalls include:

• Selecting influencers based on follower count instead of relevance or trust
• Treating influencer campaigns as short-term transactions
• Measuring success solely through likes, views, or impressions
• Overlooking existing advocates, customers, and partners who often hold the most influence

The issue isn’t influencer marketing itself. It’s how organizations define influence, align it to objectives, and measure impact.

The Path Forward

The strongest B2B influencer programs share a few traits: clear goals, aligned KPIs, long-term relationships, and measurement tied to real business outcomes whether that’s awareness, engagement, pipeline influence, or partner momentum.

When brands treat influencers as ecosystem partners rather than media buys, the results are measurable and scalable.

Influencer marketing is no longer optional for B2B. But success requires intention.

The full ANA report, The Strategic Rise of B2B Creator and Influencer Marketing, is now available for download to members on our association website. It explores:

• The influencer types shaping B2B buying decisions
• Where B2B influencer marketing is happening today
• Real-world examples across industries
• Best practices to reduce waste and maximize ROI

If you’re evaluating -- or rethinking -- your influencer strategy, this report offers a practical, data-informed framework to help you move from impressions to real influence.

Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.

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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.org/MyersBizNet.