It’s commonly believed that the impact of influencer marketing is found only in markets whose products and/or services are aimed at the end consumer: business-to-consumer (B2C). It’s easy to find success stories where brands, especially in the lifestyle environment, promote their products through celebrities on networks like Instagram and TikTok, but…
Can these tactics be applied to specialized industries where the goal is to directly impact another business?
The answer is yes; B2B influencer marketing represents a fantastic opportunity in communication and marketing strategies for specialized businesses looking to generate valuable relationships to enhance their brand in the online world.
What is influencer marketing?
Thinking of an influencer is usually associated with social networks and virtual environments; however, this term dates back much earlier and relates to people whose thought leadership inspires others with their ideas or actions. Now, imagine transferring that influence on social networks… it gives us the perfect formula to work on innovative and adaptive PR campaigns that allow us to connect with audiences and reach your target audience through multiple channels.
The origin of influencer marketing dates back to the emergence and growth of social networks. As social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and X gained popularity, so did users who stood out for their ability to influence the opinions and behaviors of their followers.
The term influencer was adopted to describe these people who had considerable influence on social networks. As users began to follow and trust these online personalities, brands saw an opportunity to promote their products or services through them.
Influencer marketing began to gain momentum in the mid-2000s when brands started collaborating with popular bloggers and YouTubers to promote products. These collaborators received free products or payments for their recommendations and reviews.
Over time, influencer marketing has become an established and recognized marketing strategy. It has evolved to transform the digital presence of brands, with the emergence of new social media platforms and the diversification of influencer types. Including celebrities, niche experts, as well as nano and micro-influencers; becoming one of the trends in the field of public relations as they can help reach specific audiences and generate greater engagement and loyalty from consumers.
Did you know?
- 89% of marketing professionals consider that the ROI of influencer marketing is comparable or superior to other marketing strategies, so influencer marketing generates a high return on investment (ROI). (Influencer Marketing Hub).
You probably already knew this! However, the crucial point here is to understand what it really means to influence from a thought leadership perspective and that not necessarily many followers guarantee the engagement you’re looking for.
To recap, using influencers is based on partnerships with people who have built a digital community (through their contextual credibility or the reach they have with their followers) aligned with certain brands’ styles and values. Don’t forget that you can rely on a valuable ally to successfully manage these relationships.
Actions conducted through influencer marketing aim to promote and/or endorse those products or services of brands through multimedia content – which we’ll discuss later – allowing personalized communication with audiences, as well as amplifying the brand’s reach in a more organic way.
The importance of generating and distributing valuable content
Previously, with the help of PR, brands used to gain coverage in traditional media, but with the digital revolution, Digital PR tactics are now needed to support the management and optimization of valuable content, effectively communicating key messages, sharing relevant information, gaining visibility, and consolidating the brand’s reputation.
A fundamental part of the work that an influencer does in this sense lies in collaborating with the brand to create and publish multimedia and valuable content for audiences; from videos in their different formats (reels, TikTok, Instagram Stories), to written publications or even audio, as is the case with podcasts.
To select the ideal format that an influencer should use, we need to understand through which channel or social network we are seeking to impact; a tactic to achieve this is social listening; which analyzes online conversations about the brand, industry, and market, including the competition, in order to obtain actionable KPIs to guide marketing efforts.
We can achieve this by identifying which topics, formats, and channels resonate with the target audience; and creating relevant, attractive, and shareable content that generates traffic, leads, or conversions. In this way, the effectiveness of the content marketing strategy is boosted.
How to define your ideal influencer?
While metrics such as reach are a fundamental factor in classifying someone as an “influencer”, guiding ourselves solely by the size of their community would be a serious mistake; “macro-influencers” or celebrities are the ideal channel if our goal is to reach a large number of people.
This may seem quite attractive if we link the benefits of celebrities with a strictly quantitative sense, but this does not always translate into “action” by the impacted people, since, being a large community, there will be a large percentage that may not show interest or empathy for the brands these profiles promote. Moreover, there are multiple examples that remind us that payment to this type of influencer does not guarantee credibility or commitment to the brand (remember the case of Gal Gadot, ambassador for an Android firm, promoting its use from her iPhone), being carried away only by the figures, in many cases millionaire.
On the other hand, when we talk about niches with very particular traits, it’s ideal to adopt specialized profiles; these frequently present smaller communities, but with a profound sense of identification regarding the topics addressed. In the marketing world, we usually classify them as “micro-influencers”, who are open to doing organic work if they share the values and innovations of a brand, knowing that valuable and educational content gives them more credibility with their audiences.
Differences between celebrities and micro-influencers for B2B and B2C markets
Paid and organic influence
The main difference between both types of influencers lies in how their participation in influencer marketing and digital public relations strategies is compensated.
Paid influence is that which has economic, or material compensation involved; these profiles, which in most cases present a large number of followers, help in a faster way to achieve very concrete actions. However, it’s not for all brands, they don’t necessarily represent long-term alliances, and the loyalty process is with the influencer, not with the brand.
On the other hand, organic influencers, who are usually profiles with less volume in terms of reach, are those who have built their follower base through valuable, relevant, and consistent content generating a true connection with their audience. Without expecting economic retribution, they often become brand ambassadors for the support that companies can give them. It becomes a win-win strategy between both entities, such as access to conferences and major events for their niche or industry, scoops on innovations or sector studies… they really talk to their community and build their contextual credibility beyond filters and retouched images.
Connection with the brand
Getting an influencer to reflect brand values is a challenge in this industry, which is why the connection these profiles can have with those products or services we seek to position is vital.
Although there is no generality on this topic, from experience we tell you that organic micro-influencers tend to get more involved with brands and their processes, from knowing the company’s philosophy to understanding and collaborating in the delimitation of objectives, this due to presenting a real interest in the subject. Many of them don’t see themselves as influencers, but they know the importance of providing valuable content to their followers and interacting with them.
Paid or organic strategy: Which is better?
Various sources assure that digital channels like Instagram and TikTok are ideal for B2C brands, this is due to the type of content they allow to publish, which is much more “viral” and visually attractive (photos, mini-videos, trends, etc.). Celebrities have mainly found in these spaces the opportunity to increase their community and be able to collaborate with various brands successfully. However, we have had experiences of B2B brands that are beginning to explore TikTok to increase visibility.
In B2B influencer marketing, there are opportunities in networks that promote networking efforts, including X, Facebook groups, and par excellence, LinkedIn (a network made up mostly of micro-influencers who are masters in select niches); however, some audiovisual and written channels, such as Spotify and blogs, have gained great relevance for these sectors due to their ease in addressing topics in more complete and integral ways.
So… Can we say that the paid influencer marketing strategy is exclusive to the B2C sector and the organic one for B2B? No! The reality is that although there are some recurrences, strategies through influencers do not discriminate whether they are for B2C or B2B markets, what really matters is understanding what you want to communicate, and above all what you want to achieve.
Let’s not waste the opportunities and benefits of including influencers as a marketing strategy in digital public relations for B2B brands, let’s get out of the traditional spectrum and add influencer marketing to 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:
Dominant specialized markets
B2B micro-influencers excel in specialized markets. By nature, they are experts in their field, equipped with experience and knowledge to understand the key concerns of the markets in which they operate. This expertise allows them to connect deeply with their audiences and establish credibility.
Reaching the target audience
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 adept at building positive relationships. As a result, they know exactly “what and how” to communicate using formats and messages that capture their audiences’ interest. They also know how to identify 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 in 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 an optimized and successful public relations plan. This approach (Optimized PR) benefits both B2B and B2C brands, as it allows you to generate online visibility in sectors where your value proposition directly impacts the business environment.