March 31, 2025

For years, B2B marketing scoffed at influencer marketing. Too fluffy. Too consumer. Too… Instagram.

And yet here we are. In 2025, over 51% of B2B campaigns now include B2B influencer marketing in some form (See Joel Harrison’s post). In content marketing and thought leadership categories, that number jumps to 80%. That’s not a trend. That’s a shift.

Because it’s not just about visibility anymore. It’s about trust. And in a world where B2B buyers are ghosting sales teams and ignoring corporate comms, trust is everything.

Edelman’s Trust Barometer puts it plainly: 89% of B2B buyers trust peer recommendations and industry experts more than brand marketing. Add to that LinkedIn’s research showing 75% of decision-makers say thought leadership content led them to explore a product or service they hadn’t considered, and it’s clear buyers are listening.

Let’s break down exactly how to do it right.

Relevance over reach (always)

The most common mistake in B2B influencer campaigns? Picking the person with the biggest following. That might work in fashion or fitness, but in B2B? It’s relevance that cuts through.

A credible voice in cyber, finance or sustainability? That gets a meeting. A pretty LinkedIn grid? Not so much.

What you need are influencers who speak to your audience in a way that resonates,  and who are respected for what they know, not how many likes they get.

However, if relevance always trumps reach, what does that actually mean in practice?

It means picking influencers not because they have thousands of followers, but because they hold sway over the right people, your buyers. It’s not about popularity; it’s about authority, credibility, and connection. And the good news? B2B offers a rich mix of influencer types that serve different roles across the buying journey.

So, let’s break it down. Here’s who’s influencing B2B right now. And where they deliver the most value

Influencer types & where they fit

The best B2B influencers aren’t looking for a one-off sponsorship. They want partnerships that build their authority too. Offer collaboration, not just payment.

How to vet an influencer

In B2B, choosing the wrong influencer isn’t just awkward, it can tank trust, confuse your audience, or worse, waste budget on vanity metrics. So, before you jump in with a DM or an email pitch, do your homework.

We have a useful B2B Influencer Selection Framework to make sure they’re a strategic match, not just a social splash at  https://immediatefuture.co.uk/blog/in-b2b-relevance-matters-more/

Collaborate like you mean it

The fastest way to waste your budget? Treat influencer marketing like a quick promotion. The fastest way to win? Treat it like a strategic partnership.

The best B2B influencers aren’t there to parrot your brand. They want to co-create, contribute, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

How to collaborate with influencers in B2B

• Co-create valuable content
  The best influencers won’t just post about you, they’ll build something with you. Thought leadership articles, reports, panel discussions, and videos outperform simple “sponsored” posts every time.
• Give them a platform
  Bring influencers into your events, roundtables, and live discussions. Influencer-led panels are proven to increase registrations and engagement.
• Advisory roles & community building
  The smartest brands are turning influencers into ongoing advisors, industry contributors, or community champions. This builds long-term credibility and deeper trust with buyers.
• Amplifying social reach, the right way
  Yes, social promotion is still key. But instead of asking influencers to share generic brand content, co-create LinkedIn articles, do live Q&As, or develop research reports together.

The best B2B campaigns blend thought leadership with amplification.  Meaning influencers are both helping shape the conversation and spreading it.

The role of social media in amplifying influence

Social media is the megaphone that turns a great influencer into an industry authority. It’s not just about visibility, it’s about amplifying expert voices, building trust, and driving meaningful engagement.

• Optimise for platform-specific content
  LinkedIn articles, Twitter threads, and YouTube discussions all serve different audience needs.
• Encourage ongoing dialogue
  Don’t just post influencer content, facilitate conversations around it.
• Repurpose influencer content
  Turn a single webinar into blog posts, social snippets, and gated content to extend its lifespan.
• Use paid social strategically
  Boost high-performing influencer content to ensure it reaches decision-makers at scale.
• Engage directly
  Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and make it a two-way conversation.

Here’s a few secrets we’ll share with you

1. The “silent” influencers.  Employee advocacy is underestimated

Internal SMEs and employees are trusted voices, yet only 50.6% of influencer campaigns worked with employee ambassadors. Brands that empower their internal experts build credibility faster and keep influence in-house.

2. The micro-influencer blind spot

Despite their high engagement rates, only 0.6% of campaigns used micro-influencers. That’s a huge missed opportunity. Brands should be building networks of niche, high-trust voices rather than defaulting to big names.

3. Budgeting reality check

The brands investing 15-25% of their campaign budget into influencer marketing are seeing direct revenue impact, but those sitting at 3-5% are likely treating it as an afterthought.

4. Full-funnel influence wins

The best campaigns use influencers at every stage (from awareness to conversion). Thought leadership starts the conversation, but influencers should also be integrated into buying decisions.

So, what’s the value in all this?

It’s simple: influence in B2B is no longer a maybe, it’s a must. In a world of declining trust, longer buying cycles, and saturated content channels, you need voices that buyers actually listen to. And it turns out they’re not always your own.

So whether you’re just getting started or already running influencer programmes, now’s the time to scale it with confidence. Use the frameworks, vet your partners, blend content with amplification, and measure what matters.