July 19, 2023
Commonly, people believe that influencer marketing only has an impact on markets that target end consumers, known as business-to-consumer (B2C) markets. This perception stems from the numerous success stories where brands, particularly in the lifestyle sector, promote their products through celebrities on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. However, …
Can these tactics be applied to specialized industries aiming to directly impact other businesses?
The answer is yes. Influencer marketing for business-to-business (B2B) presents a significant opportunity in communication and marketing strategies for specialized businesses seeking to establish valuable relationships and enhance their brand presence online.
What is Influencer Marketing?
When we think of influencers, we typically associate them with social media and virtual environments. However, the concept has a long history and is linked to individuals whose thought leadership inspires others through their ideas or actions. Transferring that influence on social media gives us the perfect formula to develop innovative and adaptable PR campaigns that connect with audiences and reach the target audience through multiple channels.
The origin of influencer marketing can be traced back to the rise and growth of social media. As platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter gained popularity, so did the users who stood out for their ability to influence the opinions and behaviors of their followers.
The term «influencer» emerged to describe these individuals who exerted a significant impact on social media. Brands saw an opportunity to promote their products or services through these online personalities as users began to follow and trust them.
Influencer marketing started gaining momentum in the mid-2000s when brands began collaborating with popular bloggers and YouTubers to promote their products. These collaborators received free products or payment for their recommendations and reviews.
Over time, influencer marketing has become an established and recognized marketing strategy. It has evolved alongside the emergence of new social media platforms and the diversification of influencer types. This includes celebrities, niche experts, as well as nano and micro-influencers. Influencer marketing has become a trend in public relations as it helps reach specific audiences and generates higher consumer engagement and loyalty.
«Did you know?»
- According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 89% of marketing professionals consider influencer marketing’s return on investment (ROI) to be comparable or superior to other marketing strategies, making it a high ROI strategy.
Surely, you are already aware of this! However, it is important to understand what it truly means to influence from a thought leadership perspective. Having many followers does not necessarily guarantee the desired engagement.
To summarize, using influencers is based on associations with individuals who have built a digital community aligned with specific brands’ styles and values, leveraging their contextual credibility, reach, or influence over their followers. Remember, valuable partners can be relied upon to successfully manage these relationships.
The actions carried out through influencer marketing aim to promote and endorse brands’ products or services through multimedia content, enabling personalized communication with audiences and organic amplification of the brand’s reach.
The importance of generating and distributing valuable content
In the past, brands relied on traditional media and public relations to gain coverage. However, with the digital revolution, digital PR tactics are now crucial to support the management and optimization of valuable content. These tactics effectively communicate key messages, share relevant information, gain visibility, and build the brand’s reputation.
An influencer’s role in this regard is crucial. Collaborating with the brand, they create and publish valuable multimedia content for audiences. This can range from videos in various formats (reels, TikTok, Instagram Stories) to written or audio publications like podcasts.
To determine the ideal format for an influencer, it is important to understand which channel or social network is being targeted to make an impact. Social listening is one tactic that can help achieve this. By analyzing online conversations about the brand, industry, and market, including competition, actionable key performance indicators (KPIs) can be obtained to guide marketing efforts.
This involves identifying topics, formats, and channels that resonate with the target audience and creating relevant, engaging, and shareable content that generates traffic, leads, or conversions. This approach boosts the effectiveness of the content marketing strategy.
How to define my ideal influencer?
While metrics such as reach are important factors in classifying someone as an «influencer,» relying solely on the size of their community would be a mistake. «Macro-influencers» or celebrities are the ideal choice if the goal is to reach many people.
However, this approach does not always translate into action by the impacted individuals. Despite having a large community, a significant percentage may not show interest or empathy towards the brands these profiles promote. Moreover, there are multiple examples that remind us that payment to these types of influencers does not guarantee credibility or commitment to the brand. One such example is the case of Gal Gadot, an ambassador for an Android brand, promoting its use from her iPhone. Such cases often focus solely on the impressive numbers.
On the other hand, when dealing with specific niches, it is ideal to work with specialized profiles. These profiles may have smaller communities but possess a strong sense of identification with the topics they address. In the marketing world, we classify them as «micro-influencers.» They are open to organic collaborations if they align with a brand’s values and innovations. They understand that valuable and educational content gives them credibility with their audiences.
| Influencers B2B | Influencers B2C | |
| Targeted Reach | They directly connect with specialized and segmented audiences in a specific market niche. | They have a large following and can reach broader audiences. |
| Expert Credibility | They are recognized as experts in their field, enhancing the credibility of the associated brand. | They build trust and credibility through relationships with their followers. |
| Content | They collaborate to create high-quality, educational, relevant, and valuable content for their communities. | They produce diverse and varied content, ranging from their daily lives to product or service recommendations. |
| Relationships | They facilitate the establishment of strong, long-term relationships with other professionals and industry thought leaders. | They form short-term relationships that respond to specific campaigns or actions, which may not necessarily contribute to brand loyalty. |
| Influence on Purchasing Decisions | Their opinions and recommendations can influence the purchasing decisions of potential customers. | They have the power to influence the purchasing decisions of their followers and drive specific actions. |
Connection with the brand:
Establishing brand alignment with influencers is crucial in this industry. The connection these profiles have with the products or services being promoted is vital.
While there isn’t a general rule regarding this matter, based on our experience, we can tell you that organic micro-influencers tend to engage more with brands and their processes. They go beyond understanding the company’s philosophy and actively contribute to setting objectives. This is because they genuinely care about the topic. Many of them don’t see themselves as influencers, but they understand the importance of providing valuable content to their followers and engaging with them.
Paid or organic strategy: Which one is better?
Various sources claim that digital channels like Instagram and TikTok are ideal for B2C brands due to the type of content they allow, which is more «shareable» and visually appealing (photos, short videos, trends, etc.). Celebrities have found opportunities in these spaces to grow their communities and collaborate with different brands. However, we have had experiences with B2B brands that are starting to explore TikTok to increase visibility.
In influencer marketing for B2B, there are opportunities on networking-focused platforms like Twitter, Facebook groups, and, above all, LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a network mostly composed of micro-influencers who are masters in select niches. Additionally, certain audiovisual and written channels like Spotify and blogs have gained significant relevance in these sectors due to their ability to address topics comprehensively and in an integrated manner.
So, can we say that paid influencer marketing is exclusive to the B2C sector and organic influencer marketing is for B2B? No! The reality is that while there are some recurrences, influencer strategies are not based on whether they are for B2C or B2B markets. What truly matters is understanding what you want to communicate and, above all, what you want to achieve.
Don’t miss out on the opportunities and benefits of including influencers as a marketing strategy in digital public relations for B2B brands. Step out of the traditional spectrum and incorporate influencer marketing into your integrated communication plan.
Why B2B Micro-Influencers are the Ideal Option to Boost Your Brand
When it comes to boosting your brand, B2B micro-influencers offer two compelling reasons why they should be your top choice:
Dominating Specialized Markets
B2B micro-influencers excel in specialized markets. By nature, they are experts in their field, equipped with the experience and knowledge to understand the key concerns of the markets they operate in. This expertise allows them to connect deeply with their audiences and establish credibility.
Reaching Target Audiences Effectively
B2B micro-influencers are individuals who share similar characteristics with their audiences, from their academic background to their role in the industry. They possess excellent decision-making skills and are skilled at building positive relationships. As a result, they know exactly «what and how» to communicate using formats and messages that capture the interest of their audiences. They are also well-versed in identifying the ideal digital channels for B2B brands, ensuring maximum reach and impact.
In the vast landscape of digital influence, B2B micro-influencers can be found across countless niches. Whether it’s technology with experts in FinTech, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, or fields related to health, telecommunications, and logistics, there’s a digital leader for every niche.
Incorporating influencer marketing into your strategy is a valuable way to position your organization and create a successful optimized public relations plan. This approach (Optimized PR) benefits both B2B and B2C brands, as it allows you to generate online visibility in sectors where the value proposition directly impacts the business environment.
The challenge lies ahead. Is your brand prepared to overcome it? Click here for more information.