B2B influencer marketing is currently experiencing a surge in popularity. According to our 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report, 85% of B2B marketers are now incorporating influencers into their strategies. This is a significant increase from 34% in 2020 and 46% in 2022. Not only are more marketers embracing B2B influence, but they are also finding more success with it. Our survey respondents ranked influencer marketing as the second most successful tactic in their programs, just behind social media marketing. Despite this success, only about a third of marketers rated their programs as “extremely effective.” If some marketers are achieving “extremely effective” results, it’s not satisfactory to settle for just “somewhat effective.” As marketers, we’re always striving for optimization and improvement. Fortunately, we asked all 400 survey participants about their influencer programs, and we’ve identified the top performers. These “extremely effective” individuals are doing things differently, and here are seven key statistics that stood out to us.
1. Use professional influencers:
– Most effective: 54%
– All others: 39%
– What it means: B2B influence comes in various forms, and while some marketers prefer industry experts, the most successful programs engage with professional influencers who actively cultivate and engage with a large audience.
2. Compensate influencers:
– Most effective: 53%
– All others: 43%
– What it means: In the past, influencers were often enticed to collaborate without payment, but now, compensating influencers is essential to work with the most qualified individuals with a significant relevant reach.
3. Use technology to identify, engage, and manage:
– Most effective: 60%
– All others: 52%
– What it means: While it’s possible to search for influencers without dedicated tools, using technology specifically designed for influencer identification, engagement, and management simplifies and streamlines the process.
4. Use AI for performance tracking, identification, and selection:
– Most effective: 60%
– All others: 33%
– What it means: Marketers who make the best use of new technology, including AI, are more likely to be effective, as AI can increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout an influencer program.
5. Measure and track performance:
– Most effective: 55%
– All others: 48%
– What it means: Measuring and tracking performance is crucial for optimizing influencer marketing programs, proving value, securing bigger budgets, and expanding influencer programs within the organization.
6. Create an always-on program:
– Most effective: 51%
– All others: 14%
– What it means: Instead of treating influencer marketing as a series of one-off engagements, running an always-on program that nurtures relationships and collaboration between big campaigns is more efficient and delivers more value to both the audience and influencers.
7. Outsource most or the entirety of your program:
– Most effective: 83%
– All others: 54%
– What it means: Marketers are choosing to outsource their influencer marketing programs to trusted experts who have the knowledge, experience, tools, and relationships with influencers to handle everything from identification to measurement and reporting.
At TopRank Marketing, we have been practicing influencer marketing for a long time and have established relationships with hundreds of B2B influencers across various industries. We would love to be the secret driver of your extremely effective influencer marketing program.
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